HSBC on Wednesday appointed Singaporean Kelvin Tan to its newly created role of Asean head of sustainable finance and investments.

Mr Tan, who joined the bank in 2009, was most recently chief executive officer (CEO) of HSBC Thailand since 2015.

In his new role based out of Singapore, he will support Singapore-based clients with their regional needs as they transition to a lower-carbon way of working and living.

Specifically, the role will oversee the provision of sustainability-linked finance, help to develop innovative climate solutions, lead cross-business and cross-market collaboration across HSBC's Asean franchises, and enhance employee education and understanding to assist with customer engagement, said the bank in a press statement.

Mr Tan will report to HSBC Singapore CEO Wong Kee Joo.

The bank has committed to becoming net-zero by 2030, reducing its carbon footprint in its operations, supply chain and financing portfolio.

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It will provide up to US$1 trillion in sustainable financing and investment by 2030 to support clients in their transition to more sustainable ways of doing business.

According to the Asian Development Bank, Asean is projected to experience some of the most significant temperature increases globally.

If left unaddressed, climate change could reduce the region's gross domestic product by up to 11 per cent by the end of the century.

South-east Asia faces an infrastructure investment shortfall of more than US$100 billion a year, and this may have worsened amid the Covid-19 pandemic. To fill this gap, Asean countries must take steps to promote greater private sector participation in infrastructure financing.

Mr Wong said: "Kelvin's extensive experience in Singapore and across Asean markets, as well as his proven commercial banking ability, makes him the perfect candidate to ensure we take further strides towards a more strategic and coordinated approach."