Standard Chartered launches first-ever global Running event along the Belt and Road.

Standard Chartered announced the launch of the Standard Chartered Belt and Road Relay, the first-ever global running event spanning the Belt and Road initiative, with the aim of highlighting the Bank's continued commitment to Belt and Road, and the positive impact of the initiative to communities and businesses globally.

The Relay will be led by eight staff athletes from Standard Chartered, selected from the Bank's diverse footprint in Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and Europe and the Americas. These athletes will participate in running events across 44 Belt and Road markets within a 90-day period.

Commenting on the launch, Bill Winters, Group Chief Executive, Standard Chartered, said, "The Belt and Road Initiative is the most ambitious and far-reaching project of its kind in the world today. We are present in two-thirds of Belt and Road markets, and our rich heritage, deep local knowledge and unparalleled connectivity mean that we're ideally placed to help our partners, clients and communities to make the most out of the initiative. By traversing these markets on foot and engaging local clients, governments, media and communities, our Standard Chartered Belt and Road Relay athletes will showcase our commitment to be the One Bank for the Belt and Road."

The Standard Chartered Belt and Road Relay kicked off in Hong Kong on 17 February, in conjunction with the Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon, which is one of the biggest sports events in the city with over 74,000 runners, and will end in China on 11 May after the Belt and Road Forum.

Shazad Dada, Chief Executive Officer, Standard Chartered Pakistan commented, "We are very proud to host the Belt and Road Relay in Pakistan. The Bank has been in Pakistan and China for more than 150 years. Our longstanding and deep-rooted presence in both countries along with 70 per cent of footprint overlap with BandR countries equips us with in-depth knowledge of prevailing...