Weekly roundup of job-hoppers, Nov 2
Andrews on lookout after MGPA restructure
Christopher Andrews is looking for work after exiting private equity real estate firm MGPA last month, where he had served as head of business development for Asia.
His official title before he left was managing director of capital markets, although it is understood he was covering business development across Asia Pacific and the Middle East. He had worked at the firm for nearly three-and-a-half years based out of Sydney.
Andrews was one of a dozen departures from MGPA as it undergoes a restructuring in Asia. Most of these came from its Japanese division, which has been integrated into its Asia business.
A spokesman for MGPA says that despite a difficult capital-raising and economic environment, the firm does see opportunities for investment in Japanese real estate.
“As a consequence, we have integrated our Japan operations into the Asia business [lead by Asia CEO John Saunders] to achieve additional operational efficiencies,” he says.
He confirms that Paul Slimming has been appointed head of Japan and will manage its Japanese business. He adds that the firm has “re-balanced” its capital markets team “to address the challenges in the private equity real estate sector”.
Group CEO Simon Treacy is leading the team, which will focus on new products and investors across the US, Asia Pacific, Europe and the Middle East, the spokesman adds.
MGPA manages about $10 billion in assets in Asia and Europe and has around 240 staff globally, of whom 150 are based in Asia.
Gottex hires Asia-Pacific marketing head
Alternatives house Gottex Fund Management has appointed Marc Fisher as its new head of marketing for Asia Pacific and the Middle East.
Fisher started his Hong Kong-based role this month, where he will work with Asia head Max Gottschalk and Asia CIO Ronnie Wu.
Most recently Fisher was at fund-of-hedge-funds group FRM, where he was Asia Pacific ex-Japan and Korea managing director.
As of June, FRM was acquired by British alternative investment firm Man Group and now forms part of its multi-manager business.
Similarly, Gottex announced in May the acquisition of Hong Kong-based Penjing Asset Management, amid a raft of FoHFs looking to consolidate to grow their institutional client base.
BlueBay Asset Management appoints Erich Gerth
In an appointment AsianInvestor missed, BlueBay Asset Management announced on October 23 that it had hired Erich Gerth from Aviva Investors as global head of business development.
Based in London from December 1, Gerth will lead BlueBay AM’s sales and marketing activities. He becomes a partner and a member of the firm’s management committee.
BlueBay AM had $46 billion in AUM as at the end of September.
Previously Gerth was chief executive for Asia Pacific and global business development at Aviva Investors based in Singapore. He had worked at the firm for over three years, and was relocated from London to Singapore last September to replace Craig Bingham as regional CEO. He also spent six years as Janus Capital, where he was chief executive of Janus Capital International.
Aviva Investors has already announced that it has appointed Patrick O’Brien as its new CEO for Asia Pacific, effective from October 1. He reports to interim CEO Paul Abberley.
O’Brien joined Aviva Investors as North America CEO in September 2010 and retains responsibility for North America in addition to his new role. He will remain based in the US, but will divide his working time between both regions.
Previously he worked as president of Evergreen Investment Management, subsidiary of Wachovia Corporation, and as international head of Wachovia Global Asset Management. He also spent 14 years at Banc One Investment Advisors Corporation.
Aviva Investors’ Asia-Pacific hub consists of 65 staff based in Singapore, with additional offices in Taiwan, Sydney and Melbourne.
Lend Lease replaces managing director
Australia-based property investor Lend Lease announced the appointment of Kylie Rampa as managing director of its investment management business in Australia.
Rampa is due to begin her new role in February, when she will be overseeing a portfolio with A$8.8 billion ($9.1 billion) in AUM invested in Australian property on behalf of institutional and retail investors. She will report to Tarun Gupta, CEO for Australia property.
She is coming in to replace Carmel Hourigan, who moved to rival GPT this month to become its head of investment management.
Over 70% of Lend Lease’s property portfolio is invested in Australia, while nearly 20% is derived from Asian investments, mostly in Singapore and Malaysia. Overall, the group’s global real-estate portfolio has an AUM of A$12.3 billion between Asia, Australia and Europe.
Tora expands Asia sales team
Trading technology provider Tora announced it had hired Perry Pritchard as managing director for sales based in Hong Kong in what it says is a newly created role.
He will be responsible for expanding the firm’s presence in Hong Kong and across Asia Pacific. He reports to regional managing director Chris Jenkins, who describes Asia as Tora’s main focus as it seeks to expand its product suite into different segments.
Previously Pritchard worked at Daiwa Securities, where he was global head of electronic trading sales based in Hong Kong.
Tora provides advanced trading technology and financial services and has over 175 employees with offices in Tokyo, Hong Kong, Singapore, Sydney, New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco.
Newedge hires trio to HK/Singapore team
French joint-venture broker Newedge announced three additions to its Asia-Pacific team.
Frantz Moudoute joins as director of sales and execution for global listed derivatives. Based in Hong Kong, he reports to Toby Lawson, head of financial futures and options and cash equities execution for Asia Pacific.
Previously he was vice-president at JP Morgan Chase with responsibility for driving sales in futures, options and cash equities.
Further, Jes Chan was named associate director for FX sales trading in fixed income, currencies and commodities. Based in Hong Kong she reports to Ben Feuer, Asia-Pacific head of FX, and Ron Savino, chief admin officer for Asia Pacific. She joins from Crédit Industriel et Commercial, where she was in the treasury sales and risk advisory team.
Earlier this year Sebastian Pang was named head of energy for Asia Pacific ex-Japan based in Singapore. He also has responsibilities for managing client relationships and growing new accounts.
Pang reports to Richard Wedepohl and Nick Scarf, London-based global head of energy and managing director of Singapore, respectively. He joins from Citigroup, where he was a commodities trader.
Sanford C. Bernstein unveils trio from a year ago
US-based research firm and equities broker Sanford C. Bernstein this week announced the appointment of three analysts to its Asia team, although they joined the firm a year ago.
According to a company spokeswoman, they have spent the past year training in and researching their specialist area, but have only publicly been announced now.
Kenneth Tsang is senior research analyst covering Asia property based in Hong Kong. He was previously Asia-Pacific head of research and strategy for property group Jones Lang LaSalle.
Vanessa Lau is senior research analyst for Asia metals and mining, having previously worked as CFO for aluminium producer Alcoa. She is also based in Hong Kong.
And Kevin Kwek is senior research analyst for Southeast Asian banks, after working as regional head of strategy for Singapore and Southeast Asia at Standard Chartered.
HKIFA members appointed to SFC investor education committee
Hong Kong’s Securities and Futures Commission announced two appointments to its investor education advisory committee.
Bruno Lee Kam Wing joins as a member and Terry Pan San Kong as an alternate member, replacing Lam Po Yee, who stepped down on October 16. Both Lee and Pan are representatives of the Hong Kong Investment Funds Association and took up their posts on November 1.
Other people moves reported by AsianInvestor over the past week:
Axa IM eager to refocus on Asia strategy
Natixis Global AM opens in Hong Kong
Bernstein to head SinoPac fund services platform