Mr Chok Yue Zan’s I Thought, We Can Stay Strong Like Stones is the design inspiration for this Annual Report. Mr Chok reinterprets his family’s portrait to show the depth, strength and unity of familial ties. It received the 2017 UOB Painting of the Year (Malaysia) award. He is also the recipient of the 2018 UOB-Fukuoka Asian Art Museum residency programme.

The rocks carved in the shape of the people closest to the artist symbolise the importance of nurturing trusted and deep relationships that last. Standing resilient amid swaying foliage, cloudy skies and rolling waters, the rocks reinforce the need for a firm foundation and fortitude to weather change and volatility. These reflect UOB’s distinctive and disciplined approach to banking.  

Creating sustainable value for our stakeholders and the communities in which we operate is also expressed through UOB’s support of art. The UOB Painting of the Year Competition, in its 36ᵗʰ year in 2017, is the Bank’s flagship art programme held across four Southeast Asian countries.