CPPIB HIRES ASIA HEAD OF RELATIONSHIP INVESTMENTS
The Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) has appointed Alwin Poon as head of relationship investments, part of the pension fund's fundamental equities division in Asia, AsianInvestor can reveal.
Based in Hong Kong, Poon joined in February and is responsible for evaluating pre-IPO investments and private investment in public equity (PIPE) transactions, said a spokeswoman for Canada's biggest retirement fund. His SFC licence with the pension fund began on July 30.
Poon reports to Agus Tandiono, Hong Kong-based head of fundamental equities in Asia, the spokeswoman said. She declined to comment on whether Poon had replaced anyone.
He joined from the Carlyle Group, where he held the title of managing director of the Asia buyout fund. A spokeswoman of the US private equity giant said he was based in Hong Kong, but declined to comment on when he left or whether a replacement had been identified.
Poon's hire took place a few months before CPPIB hired Anuj Girotra in May from fund house Capital Group to lead its active fundamental equities and relationship investment programmes in India, as the Canadian fund eyes a further buildout of its regional capital markets team.
DBS PRIVATE BANK’S HEAD OF ASIA FUND SELECTION TO DEPART
Pierre DeGagne, head of funds selection and advisory, is leaving DBS Private Bank after seven years at the bank.
DeGagne is leaving and returning to his native Canada for personal reasons, a spokeswoman confirmed to AsianInvestor. He had helped to build the private bank’s fund selection capabilities and the number of investment funds it has under advisory for both private bank and wealth management clients.
The spokeswoman said DeGagne would leave the bank on August 18.
DBS Private Bank has appointed John Ng to replace DeGagne; he took over the position on July 1. Ng has been at DBS Private Bank after joining in June 2017 as its head of portfolio counselling and product strategy.
He had previously previously head of research and product marketing at Bank of Singapore until June 2015. According to his LinkedIn page, Ng had afterwards been a private investor and consultant.
CITI PRIVATE BANK APPOINTS HEAD OF INDIA INVESTMENT PRODUCTS
Citi Private Bank has appointed Amit Samant in Mumbai as head of onshore India investment products, according to a July 16 internal memo seen by AsianInvestor. The firm declined to comment on who was overseeing this function before he started.
Samant joins from Mumbai-based Ask Wealth Advisors, where he was head of equity managed products and mutual funds. The company declined to comment on who was assuming Samant's responsibilities.
Samant reports to Adam Cowperthwaite, Asia Pacific head of capital markets at Citi Private Bank, Julie Koo, Asia Pacific head of Citi investment management’s proprietary and advisory sales, and Puneet Sanwalka, India head of Citi Private Bank.
Samant is responsible for developing the firm’s onshore capital markets and investment management product lines and platforms in India, said the memo.
RAFFLES FAMILY OFFICE NAMES GREATER CHINA HEAD
Raffles Family Office (RFO) has appointed Edward Sit as executive director and head of Greater China corporate development.
Sit joined the family office on August 3 and splits his time between Hong Kong and mainland China in his new role. He reports to Chiman Kwan, Hong Kong-based founder and chief executive of RFO.
The role is a newly created one and Sit focuses on executing RFO’s corporate strategy in China, including areas such as business partnerships and client development. Before Sit’s joining, Ray Tam, managing partner and co-founder of RFO, and Stella Kong, managing director for Greater China, oversaw the Greater China market.
Sit joins from the Hong Kong Exchange and Clearing, where he was vice president responsible for the bourse’s global client development function. HKEx declined to comment on his departure.
NINETY ONE RELOCATES FIXED INCOME PM
Ninety One, previously Investec Asset Management, has relocated Alan Siow, portfolio manager in the fixed income team from London to Hong Kong.
His job title remains as portfolio manager and he still looks after emerging markets fixed income investments after the relocation. He continues to report to Victoria Harling, head of emerging market corporate debt who’s based in London.
Siow is not replacing anyone in this new role, which serves to strengthen Ninety One’s emerging markets fixed income team in Asia, a company spokeswoman said.
FIRST STATE INVESTMENTS NAMES NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
First State Investments, which will be renamed as First Sentier Investors, has appointed Susie Rippingall as a non-executive director, effective on August 3.
Rippingall currently sits on the boards of several boards in the asset management sector, including Aberdeen New Dawn Investment Trust, NTAsian Discovery Fund and NTAsian Emerging Leaders Fund, according to a press statement.
First State Investments will operate globally under the new brand, First Sentier Investors, from September 2020. The name change follows Mitsubishi UFJ Trust and Banking Corp’s acquisition of First State Investments from Commonwealth Bank of Australia in August.
Other people news reported by AsianInvestor in the last week:
Calpers CIO Meng quits amid China controversy
Article updated to reflect timing of Alwin Poon and Anuj Girotra respective appointments to CPPIB.
