*

Bank says recruitment process under way

*

Asia-experienced Tucker navigated geopolitical tensions

*

HSBC ( HSBC ) exposed to rising trade tensions

(Adds details throughout)

By Lawrence White

LONDON, May 1 (Reuters) - HSBC ( HSBC ) said on Thursday

that Chairman Mark Tucker plans to retire by the end of this

year, after nearly eight years in the role at Europe's biggest

bank.

Tucker, 67, will remain as a strategic adviser to CEO

Georges Elhedery, the bank said, adding that it had begun a

search for his successor.

Tucker's departure will not come as a major shock to

investors, given he was nearing the end of the nine-year maximum

advised for Chair roles under Britain's corporate governance

code, but it leaves a hole at the top of the Asia-focused bank.

Former insurance executive Tucker presided over a period of

sweeping restructuring at HSBC ( HSBC ), during which the bank shrank its

presence in Western markets such as the U.S., Canada and France

in favour of a pivot to Asia.

"The Board is conducting a thorough process to identify

the best candidate to lead the Board, and support Group CEO,

Georges Elhedery, and the wider management team, through the

next period of development and growth for the Bank," Ann

Godbehere, senior independent non-executive director, said in a

company statement.

HSBC ( HSBC ), among major European lenders, this week retained

ambitious performance targets after bumper first quarter

profits, despite threats to their earnings from a possible

global recession and shaky business confidence.

Asia and trade-focused HSBC ( HSBC ) is potentially more exposed than

some peers to the fallout from U.S. President Donald Trump's

sweeping tariffs, as they threaten to disrupt global trade

corridors and hurt China and Asia-based businesses that import

or export.

(Reporting by Lawrence White in London, Aaditya Govind Rao and

Shivangi Lahiri in Bengaluru; Editing by Anil D'Silva and Susan

Fenton)