Aberdeen Asset Management chief executive Martin Gilbert has said it would support any capital raising by Standard Chartered Bank.

AAM is the second largest shareholder in the Asia focused bank, which hired Bill Winters earlier this year try to revive its fortunes.

In an interview Mr Gilbert pointed out that AAM had not been sounded out by Standard Chartered in relation to raising funds.

He said: “I think what Bill Winters will probably do is thoroughly review the business and then decide.

“I suspect it’s on a knife edge. If he needs to raise capital, we will be supportive of it.”

Mr Winters, who took over from Peter Sands in June, cut the bank’s dividend in half last month to save money and is also cutting a number of jobs around the world.

Some analysts have suggested Standard Chartered may need to raise capital to pass tougher stress tests facing British banks later this year.

Mr Gilbert said AAM has no plans to cut its near nine per cent stake in Standard Chartered.

Singapore based Temasek Holdings is the biggest single shareholder in the bank with around 17 per cent.

Mr Gilbert said AAM backed the appointment of Mr Winters and felt the £6.5m of stock recently granted to him for leaving investment firm Renshaw Bay was worth it.

Mr Gilbert described Mr Winters as one of the “best bankers around” but warned the turnaround process at Standard Chartered was “a big job” which would take time.