From Silicon Valley to China, building financial and investment bridges

Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) is a high-tech commercial bank that offers its clients banking and investment services as well as funds management, valuations and analytics through its non-bank divisions. Headquartered in California's Silicon Valley, the global hub for high-tech innovation and development, SVB has helped fund more than 30,000 start-ups over its 30-year history. Today, it is present in over 28 locations across the US as well as in the UK, Israel, India and China.

Silicon Valley Bank was the first US bank approved by the China Banking Regulatory Commission to establish a joint venture commercial bank in China. It continues to strengthen its ties to China today.

"We have been involved in China since 1999, and established our first Chinese subsidiary - SVB Business Partners Shanghai - in 2005," says Greg Becker, president and CEO of Silicon Valley Bank and SVB Financial Group.

"Our second subsidiary in China - SVB Business Partners Beijing - was established in 2010," he continues. "It provides local technology companies and venture capital investors with in-market client service support and advisory services."

In 2012, SVB established a joint venture bank with Shanghai Pudong Development Bank, a national joint-stock commercial bank with more than 800 branches across the country. The resulting SPD Silicon Valley Bank currently offers onshore credit and non-credit products and solutions in foreign currency and provides diversified and value-added service. Recently SVB has also invested in a loan guaranty company headquartered in Hangzhou, and is managing two local renminbi funds for the Yangpu Government in Shanghai.

"SVB is the bank of choice for high-growth innovation companies," says Becker. "Through our experience and expertise, we are well suited to working with technology companies. We understand our customers' needs, and live and breathe their business".

SVB also works with Chinese innovation companies and investors seeking investment opportunities in Silicon Valley and the rest of the US. "We act as a bridge between China and the US by facilitating cross border collaboration," he explains.

"As an increasing number of Chinese companies establish operations in the US and acquire strategic partners, we want to be the trusted advisor to both Chinese and US companies. As we move forward, we will continue to support technology companies and work more closely with innovation-driven Chinese companies."

www.svb.com

World Eye Reports provided the story

(China Daily 11/10/2014 page34)