Former minister Maliki Osman, Revolut chairman join Asia Gulf Holdings advisory board

[SINGAPORE] Former Singapore minister Maliki Osman and Revolut Group chairman Martin Gilbert have been appointed to the global advisory board of Asia Gulf Holdings (AGH), the parent company of Bahrain-licensed Singapore Gulf Bank.

The appointments, announced on Monday (Oct 26), will see Dr Maliki advise the investment group on geopolitical developments, government relations and regional cooperation.

Meanwhile, Gilbert will focus on global investment strategy, asset management and investment opportunities across Asia and the Middle East and North Africa.

Dr Maliki retired from politics in May 2025 after serving as a Member of Parliament for 24 years. His previous appointments included minister in the Prime Minister’s Office, second minister for foreign affairs, second minister for education and senior minister of state for defence.

He also served as mayor of the South East District from 2011 to 2020.

Since leaving politics, Dr Maliki has taken up several appointments, including senior adviser for Asean and flagship programmes at Nanyang Technological University.

“Economic and institutional ties between Asia and the Gulf are deepening at a time of considerable change in the global order,” Dr Maliki said.

“Greater dialogue between governments, investors and businesses can help both regions identify common interests and build stronger long-term relationships,” he added.

Gilbert, meanwhile, brings more than three decades of experience in global asset management and investment. He co-founded Aberdeen Asset Management in 1983 and led the business for 34 years as it expanded internationally.

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“Asia and the Middle East are becoming increasingly important to global investors. Both regions have substantial pools of capital, entrepreneurial activity and long-term investment opportunities,” he said.

AGH’s global advisory board is chaired by Amy Lee, co-founder and chairman of Singapore-based investment group Whampoa Group.

The veteran lawyer was previously a senior partner at the Lee & Lee law firm, which was co-founded by her father Lee Kim Yew. She was also Singapore chief executive of international law firm Hogan Lovells.

The board’s vice-chairman is Randal Quarles, a former US Federal Reserve vice-chair for supervision.

Amy Lee said the two appointments would strengthen the board’s ability to assess investment opportunities against the political and economic developments shaping both regions.

The appointments were announced at the Asia Gulf Summit in Hong Kong, an invitation-only gathering hosted by AGH and Whampoa Group.

The event brought together policymakers, institutional investors and business leaders from Asia and the Gulf, including Hong Kong Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury Christopher Hui, governor for Central Bank of Bahrain Khalid Humaidan, and Hyperliquid Labs co-founder Jeff Yan.