8-K

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of

the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported):

January 27, 2016

EAST WEST BANCORP, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Delaware	000-24939	95-4703316
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)	(Commission File Number)	(IRS Employer Identification No.)

135 N Los Robles Ave., 7th Floor, Pasadena, California 91101

(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip code)

(626) 768-6000

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

o Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

o Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

o Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

o Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

East West Bancorp, Inc.

Current Report of Form 8-K

Item 5.02 Departure of Directors or Certain Officers

On January 27, 2016, Julia Gouw, the President and Chief Operating Officer of both East West Bancorp, Inc. (the “Company”) and its wholly owned subsidiary, East West Bank (“the Bank”), announced her retirement as President and Chief Operating Officer effective March 31, 2016. Ms. Gouw will also retire from the Board of Directors of the Company and the Bank effective March 31, 2016.

A copy of the news release announcing Ms. Gouw’s retirement as President and Chief Operating Officer is included in this report and is incorporated by reference into this Item 5.02.

Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits

(d) Exhibits.

99.1 News release of East West Bancorp, Inc. dated January 27, 2016.

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SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

Date: January 27, 2016

EAST WEST BANCORP, INC.
By:	/s/ Irene H. Oh
	Irene H. Oh
	Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

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EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit Number	Description
99.1	News release of East West Bancorp, Inc. dated January 27, 2016.

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EX-99.1

	Exhibit 99.1
	East West Bancorp, Inc.
	135 N. Los Robles Ave., 7th Fl.
	Pasadena, CA 91101
	Tel. 626.768.6000
	Fax 626.817.8838

NEWS RELEASE

INVESTOR RELATIONS CONTACT:	MEDIA CONTACT:
Irene Oh	Emily Wang
Chief Financial Officer	Director of Marketing
(626) 768-6360	(626) 768-6266

JULIA GOUW, PRESIDENT AND CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER, TO RETIRE

AFTER OVER 25-YEAR EAST WEST CAREER

Pasadena, California – January 27, 2016 – East West Bancorp, Inc. (“East West” or the “Company”) (Nasdaq: EWBC), parent company of East West Bank (“the Bank”), the financial bridge between the United States and Greater China, announced today that President and Chief Operating Officer Julia Gouw will retire effective March 31, 2016 after over 25 years with East West. Ms. Gouw will also retire from the Board of Directors of the Company and the Bank effective March 31, 2016.

Dominic Ng, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of East West stated, “After our successful acquisition of United Commercial Bank in November 2009, I asked Julia to rejoin East West as President and Chief Operating Officer to help lead the integration of the merger. We completed a complex integration within six months which allowed the Bank to immediately focus on improving the customer experience and strategic organic growth.  Our strong financial performance for the past six years has been one of the best in the industry and our unique value proposition as the bridge between the East and West has been unparalleled.  On behalf of the Board of Directors of East West and all our associates, I would like to thank Julia for her invaluable contributions to the success of East West. We wish her the best on her well-deserved retirement.”

“It has been an honor to have been a part of such an extraordinary organization,” stated Gouw. “I have great confidence in Dominic and the rest of the team at East West, and as a result, feel that this is the right time for me to retire so that I can dedicate more time on my philanthropic and charitable work.”

About East West

East West Bancorp, Inc. is a publicly owned company with total assets of $32.4 billion and is traded on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol “EWBC”. The Company’s wholly owned subsidiary, East West Bank, is one of the largest independent banks headquartered in California. East West is a premier bank focused exclusively on the United States and Greater China markets and operates over 130 locations worldwide, including in the United States markets of California, Georgia, Massachusetts, Nevada, New York, Texas and Washington. In Greater China, East West’s presence includes full service branches in Hong Kong, Shanghai, Shantou and Shenzhen, and representative offices in Beijing, Chongqing, Guangzhou, Taipei and Xiamen.  For more information on East West, visit the Company’s website at www.eastwestbank.com.

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