Kolkata, Sep 30 (IANS): HSBC India on Wednesday announced the retirement of its chairperson Naina Lal Kidwai after a 13-year stint with the financial institution.

Alongwith the retirement, she will also step down from her position of executive director on the board of HSBC Asia-Pacific.

"Having reached retirement age, it is time for me to move to different pursuits. I intend to spend more time in the areas of women empowerment and water and sanitation where I have been engaged over the last decade in different capacities," Kidwai said in a statement.

She joined HSBC in 2002 as vice chairman and managing director at HSBC Securities and Capital Markets in India and was appointed a group general manager of the bank in 2006. She took over as CEO of HSBC India in 2007 and as chairperson of HSBC India in 2009.

"During this period, she has served HSBC with distinction in a number of senior roles, and we wish her every success for the future, Peter Wong, chief executive of HSBC Asia-Pacific said.