Weekly roundup of people news, Sept 15
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HESTA HIRES EX-PIF EXECTUVE AS PORTFOLIO DESIGN CHIEF
HESTA has appointed Dianne Sandoval as its head of portfolio design, starting in October.
Sandoval will lead research and asset allocation processes, as well as oversee portfolio risk management, rebalancing, currency overlays, and evaluate portfolio performance.
Sandoval's most recent role was as the head of markets, asset classes, and portfolio strategy at the Public Investment Fund (PIF) in Saudi Arabia.
She is expected to relocate to Melbourne from Saudi Arabia for the new role.
Sandoval has also held senior positions at CalPERS, accumulating more than 12 years of experience. Additionally, Sandoval has previously worked at Morgan Stanley, JP Morgan, and GE Capital.
PIF did not respond to an AsianInvestor query on who replaces Sandoval.
BEA UNION INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT TAPS JANET LI AS CEO
Former Mercer veteran Janet Li joined BEA Union Investment Management as chief executive officer, succeeding Eleanor Wan, effective September 12, subject to regulatory approval.
Li will be responsible for leading BEA Union Investment's business and driving its strategic growth.
She joins from Mercer, where she was most recently partner and the wealth business leader for Asia for more than five years. Prior to that, Li spent over 16 years with Willis Towers Watson.
Wan will remain with the company as advisor after stepping down as CEO.
The investment manager also named Samson Chan as chief operating officer, succeeding Keith Cheung, effective September 1.
Cheung will retire by the end of this year, the firm told AsianInvestor.
Chan reports to Li. Both Li and Chan are based in Hong Kong.
Chan joins from Allianz Global Investors where he spent 16 years, with his last role being business and operations transformation director for Asia Pacific.
Chan had also worked for JP Morgan Securities and Accenture.
The Victorian Funds Management Corporation (VFMC) promoted Stephen Baker as the new head of infrastructure, to succeed Adrian Best, who has retired.
Baker, who joined VFMC as part of the client services and private market teams, transitioned to the infrastructure team in 2011.
During his tenure, he held positions as a portfolio manager and senior portfolio manager.
Before joining VFMC, he worked in the funds management industry in London as a client services executive at Western Asset Management and account manager at Citigroup Asset Management.
IFM INVESTORS NAMES CLIENT SOLUTIONS HEAD IN ASIA
IFM Investors, a global investment manager owned by Australian pension funds, has announced the appointment of Peter Swarbreck as executive director, head of client solutions Asia, effective from August 14.
Based in Hong Kong, Swarbreck will spearhead the push to grow IFM’s presence in Asia.
He will focus on creating partnerships with Asia-based clients and executing the firm’s client strategy in the region.
Swarbreck’s role is newly created and he reports to head of global client solutions John Gee-Grant.
For almost a decade, Swarbreck was head of Asia Pacific for Jupiter Fund Management until taking a career break in January this year. Prior to joining Jupiter, he worked at BlackRock for over twenty years where he held several senior roles.
PRUDENTIAL APPOINTS CHIEF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY OFFICER
Prudential named Ashley Veasey as chief information technology officer, effective September 18.
He will lead the insurer’s technology function in delivering solutions for customers, agents, bank partners and employees.
Based in Hong Kong, he will report to Solmaz Altin, managing director, strategic business group.
Altin previously covered this role on an interim basis while the search was underway, the firm told AsianInvestor.
Veasey has over 30 years of experience in the financial service industry in leading technology, digital and innovation in several firms such as Barclays, JP Morgan, Standard Chartered and Citibank.
He also served as advisor for several technology companies and fintech start-ups.
Before joining Prudential, he was group chief information officer at Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank.
HKEX NAMES HEAD OF EMEA ISSUER SERVICES
Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing (HKEX) appointed Chris Roberts as managing director and head of EMEA issuer services.
Roberts, based in London, will oversee all marketing and promotional activities for Hong Kong's IPO and primary markets, across Europe, Middle East and Africa.
He will also have responsibility for ancillary and other post-IPO services in the region, working with international issuers and the European listing community.
He will report to HKEX co-head of sales and marketing, Christina Bao.
He held various senior investment banking roles at Moelis & Co., JP Morgan and Morgan Stanley in the UK and the US, and more recently founded an independent advisory firm.
CAMBRIDGE ASSOCIATES MD RELOCATES TO SINGAPORE
Cambridge Associates Managing Director Ming Yan has relocated from the firm’s Boston office to Singapore to join the Asia investment team.
She will be responsible for managing multi-asset portfolios for family offices and institutional investors based in Asia.
She reports to Aaron Costello, regional head for Asia, also based in Singapore.
Yan has advised clients totaling over $20 billion in assets, implementing investments across private and public asset classes.
HAMILTON LANE ANNOUNCES CEO SUCCESION
Private markets investment firm Hamilton Lane has appointed long-time executives Erik Hirsch and Juan Delgado-Moreira co-chief executive officers, effective January 1, 2024.
They succeed Mario Giannini, who, after 22 years as Hamilton Lane’s CEO, will join Hartley Rogers as executive co-chairman.
Rogers has served as chairman of the board since 2005.
Delgado-Moreira will be appointed to the board of directors, and will primarily focus on leading Hamilton Lane’s global sales efforts and client service organisation, while Hirsch will lead the firm’s strategic direction and manage its operations.
The two will jointly lead the firm’s global investment team.
Delgado-Moreira joined Hamilton Lane in 2005 and is based in Hong Kong, where he is an investment committee member and oversees international investment activities and client relationships.
Prior to joining Hamilton Lane, he had roles at Baring Private Equity Partners in London.
Hirsch joined Hamilton Lane in 1999 and is based in Pennsylvania, US.
Prior to joining Hamilton Lane, Hirsch was with Brown Brothers Harriman & Co and Public Financial Management.
MAYER BROWN ADDS TO ASIA M&A PRACTICE
Mayer Brown said Allison Lee has joined its corporate and securities practice as a partner.
She brings 15 years of experience advising public and private companies and private equity firms in connection with cross-border mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, strategic investments, distribution arrangements and secondary sale transactions across Asia.
Lee joins from Debevoise & Plimpton where she was a member of the firm's corporate department, and private equity and M&A groups in Hong Kong.