UOB's CEO Wee Ee Cheong and UOB Painting of the Year winner Gong Yao Min celebrate SG50 and raise funds through art Singapore, 22 February 2015 - UOB Group Deputy Chairman and CEO Wee Ee Cheong and two-time winner of the UOB Painting of the Year competition, artist Gong Yao Min have put ink to paper to commemorate SG50, the golden jubilee of Singapore's independence.

The painting mixes the technique of contemporary Chinese brush ink with a canvas of traditional rice paper, similarly juxtaposing the country's present with its past in the subject. It depicts the embankment between the Singapore River and Boat Quay - an historically significant site where the country's economic growth took root.
Drawing inspiration from the cityscape such as the iconic buildings of National Gallery Singapore, Fullerton Hotel and the two UOB Plazas, the artist wanted to portray the rise of the country from a small trading port to one of the world's largest and most influential financial centres.
The 1.5 metre by 1 metre painting will be revealed to 500 of UOB's Commercial Banking customers at an auction to be held at the Bank's annual Lunar New Year dinner on the evening of 24 February 2015. Proceeds from the auction will be donated to the BT Budding Artists Fund and Sage Counselling Centre.
The choice of the two beneficiaries is in keeping with the Bank's support of art, children and education. The BT Budding Artist Fund supports underprivileged children with artistic talent and the SAGE Counselling Centre integrates expressive art therapy into its intervention work with the elderly.
UOB will begin the evening's auction with a $250,000 donation to the two beneficiaries and it hopes to raise another $250,000 from the auction, bringing the total amount raised to at least $500,000.
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About United Overseas Bank

United Overseas Bank Limited (UOB) is a leading bank in Asia with a global network of more than 500 offices in 19 countries and territories in Asia Pacific, Western Europe and North America. Since its incorporation in 1935, UOB has grown organically and through a series of strategic acquisitions. In Asia it operates through its branches and representative offices as well as banking subsidiaries in China, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand.

UOB plays an active role in the community, focusing on the arts, education and children. It has, over more than three decades, held the longest-running art competition in Singapore, the UOB Painting of the Year. In recognition of its contributions to the arts, UOB was conferred the National Arts Council's Distinguished Patron of the Arts Award for the tenth consecutive year in

2014. UOB also encourages its employees across the region to be involved in its regular volunteer activities. This includes the annual UOB Heartbeat Run which is held in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and mainland China.

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Jean Khong

Group Strategic Communications and Customer Advocacy

Email: Jean.KhongLY@UOBgroup.com

Tel: 6539 3981 / 9791 2300

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