London-based Standard Chartered Bank CEO Bill Winters mentored Korean university students seeking careers in finance in an contact-free manner as part of his monthlong visit to the country, the lender’s Korean subsidiary said Thursday.

Winters and 13 university students on Wednesday discussed issues related to social finance, changes in the financial environment in the post-COVID-19 era and the “fourth industrial revolution” in the program via videoconferencing, Standard Chartered Bank Korea said. Winters arrived in Seoul on Aug. 30.

The chief executive of the global lender also shared his career experiences, while stressing the need to take interest in social finance to combat risks in the coronavirus era.

Winters said Standard Chartered Group has been offering financial support worth a combined $1 billion to firms around the world suffering from the latest pandemic to uphold its social responsibilities.

SC Bank Korea said Winters decided to participate in the mentoring program to give “hope and courage” to Korean youth as they struggle in the job market due to the slowdown in the global economy coupled with the pandemic.

SC Bank Korea, fully owned by its London-based parent group, has been holding a series of mentoring programs with the participation of its employees for Korean youth since May. The program is part of its demonstration of social responsibility for young people, dubbed “future makers,” aiming to resolve social inequality and support financial independence.

SC Bank Korea said earlier that Winters, who plan to stay until the end of September, will focus on observing and experiencing the country’s business environment and digital infrastructure. 

He is expected to meet with officials at Viva Republica, operator of mobile money transfer app Toss, for the planned launch of the nation’s third internet-only bank in the first-half of next year. SC Bank Korea is a member of Viva Republica’s consortium that won the government’s preliminary approval for launch of “Toss Bank” last year, with a 6.67 percent stake.

By Jung Min-kyung (mkjung@heraldcorp.com)