Deutsche Bank Private Wealth Management (PWM) has appointed Christian Nolting and Peter Pfister to newly created Asia-Pacific roles in Singapore. Nolting has been named regional head of portfolio management and lead strategist for Asia-Pacific, while Pfister has taken on the role of director for private equity investments in the region.

The creation of the new roles is in line with Deutsche PWM's efforts to strengthen its advisory and discretionary product offerings to its client base of wealthy families and entrepreneurs in Asia-Pacific. Pfister's appointment, in particular, reflects a growing focus on asset classes.

Nolting is responsible for leading a team that advises the bank's clients on investment strategy, asset allocation and discretionary portfolio construction. His role involves monitoring portfolio managers on their investment strategies, performance and risk management. He was previously based in Frankfurt, where he was CIO for euroland at Deutsche Bank PWM.  

Locally, Nolting reports to Anurag Mahesh, Singapore-based head of global investments services for Asia-Pacific. Globally, he reports to Helmut Kaiser, the firm's global chief investment strategist.

Pfister now leads the private equity group's activities in Asia-Pacific and is responsible for origination, product development and supporting of distribution for private equity investments. Previously, that role fell under the wing of Karen Tan, the former head of alternative investments who now focuses on hedge funds. Locally, Pfister also reports to Mahesh. Globally, he reports to Marco Bizzozero, global head of private equity investments at Deutsche Bank PWM.

Pfister, who relocated to Singapore after more than three years in the bank's private equity group in Zurich, is tasked with helping accelerate the expansion of the private equity business in Asia. He is the first private equity group member at the firm to be based in Asia.

Deutsche Bank PWM's private equity group offers an investment programme for select institutional investors and wealthy individuals. As of end-December 2008, the group managed $3.3 billion with 24 professionals in Zurich, Geneva, New York, Baltimore and Singapore. The group started to commit to Asian private equity funds and direct co-investment opportunities in 2004. Around 20% of what the group now manages is committed to Asian private equity funds across three private equity fund-of-funds with an Asian investment strategy.