Weekly roundup of people news, May 6
EX-JP MORGAN'S GLOBAL FX DIRECTOR JOINS GIC
Former JP Morgan’s executive director for global FX strategy Daniel Hui has joined Singapore’s GIC as an FX strategist holding the position of senior vice president, macro research and strategy, he announced in a LinkedIn post.
Based in Singapore, he reports to Tan Kang Yong, head of macro research and strategy. Hui joined the sovereign wealth fund in mid-April after moving from New York where he was with JP Morgan for almost 7 years from August 2015. Prior to that, he was the bank's head of EM Asia FX strategy in Singapore.
Before that, he was a senior FX strategist for Asia at HSBC Hong Kong for about 5 years. He started his career as a software engineer with Sapient Corp and also spent an earlier stint at JP Morgan as an economist between 2005 and 2007.
GIC declined AsianInvestor's request for more information on Hui's move.
BNP PARIBAS ASSET MANAGEMENT’S SINGAPORE CEO CHRISTIAN BUCARO TO DEPART
BNP Paribas Asset Management’s Singapore CEO and head of strategic distributor relationships Asia Pacific Christian Bucaro will be leaving by end of June to pursue interests outside the organisation after over 16 years at the company, it told AsianInvestor on Friday (May 6).
Bucaro’s successor for his CEO responsibilities will be an internal promotion, subject to regulatory approvals. The firm will share more information regarding the appointment in due course, a spokesperson said.
Bucaro joined BNP Paribas Asset Management in Italy in 2005 and moved to the London office in 2008. He was the deputy head of global distributions before relocating to Singapore in 2012 as head of distribution for South East Asia. In the Singapore office, he had held several senior roles including head of Asia Pacific private wealth and head of Asia Pacific wholesale distribution.
In another connected change within the wholesale distribution team regarding Bucaro’s departure, Guenter Tschiderer is promoted to head of intermediary sales, Hong Kong and South East Asia with immediate effect. He continues to be based in Hong Kong and will report to the incoming Singapore CEO.
In his new role, Tschiderer now leads the Singapore and Hong Kong wholesale distribution teams to drive the growth of sales activities and coverage for clients’ solutions needs and distribution capabilities with private banking distributors across targeted markets under his remit.
Tschiderer joined BNP Paribas Asset Management in September 2014 and was most recently the head of private banks and head of group networks, Asia Pacific.
QIC APPOINTS TRANSPORT PARTNER
Queensland Investment Corporation (QIC) on Wednesday (May 4) announced that Nicola Palmer has commenced as partner, transport, to be based in its Sydney office, starting April 19. Palmer will report to QIC head of global infrastructure, Ross Israel.
This appointment is for the existing role of partner, transport within QIC’s infrastructure capability, where Palmer will leverage her wealth of global experience, particularly in driving origination for QIC’s infrastructure investment within the transport sector, the firm told AsianInvestor.
Palmer replaces Trent Carmichael, who left QIC in September 2021 as partner for global infrastructure and is now chief financial officer at tech firm FiberSense.
Previously, a partner at Arcus Infrastructure Partners in London for 13 years, Palmer has over 25 years’ experience in the infrastructure sector across Australia and Europe, with a focus on origination and asset management within the transportation and energy subsectors together with fundraising.
ABRDN NAMES APAC HEAD OF PRODUCT STRATEGY AND DEVELOPMENT
Abrdn has named Felix Ng, who recently relocated from London to Singapore, as head of product strategy and development, Asia Pacific, starting May 2, the firm told AsianInvestor on Friday (May 6).
Based in Singapore, Ng reports to Henny Muliany, head of product Asia Pacific. He is part of the broader Asia Pacific product team and responsible for driving product strategy and development to support client-led growth in the region.
Prior to joining abrdn, Ng worked at BlackRock and Franklin Templeton in London for multi-asset product management.
BLACKROCK HIRES FORMER ABRDN WHOLESALE SALES DIRECTOR
Kenneth On has left his position as director of wholesale sales for Apac distribution at abrdn as of end-March, the firm confirmed with AsianInvestor. According to his LinkedIn account, he has joined BlackRock's Hong Kong client business team.
