Meet the founder

Hi, I’m Lawrence Au, founder of The LaunchPad.Biz. I’m a recognised pioneer and thought leader of Asia’s securities services industry with a distinguished 38-year career in the financial sector since the 1980s. My passion lies in driving growth and innovation in this dynamic and ever-evolving landscape.

I played a pivotal role in shaping the region’s financial landscape, serving as Asia Pacific CEO at BNP Paribas Securities Services and Northern Trust for a combined 16 years during their formative years in the region, successfully built their businesses from the ground up to become market leaders. In my final year as CEO, I provided leadership to over 2,000 staff across eight countries and 10 offices, and also serving as a licensed responsible officer overseeing financial entities in Hong Kong, Singapore, India, and Australia.

Earlier in my career, I held senior roles at global financial institutions including JP Morgan, The Bank of New York, Chase Manhattan Bank, Security Pacific National Bank, and First National Bank of Chicago.

In recognition of my contributions, I was honoured with prestigious industry awards including Global Custodian’s “Industry Legend Award” (2023) and Asia Asset Management’s “Lifetime Achievement Award” (2016). I am particularly proud to have received the “Vice Chancellor Alumni Excellence Award” (2020) from The University of Queensland, my alma mater in Australia.

I have authored two books capturing the developments of Asia's financial industry. My first book "Asia's Financial Industry 1986-2016" (https://a.co/d/fjIhh2R), available in English and Chinese, ranked #18 in Amazon Kindle’s banking category. My second book "From Physical to Digital: Asia's Securities Services Developments 1995-2021" (https://a.co/d/0f5uIZ9P), is available in English. Both are part of the collections at many prestigious universities and public libraries worldwide.

After my corporate retirement, I remain active in business consulting, publishing, guest lecturing, and mentoring, and also serving as a member of Hong Kong Monetary Authority's CMU OmniClear Market Advisory Group, the Securities Services Advisory Group, and the Singapore Fund Directors Association.

“I am truly passionate about sharing my experience and insight to make a meaningful difference for your organisation’s success in Asia’s dynamic markets.”