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First Hawaiian
Bob Harrison runs First Hawaiian, Hawaii's oldest bank, founded in 1858 and still operating a $25B balance sheet across the islands.
First Hawaiian
First Hawaiian was chartered during the reign of Kamehameha IV as Bishop & Company, making it Hawaii's oldest bank. Bob Harrison has led the firm as Chairman, President, and CEO since 2016, steering it through its 2016 IPO and subsequent integration with BNP Paribas's former stake. Today it is the primary banking subsidiary of First Hawaiian, Inc., the publicly traded holding company. The bank operates through three reportable segments: Retail Banking, Commercial Banking, and Treasury and Other. Its loan portfolio skews heavily toward Hawaii commercial and residential real estate, with additional exposure to construction and consumer lending. First Hawaiian serves businesses across tourism, construction, and healthcare — the core industries of the Hawaiian economy. Its footprint covers the major Hawaiian Islands, Guam, and Saipan, reflecting a geographic concentration unique among mainland regional banks. First Hawaiian reported roughly $25 billion in total assets and approximately 2,000 employees as of year-end 2023. The firm operates about 50 branches across its three markets. In August 2016, First Hawaiian completed its initial public offering, the largest in Hawaii's corporate history at the time, raising roughly $485 million. The move unwound BNP Paribas's majority control and transitioned the bank to a widely held US public company. What distinguishes First Hawaiian is the endurance of its corporate charter. By operating continuously for over 160 years, it has functioned as a quasi-sovereign financial infrastructure layer for Hawaii — a deposit franchise not easily replicated by mainland entrants. That charter, combined with deep intergenerational commercial relationships across the islands, creates a structural concentration risk but also an embedded distribution advantage that few mainland peers can replicate.
General information
Firm type
Asset Manager
Year founded
1858
AUM
Undisclosed
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
Honolulu
Corporate office
Honolulu, HI, United States
Principals
Robert S. Harrison
Chairman, President and CEO
James M. Moses
Vice Chairman and Chief Financial Officer
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who runs investment and lending decisions at First Hawaiian?
Robert Harrison, Chairman and CEO, oversees the bank's overall direction, while lending decisions are delegated through a corporate credit committee and heads of Retail Banking, Commercial Banking, and Treasury. Major allocations and C&I commitments above designated thresholds require executive committee approval, following a conventional regional-bank governance model.
How concentrated is First Hawaiian's loan book in Hawaii real estate?
Hawaii commercial and residential real estate historically constitutes the largest share of the bank's loan portfolio. Tourism, construction, and healthcare lending further amplify this geographic concentration, making the bank a leveraged proxy on the Hawaiian economy.
Is First Hawaiian structured as a family office or private bank?
No. First Hawaiian is a publicly traded bank holding company operating through First Hawaiian Bank, a full-service commercial bank. It does not operate as a family office or a private wealth advisory boutique, though it provides trust and wealth management services within its commercial banking division.
What is First Hawaiian's footprint beyond the State of Hawaii?
The bank maintains branches in Guam and Saipan under the First Hawaiian Bank brand, serving consumer and commercial clients across the Western Pacific. No mainland US branch network is maintained.
How did BNP Paribas's ownership affect First Hawaiian?
BNP Paribas held a controlling stake after acquiring First Hawaiian's parent in 2001 and remained the majority shareholder until the bank's August 2016 IPO. The offering reduced BNP's ownership to zero over subsequent secondary transactions, transitioning First Hawaiian into a fully independent US public company.
What is First Hawaiian's approach to technology and digital banking?
The bank maintains a digital banking platform alongside its branch network, but it does not position itself as a fintech-first institution. Technology investments focus on retail and commercial service delivery rather than developing proprietary alternative-asset or trading platforms.
Does First Hawaiian participate in fund commitments or direct investments beyond lending?
First Hawaiian is a traditional deposit-and-loan institution. It does not operate an in-house venture capital arm, direct equity investment platform, or fund-of-funds program. Its investment securities portfolio consists primarily of agency mortgage-backed securities and U.S. Treasury or agency debt.
Profile maintained by Altss using OSINT (open-source intelligence), regulatory filings, licensed data partners, and verified direct submissions. Read the methodology. Last updated: . Continuous refresh with full update cycles at least every 30 days.
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