His duties at abdrn are currently handled by the team while the firm is looking for his replacement.
On has more than 20 years of experience in wealth planning, investment advisory, business development, strategic planning, and mutual fund distribution of both buy-side and sell-side in the financial services industry.
He also formerly held roles at Columbia Threadneedle Investments, HSBC, and Fidelity Worldwide Investment among others. BlackRock did not reply to AsianInvestor’s request for more details on On’s role.
TAY KIM RE-JOINS FRANKLIN TEMPLETON AS KOREA HEAD
Franklin Templeton on Wednesday (May 4) announced the appointment of Tay Kim as head of its Korea business, effective immediately. Kim was with the firm for 13 years before leaving for MSCI in Korea in 2019.
Kim will continue to be based in Seoul after returning to Franklin Templeton, responsible for spearheading the growth of the company’s business in Korea, overseeing the local distribution teams, and developing business strategy. Upon securing regulatory approval, Kim will also be appointed president and CEO of Franklin Templeton Investment Advisors Korea.
Kim will report to Tariq Ahmad, head of Asia distribution. She succeeds Yong-Bae Jeon, who has worked at the firm for more than 20 years, serving as president and CEO for Franklin Templeton in Korea since July 2010. Jeon will transition from his current role to serving as an independent auditor and advisor to the board.
Prior to rejoining Franklin Templeton, she was country head of Korea at MSCI, a role she held for three years. Previously, Kim also served as head of institutional business at Franklin Templeton Korea, and had held roles in business development and client relationship management at Citibank Korea, and SK Securities.
SYLVAN GROUP APPOINTS VICE CHAIRMAN AND MANAGING DIRECTOR
Private equity and buyout firm Sylvan Group – which is backed by the Hyundai and Rockefeller families - has appointed Valerie Rockefeller as vice chair of its board of advisors and Kin Wong as managing director with effect from May 1, according to a company statement.
Wong will be based in Singapore, while Rockefeller will be based in the US.
Rockefeller will help the firm identify and assess potential investments based on their positive impact on society.
She chairs the Board of Trustees for the Rockefeller Brothers Foundation, a private foundation that focuses on advancing social changes. She also co-founded and co-chairs BankFWD, a network to persuade American banks to phase out fossil fuel financing.
She currently serves as a trustee of Achievement First, a network of schools that help pupils from low-income families, the Asian Cultural Council, Columbia University Teachers College, D.C. Preparatory Academy, Greenwich Academy, and Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors.
As Sylvan’s managing director, Wong oversees deal origination, structuring, execution, and portfolio management across Asia.
He formerly worked at KKR from 2012, where he was a principal in the team that focused on Southeast Asia. He was also previously an analyst with Bank of America Merrill Lynch’s global mergers and acquisitions team in New York City.
BLACKSTONE EXPANDS KOREA BUSINESS WITH TWO SENIOR HIRES
Blackstone on April 27 announced that it has made two senior appointments to its Korea office as it expands its presence in the market. Ha Yung-Ku, the firm’s executive advisor for Korea who joined Blackstone in August 2021, has been appointed as chair of the Korean office, a newly created role.
Ha transitioned into his new position in April, and reports to Chris Heady, chairman of Asia Pacific and head of real estate Asia, the firm told AsianInvestor.
Chris Kim is also hired as managing director to lead the newly created real estate team in Korea, starting in March. He reports to Alan Miyasaki, head of real estate acquisitions Asia.
Both Ha and Kim are based in Seoul. In addition, Blackstone has relocated to a new space near the city’s central business district Gwanghwamun.
Prior to joining Blackstone, Ha served in various leadership roles including as chairman and CEO of Citigroup Korea and as chairman of the Korea Federation of Banks. Kim joins Blackstone from Angelo Gordon, where he was most recently their co-Head of Korea real estate.
SAMANTHA LIN LEAVES FRANKLIN TEMPLETON
Hong Kong-based Samantha Lin, vice president, financial institutions at Franklin Templeton’s sales team, has left the firm on March 21, it told AsianInvestor on Thursday (May 5).
