Directorate Change

HSBC Holdings PLC
28 February 2003

                              SENIOR APPOINTMENTS


Sir Keith Whitson is to retire at the Annual General Meeting on 30 May 2003
after 42 years service with HSBC. Sir Keith, who will be 60 at the end of March,
has been Group Chief Executive since 1998.

Sir Keith will be succeeded by Stephen Green (54) currently Executive Director,
Corporate, Investment Banking and Markets. In addition to retaining his existing
responsibilities, Mr Green will oversee all other HSBC businesses, including
personal financial services, commercial banking and insurance. Mr Green joined
HSBC in 1982.

Alan Jebson (53) currently Group IT Director, has been appointed to the new
position of Chief Operating Officer with effect from 30 May 2003. Mr Jebson, who
has worked for HSBC since 1978, will report to Stephen Green and will be
responsible for HSBC's worldwide operational functions and for managing certain
head office departments.

HSBC Group Chairman Sir John Bond said: "Keith has devoted his entire working
life to HSBC. He is an outstanding colleague with exceptional abilities and has
made an immense contribution to our success. He has also served the banking
industry as a whole with great distinction. We wish him and his family every
happiness in the future.

"At the same time one of HSBC's key characteristics is the strength of its
management team. Stephen is extremely well qualified for his new appointment and
I am confident that he will be a highly effective Group Chief Executive.
Similarly, Alan's talents have been apparent to us for many years. His
appointment as Chief Operating Officer reflects the continuing evolution of HSBC
and the importance we attach to operational efficiency in serving our customers
around the world."

Brief biographical details for the executives involved follow below.



                    Sir Keith Whitson, Group Chief Executive

Sir Keith Whitson is Group Chief Executive of HSBC Holdings plc.

He was born in Morecambe, England on 25 March 1943 and was educated at Alleyn's
School, Dulwich.

He joined The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited in 1961 and has
worked for the HSBC Group in the United Kingdom, USA, Germany, Hong Kong,
Malaysia and Indonesia. He was appointed Manager Frankfurt in 1978, Manager
Indonesia in 1981 and three years later returned to the bank's area management
office in Hong Kong as Assistant General Manager Finance.

In 1988 Sir Keith moved to London as The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking
Corporation's Chief Executive Officer, United Kingdom and was appointed to the
rank of General Manager. In January 1990 he moved to the USA to become Executive
Director, HSBC Bank USA, the principal member of the HSBC Group in the United
States.

On his return to London in 1992, Sir Keith joined the Board of HSBC Bank plc as
an Executive Director and shortly thereafter was appointed Deputy Chief
Executive. On 1 April 1994 he was appointed HSBC Bank plc's Chief Executive and
a Director of HSBC Holdings plc. With effect from 1 January 1998 he was
appointed Deputy Chairman of HSBC Bank plc. He became Group Chief Executive of
HSBC Holdings plc on 29 May 1998. He is also Chairman of the Shareholders
Committee and Deputy Chairman of the Supervisory Board of HSBC Trinkaus &
Burkhardt KgaA, Dusseldorf, Vice Chairman of HSBC North America Inc, a director
of HSBC Bank Canada and Chairman of HSBC Bank AS in Turkey.

He was appointed a non-executive director of the Financial Services Authority
(FSA) in January 1999 and is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Bankers.

The knighthood was conferred upon him for his services to banking in the Queen's
Birthday Honours in 2002.

Sir Keith is married with two daughters and one son.



                                Stephen K Green

         Executive Director, Corporate, Investment Banking and Markets


Stephen Green was born in England on 7 November 1948. He was educated at Oxford
University and received a master's degree from Massachusetts Institute of
Technology.

Stephen Green began his career with the British Government's Ministry of
Overseas Development. In 1977 he joined McKinsey & Co Inc, management
consultants, with whom he undertook assignments in Europe, North America and the
Middle East.

Stephen joined The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited in 1982
with responsibility for corporate planning activities. Since 1985 he has been in
charge of the development of the bank's global treasury operations. In 1992 he
became Group Treasurer of HSBC Holdings plc, with responsibility for the HSBC
Group's treasury and capital markets businesses globally. He was made a Director
of HSBC Bank plc (formerly Midland Bank) in 1995.

Some of his other directorships include HSBC USA Inc, HSBC Guyerzeller Bank AG
and HSBC Private Banking Holdings (Suisse) SA. He is also a member of the
Supervisory Board of HSBC Trinkaus & Burkhardt KGaA and is a board member of CCF
SA.

In March 1998 Stephen Green was appointed to the Board of HSBC Holdings plc as
Executive Director, Investment Banking and Markets responsible for the
Investment Banking, Private Banking and Asset Management activities of the
Group. He assumed additional responsibility for the Group's corporate banking
business in May 2002.

Mr Green is married with two daughters.



                        Alan W Jebson, Group IT Director

Alan Jebson is Group IT Director with responsibility for IT standards, planning
and expenditure across the HSBC Group.

Mr Jebson joined The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited in 1978
as Manager Computer Audit before serving with The Saudi British Bank in
technical services and planning roles. He then worked in various IT capacities
in Hong Kong and London. He took over as Group General Manager, Information
Technology in April 1996 and was appointed an Executive Director of HSBC
Holdings in 2000.

Mr Jebson is Deputy Chairman, CLS Services Ltd. He qualified as a chartered
accountant in 1971 and is now a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants
of England and Wales. Following qualification, he spent several years working in
the profession and in management consulting with emphasis on information
technology.

Mr Jebson was born in Huddersfield, Yorkshire on 24 September 1949. He is
married with two daughters by a previous marriage.


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