AIIB RE-APPOINTS PRESIDENT
Jin Liqun has been elected to a second term as president of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) by the Bank’s board of governors.
His second five-year term will begin January 16 next year, according to a statement from the organisation.
Headquartered in Beijing, AIIB began operations in January 2016 and have now grown to 103 approved members worldwide. The multilateral organisation, which is tasked with helping to build out much-needed infrastructure projects across much of Asia, had $23.4 billion total assets as of March 31.
FRANKLIN TEMPLETON CONFIRMS NEW APAC CEO, EXECUTIVE TEAM
Following US fund manager Franklin Templeton's appointment of Vivek Kudva as its new head of Asia Pacific (as reported exclusively by AsianInvestor) it revealed a set of changes to its managers that will become effective up the completion of its acquisition of Legg Mason, which should be completed today (July 31).
Linda Liang has taken a new role as head of China strategy, overseeing Franklin Templeton’s wholly foreign owned enterprise (WFOE) and its joint venture company, Franklin Templeton Sealand Fund Management. She was previously the chief administration officer for emerging markets equity at Franklin Templeton.
In addition, Isabella Chan was appointed as head of Hong Kong, with additional responsibility for Taiwan. Shannon Wang will continue to be general manager of Legg Mason Investments (Taiwan) and report to Chan.
In Japan, the company will keep Suguru Kuwahata as president of Legg Mason Asset Management (Japan) and Tatsuya Oguchi as president of Franklin Templeton Investments Japan. Both report to Kudva.
In Malaysia, Avinash Satwalekar was given an expanded role as country head and also given additional responsibility for the oversight of Asia marketing (ex-Japan and India). He will also continue to serve as Chairman of the Board for Vietcombank Fund Management (VCBF), a joint venture in Vietnam with Vietcombank.
In Singapore, Dora Seow will become country head of Singapore and cover the broader South East Asia region (except Malaysia and Vietnam). She will also oversee Asia institutional client services. These areas were previously covered by Browning.
In addition to Franklin Templeton's Asia Pacific managing director Mark Browning departing, David Chang, regional head for Greater China, and Andy Sowerby, CEO of Australia and New Zealand and Head of Asia Pacific (ex-Japan) for Legg Mason, are also departing after an unspecified transitional period. Sowerby will be replaced by Matthew Harrison, who maintains his role as managing director for Australia and New Zealand in the combined organisation.
CBUS SUPER APPOINTS CEO
Cbus Super has named Justin Arter as chief executive, effective August 24, based in Melbourne. He has succeeded David Atkin, who will be staying on to assist with the transition, likely until September or October, a spokesman said.
In his new role, Arter will report to Cbus Super’s board. Arter was previously a consultant for ANZ before joining the superannuation fund.
Before working at ANZ, Arter worked at BlackRock since 2012, most recently being based in London for two-and-a-half years as head of institutional business for the UK, Middle East and Africa. Before that, Arter was CEO of Victorian Funds Management Corporation (VFMC) from 2009 to 2012.
Cbus had A$54 billion ($38.89 billion) assets under management at the end of June.
MANULIFE NAMES EM GM
Manulife has appointed Sachin Shah as general manager for emerging markets, Asia, effective August 1. He will also join the firm’s Asia executive committee.
Based in Singapore, Shah reports to Anil Wadhwani, Hong Kong-based president chief executive for Asia. He has succeeded Joachim Wessling, who passed away on March 21 following a road accident.
Shah joined from AIG, where he was chief executive of general insurance for Asia Pacific. AIG declined to comment on his departure. He has been replaced by Steven Barnett, effective January 20.
ALLIANZGI ADDS TO MULTI-ASSET TEAM IN ASIA PACIFIC
Allianz Global Investors has gained a returnee in the form of Zijian Yang, who rejoined on July 27 in a new role as head of multi asset for Asia Pacific. It will also relocate Jingjing Chai from New York to Hong Kong in August to become the head of multi asset for Hong Kong and Taiwan, another new position.
Based in Singapore, Yang reports to Thomas Zimmerer, the global head of multi asset investments. He had previously been a portfolio manager in several of AllianzGI’s multi asset teams between 2008 and 2017, in Frankfurt and later Hong Kong. He then moved to AllianceBernstein, where he was last a senior vice president for multi asset solutions in Singapore, before leaving to return to AllianzGI.
An AllianzGI spokeswoman said Chai was moving to Hong Kong, where she will report to Yang. Chai worked at AllianzGI in 2012 as a portfolio manager, and over the years has managed assets in the areas of overlay strategies, risk parity and total/absolute return, working in Frankfurt and in New York over the past two years.
The spokeswoman also declined to specify the size of the multi-asset team in Asia, or whether AllianzGI would replace Chai in New York, noting only Chai "taking on the [new] role is a natural development" of its multi-asset business in Asia.
A spokesperson for AllianceBernstein did not immediately respond to questions about Yang's departure.
IQ-EQ HIRES BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR
Global investor services group IQ-EQ has appointed Kenny Yeung as its business development director in Hong Kong.
Yeung joined the firm on July 22 and reports to Jimmy Leong, Singapore-based chief commercial officer for Asia. Yeung helps IQ-EQ to maximise the organic growth of the group’s alternative funds business and win new clients across Greater China and the wider East Asia region.
He has replaced someone but IQ-EQ prefers not to spell out who it is since the person is no longer with the business, a company spokeswoman said.
He joins IQ-EQ from Vistra, a competing international fiduciary and financial services provider, where he held the title of commercial director.
Vistra declined to comment on his departure.
Article updated to clarify the period in which AllianzGI will relocated Jingjing Chai.
