Bill Winters

William Thomas Winters
Born	Connecticut, United States
Occupation	Banking executive
Years active	1980s–present
Known for	CEO of Standard Chartered, co-head of investment banking at JPMorgan Chase

William Thomas Winters, CBE (born September 1961), is an American banking executive currently serving as the chief executive officer (CEO) of Standard Chartered. He previously held the position of co-head of the investment banking division at JPMorgan Chase.

Early life

Born in Connecticut in September 1961, Winters obtained a bachelor's degree in international relations from Colgate University and later completed an MBA at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He possesses both American and British citizenship.

JP Morgan

Winters entered the JP Morgan graduate trainee program initially out of financial necessity rather than a desire to pursue diplomacy.

He was instrumental in establishing JP Morgan's credit derivatives business. In 2004, Winters was named co-head of JP Morgan’s investment bank, sharing leadership with Steve Black—Winters operating from London while Black managed New York. Winters earned recognition for guiding the bank away from high-risk structured products and off-balance sheet entities that had contributed to global financial instability. He also played a pivotal role in JP Morgan’s acquisition of rival firm Bear Stearns in 2008 and was key in the joint venture and eventual takeover of Cazenove.

Despite these accomplishments, Winters was removed from his role in 2009 amid speculation that he aimed to replace CEO Jamie Dimon. Jes Staley succeeded Steve Black as CEO of the investment banking division, with Black remaining as chairman until his retirement in 2011.

Renshaw Bay

In February 2011, Winters established the hedge fund Renshaw Bay, contributing half of its initial capital, while investors Jacob Rothschild and Johann Rupert supplied the remaining funds.

Standard Chartered

Winters was appointed CEO of Standard Chartered in February 2015, succeeding Peter Sands, with his tenure beginning in June 2015. Following his appointment, Standard Chartered’s stock price declined alongside that of competitor HSBC but later reached a decade-high valuation by 2025. In 2019, the bank encountered shareholder opposition regarding executive pension arrangements, with 36% voting against the directors' remuneration report at the annual meeting.

In September 2022, Winters affirmed that Hong Kong remained "open" and confirmed his attendance at the Global Financial Leaders' Investment Summit scheduled for November 2022 despite ongoing quarantine rules. His decision attracted criticism from the Hong Kong Democracy Council and several members of the US Congress, who contended that involvement by financial leaders effectively endorses the suppression of freedoms under Hong Kong’s national security legislation.

Following the Summit, Winters called for the removal of all COVID-19 arrival and departure testing requirements in Hong Kong, advocating instead for reliance on individual responsibility. He emphasized that current testing protocols could result in business travelers being confined for up to a week if testing positive.

Other activities

After the 2008 financial crisis, Winters served as a commissioner on the UK Independent Commission on Banking.

In 2013, he took part in a charity initiative titled "Life's a Pitch," featuring senior finance professionals; this effort raised £250,000 at London's Young Vic theatre.

In 2020, Winters co-launched the Task Force on Scaling Voluntary Carbon Markets alongside Mark Carney, with the objective of expanding voluntary carbon offset trading.

Recognition

In the 2013 Birthday Honours, Winters received a CBE in recognition of his contributions to the Economy and the UK's Financial Services Sector.

Personal life

Anda, Winters' spouse, serves as the CEO and creative director of the Coronet Theatre, London. The couple has children.