Lin was responsible for retail sales on the team. The firm is actively hiring for her replacement.
Lin joined Franklin Templeton in March 2016. Prior to that, she also held client and investment consultant roles at GAM, First State Investments and Citibank Hong Kong.
ROBECO SINGAPORE EXPANDS ITS SUSTAINABLE INVESTING TEAM BY THREE
Robeco has appointed Ghislaine Nadaud as senior sustainable investing specialist and Rinchen Choegyal as senior sustainable investing research analyst, both effective immediately, said a company statement on May 4.
It has also relocated Laura Bosch Ferreté from its Rotterdam office to assume the role of sustainable investing specialist in Singapore. The three new additions will bring the Singapore team to six investment professionals, with two more new hires in fixed income in the offing.
Nadaud and Choegyal, who report to Peter van der Werf, senior manager engagement and Rachel Whittaker, head of sustainable investing research, will provide localised environmental, social, and governance (ESG) expertise as an extension of Robeco’s Sustainable Investing Centre of Expertise.
Nadaud will drive the firm’s engagement programs on human rights and palm oil in Asia, support the Singapore investment team with engagement for holdings in the Asia Pacific portfolios, and contribute to research on human rights.
Prior to joining, she headed up the first Asia Pacific ESG solutions team for Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation. Before that, she was at ABN AMRO, where she set up its regional sustainability department for its corporate and institutional banking business.
She started her career as an attorney in the Netherlands and joined the banking industry in 2006 as a legal counsel for ABN AMRO specialising in sustainable banking policy and risk management before moving to Asia in 2016 with the bank.
Choegyal, who has more than 10 years of investment experience, is responsible for ESG research of tech companies and integrating it into the investment processes of Robeco's equity and credit strategies.
He previously worked at Ruffer Investment Management where he co-managed the Pacific and Emerging Markets equity portfolio and led the ESG integration process in Asia.
Prior to that, he spent several years at BlackRock, first at iShares and later as a research analyst in the Fundamental Active Equities team.
Bosch Ferreté, who started in the first week of May, will be responsible for conducting engagement related to environmental and social topics covering the consumer goods industry.
She will also perform client-facing activities around Robeco’s Sustainable Investing approach in Asia Pacific.
She joined Robeco in 2016 and held various roles in the Active Ownership department in the Netherlands. Prior to joining, she held roles in corporate sustainability research at the United Nations University and non-profit organisations in Latin America.
DAVID CHANG LEAVES JP MORGAN ASSET MANAGEMENT
David Chang, previously head of Hong Kong private bank distribution at JP Morgan Asset Management, has left the firm. Chang didn't disclose his next move to AsianInvestor.
Chang joined the firm in October 2017 as executive director, responsible for global strategic relationships, Asia Pacific, and was promoted to head of Hong Kong private bank distribution in May 2018.
Following his departure, the firm appointed Chia Chia Chng as head of Apac private bank distribution in March, reporting to Sherene Ban, Singapore and Southeast Asia CEO and Elisa Ng, head of Hong Kong, the firm told AsianInvestor.
In the newly created role, Chng will drive closer collaboration and build synergy between the Hong Kong and Singapore private bank distribution teams, creating a holistic approach and more value for clients across the locations.
Chng joined JP Morgan Asset Management in August 2015 and was most recently the Singapore head of private bank distribution.
FIRST SENTIER INVESTORS HIRES INSTITUTIONAL BUSINESS DIRECTOR
First Sentier Investors (FSI) has appointed Marcus Ong as director of institutional business in the Singapore distribution team, according to a company statement on May 5.
He reports to Christy Goh, head of distribution, Southeast Asia, and will play an instrumental role in cultivating institutional client relationships across sovereign wealth, central banks, insurance companies, endowments, and government entities in the region.
Prior to joining, he was co-head of institutional business, Southeast Asia at Franklin Templeton for six years, and before that was an executive investment manager at Singapore’s Urban Redevelopment Authority for three years.
This article has been updated with QIC's comments on Palmer's predecessor.