Hsbc Regulatory News (HSBA)

SANDY FLOCKHART TO RETIRE FROM

HSBC HOLDINGS BOARD

Sandy Flockhart will retire as a non-executive Director of HSBC Holdings plc, and from his position as Chairman of HSBC Bank plc, and as a Director of HSBC Bank Middle East Ltd on 31 July 2012.

Sandy Flockhart previously stepped down as an executive in April 2012 after a long career with HSBC, most recently as Chairman of HSBC's operations in Europe, the Middle East and Africa and, prior to that, Chief Executive Officer of The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited and President and Group Managing Director with responsibility for Latin America and the Caribbean. He also served as Chief Executive Officer in Mexico, Managing Director in Saudi Arabia, Chief Executive Officer in Thailand and Chairman of HSBC Malaysia.

Douglas Flint, Group Chairman, said: "We are extremely grateful to Sandy for his dedicated and loyal service to HSBC over 37 years including the last four years on the HSBC Holdings Board and wish him well for the future, particularly in his continuing fight against cancer."

For and on behalf of

HSBC Holdings plc

R G Barber

Group Company Secretary

Supplementary Information

There are no matters relating to A A (Sandy) Flockhart's retirement that need to be brought to the attention of the shareholders of the Company.

Notes to editors:

1. The Board of Directors of HSBC Holdings plc as at the date of this announcement is:

S A Catz†, L M L Cha†, M K T Cheung†, J D Coombe†, J Faber†, R A Fairhead†, D J Flint, A A Flockhart*, S T Gulliver, J W J Hughes-Hallett†, W S H Laidlaw†, J P Lipsky†, J R Lomax†, I J Mackay, N R N Murthy†, Sir Simon Robertson† and J L Thornton†.

† Independent non-executive Director

* Non-executive Director

2. The HSBC Group

HSBC Holdings plc, the parent company of the HSBC Group, is headquartered in London. The Group serves customers worldwide from around 7,200 offices in over 80 countries and territories in Europe, the Asia-Pacific region, North and Latin America, the Middle East and Africa. With assets of US$2,637bn at 31 March 2012, HSBC is one of the world's largest banking and financial services organisations.

ends/all