How much did it pay to run one of Hong Kong’s biggest banks in 2025?

The answer varies sharply, and the numbers look quite different once bank performance enters the picture.

In 2025, Hong Kong’s major banks did not end the year in the same place.

Bank Of China Hong Kong (Holdings), or BOCHK, grew profit, while Hang Seng Bank and Bank of East Asia (BEA) both reported declines.

Leadership changed as well where Hang Seng Bank replaced Diana Cesar with Luanne Lim as Chief Executive in October.

A few months later, HSBC completed its privatisation of Hang Seng in January 2026, taking the bank off the Hong Kong Stock Exchange after decades as a listed company.

Against that backdrop, here is how CEO pay at the three banks compared.

Top 3 Highest-Paid Bank CEOs in Hong Kong in 2025

Last Updated: 14 August 2026.

BEA Pays Its Two Co-CEOs, Who Happen to Be Brothers, HK$21.9 Million Each

Adrian David Li Man-kiu and Brian David Li Man-bun share Bank of East Asia’s (BEA) top executive role and are sons of Executive Chairman Sir David Li Kwok-po.

Each recorded HK$21.9 million in remuneration for 2025, up from HK$21.4 million a year earlier.

Their pay was identical across every disclosed component.

Salaries, allowances and benefits came to HK$8.2 million each, with HK$7.0 million in discretionary bonus, HK$5.4 million in share-based compensation, HK$0.8 million in retirement contributions and HK$0.5 million in directors’ fees.

Part of the total was accounting value rather than cash paid during the year. BEA says its share-option figures reflect fair values amortised over their vesting periods.

Profit attributable to owners of the parent fell 24.0% to HK$3.501 billion, while return on average equity dropped from 4.0% to 3.1%.

BOCHK’s Sun Yu Earns Less Than Half as Much, While Running the Most Profitable Bank

Sun Yu recorded HK$9.638 million in remuneration as Bank of China (Hong Kong), or BOCHK for short, Chief Executive in 2025, up slightly from HK$9.404 million in 2024.

His package included HK$6.733 million in salary, allowances and benefits and a HK$2.905 million bonus.

BOCHK had the strongest earnings of the three.

Profit attributable to equity holders rose 4.9% to HK$40.121 billion, with return on average shareholders’ equity at 11.51%.

It generated more than eleven times BEA’s attributable profit, while Sun Yu’s remuneration came to less than half that of either Li brother.

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Fintech Hong Kong

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