Russell expands Singapore team

Alan Lim has joined Russell Investment Group in Singapore as director responsible for client service and business development there. The newly created position will handle day-to-day relationship management, allowing managing director Bruce Pflaum to concentrate on business development in North Asia.

Russell has been selling its multi-manager service in Asia since 1999, when it entered a partnership with DBS to sell its product to Singapore's retail market. The firm has raised over $500 million from that channel as of May, 2003. It also run institutional money in Japan, Australia and New Zealand that totals about 10% of the firm's $76 billion of lobal assets.

Russell is not just a one-product shop, however. Other divisions such as Russell-Mellon Analytical Services and Russell Implementation Services have established regional bases in the Lion City. The firm provides traditional asset consulting services to institutions, and services to fund managers in areas such as trade execution. It is also looking to introduce an alternative investment fund of funds to Asian clients.

Lim joins from National University of Singapore Business School, where he is adjunct associate professor. Prior to that he ran the Singapore office of Zurich Scudder Investments, which Deutsche Bank acquired in early 2002. He has also ran Prudential Portfolio Managers' Singapore operation, and held senior management positions at Keppel Investment Management (now part of OCBC) and Singapore's Government Investment Corporation.