Standard Chartered Is Cutting Costs to Boost Returns Toward Cost of Capital

Standard Chartered's strategic adjustments over the past decade have been focused on addressing deep challenges that emerged in the first half of the 2010s. Under CEO Bill Winters, efforts to overhaul risk management, culture, and cost structures helped stabilize the bank after a period of significant underperformance. While these moves allowed the bank to regain profitability, the road to recovery was slow and marked by restructuring costs and write-offs. Over time, the bank has streamlined its operations, cutting back on markets and products where it couldn’t achieve competitive scale, positioning itself for more durable profitability.