Women in Leadership: Los Angeles bank CEO on serving diverse communities

Today we bring you the latest installment in our 'Women in Leadership' series of the ESG Insider podcast, featuring interviews with women CEOs and leaders from around the world. In this episode, we talk with Bonnie Lee, President and CEO of Hanmi Financial Corporation and Hanmi Bank, a Los Angeles-based community bank established in 1982 to serve the Korean American immigrant community and now serving multi-ethnic communities through its network of branches and loan production offices. Bonnie tells us how her interest in banking began when she watched her parents apply for a small business loan, and how she has learned from the successes and mistakes of a dozen different CEOs she has worked under during her career. She says empathy plays an important role in her leadership style — because ultimately, "banking is really a people business." Bonnie also explains Hanmi's approach to diversity, and how the bank's workforce mirrors the diversity of the markets where it operates. "Throughout the 42-year history, the culture and our platform has [been] built to represent the market that we serve," she says. Read the latest research on gender diversity in leadership from S&P Global Sustainable1 here: https://www.spglobal.com/esg/insights/featured/special-editorial/women-in-leadership-what-s-the-holdup Listen to our 2023 Women in Leadership podcast series here: https://www.spglobal.com/esg/insights/featured/special-editorial/women-in-leadership This piece was published by S&P Global Sustainable1, a part of S&P Global. Copyright ©2024 by S&P Global DISCLAIMER By accessing this Podcast, I acknowledge that S&P GLOBAL makes no warranty, guarantee, or representation as to the accuracy or sufficiency of the information featured in this Podcast. The information, opinions, and recommendations presented in this Podcast are for general information only and any reliance on the information provided in this Podcast is done at your own risk. This Podcast should not be considered professional advice. Unless specifically stated otherwise, S&P GLOBAL does not endorse, approve, recommend, or certify any information, product, process, service, or organization presented or mentioned in this Podcast, and information from this Podcast should not be referenced in any way to imply such approval or endorsement. The third party materials or content of any third party site referenced in this Podcast do not necessarily reflect the opinions, standards or policies of S&P GLOBAL. S&P GLOBAL assumes no responsibility or liability for the accuracy or completeness of the content contained in third party materials or on third party sites referenced in this Podcast or the compliance with applicable laws of such materials and/or links referenced herein. Moreover, S&P GLOBAL makes no warranty that this Podcast, or the server that makes it available, is free of viruses, worms, or other elements or codes that manifest contaminating or destructive properties. S&P GLOBAL EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ANY AND ALL LIABILITY OR RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR OTHER DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF ANY INDIVIDUAL'S USE OF, REFERENCE TO, RELIANCE ON, OR INABILITY TO USE, THIS PODCAST OR THE INFORMATION PRESENTED IN THIS PODCAST.