Malaysia

Intrust Super chief executive to step down after merger; Aware acquires site for essential worker affordable housing; China bans cryptocurrency-related business activities; Hong Kong insure FWD filed for US listing of ADRs; Nippon Life acquires wealth life insurance from MassMutual; NPS to hire five investment managers to diversify portfolio; Malaysia to review Spacs framework; EPF reports $8 billion investment income; and more

EISS Super CEO resigns after failing performance test; China to launch wealth management pilots in four cities; Hong Kong's MPF grows 26% y-o-y; India's NIIF in talks to acquire and develop green energy assets; Korea Post to hire financial services firm; GIC, Baring Private Equity, IMM Private Equity to exit from Kyobo Life Insurance; Khazana to sell stake in Cenviro; EPF trims stake in oil palm planter; and more

MAS names sustainability head; Malaysia’s EPF appoints COO and CFO; GIC PE head for SEA leaves; State Super hires new exec; Hesta appoints chief growth officer, chief Debby Blakey appointed to corporate governance board; ex-BlackRock exec joins IQ-EQ in Singapore; HSBC AM builds direct real estate team; ex-Vanguard head of distribution joins LGIM; Sanne names Singapore head; and more

Generally, however, Asian pension funds’ allocations to alternative assets demonstrated only a modest increase of 0.6% from 2019 to 2020.

Australia's Future Fund develops new investment strategy; Aware Super looking for buyers for agribusiness portfolio; China to launch third stock exchange for small and medium businesses, and crackdown on mismanaged private funds; Kotec to hire asset manager for $130 million domestic bond mandate; Malaysia's EPF makes two senior appointments; SGX allows Spac listings; and more

Proposed changes to how Malaysian GLICs operate should clarify what their mandates are meant to achieve but risk putting pressure on returns, say observers

Sydney Airport rejects second takeover bid by consortium joined by AustralianSuper; Australia's FSC launches new charter to boost female representation in fund management; China's privately offered funds hit $3 trillion; GIC invests in China warehousing and industrial real estate with ESR Cayman and APG; Japan's new university fund looks to invest in alts and foreign stocks; and more.

Asset owners across Asia Pacific weathered some difficult market conditions in 2020. While most emerged from the year successfully, some notable exceptions suffered asset drops.

Zurich Australia appoints CEO for Australian and New Zealand; BNY Mellon hires Southeast Asia head of intermediary; Franklin Templeton names head of Asia distribution; Robeco to add three ESG specialists in Singapore; JP Morgan AM names new head of data science; JLL adds head of Greater China; Lombard Odier hires COO from Credit Suisse; and more.

AustralianSuper's CEO to step down; Franklin Templeton appoints ex-Calpers CIO as Asia chair; Zurich Malaysia names country head; Credit Suisse promotes new China CEO; DWS lures Amundi veteran back to Asia; Indosuez appoints head of North Asia; Citi Private Bank names SE Asia private capital head; Gaw Capital hires IDC investments head; and more.

Malaysia’s largest pension fund went through a thorough self-analysis before adopting public ESG portfolio goals. Its former chief executive explains how.

The Australian's Asic launches ESG fund review for greenwashing; Cbus hires from Apra; Hesta hires from AMP Life; Dai-ichi Life Insurance invests $50 million in climate infra fund; Korea's GEPS awards $105 million overseas infra mandates; Teachers' Pension calls for bids; QIA increases Credit Suisse stake; and more.

HSBC Asset Management adds ETF business director; Ninety One broadens fixed income team; former CEO of Malaysia's EPF joins Mavcap; Citi promotes new HNW private bank head for Apac; Deutsche Bank hires Southeast Asia wealth leader; Barclays appoints Singapore private bank head; HSBC names Malaysia wealth banking head; and more.

The sovereign wealth fund has replaced Shahril Ridza Ridzuan, making it the latest government-linked investment company to change its leader.

Malaysia's Armed Forces Fund hires new CEO; Canada's Omers appoints Asia capital markets managing director; HSBC Asset Management creates alternatives unit, appoints CIO as its head; Bank of Singapore names global wealth head; Aware Super hires IFA head; Hong Kong names acting head for MPFA; Schroders adding to Asia ESG headcount; and more.

The RM82.64 billion ($20.6 billion) Malaysian Hajj fund, which recently completed a restructure, is looking to diversify globally but remains cautious of risky assets.

AsianInvestor explains why we chose the winners of the second half of our 2021 fund manager winners, by major local markets.

AsianInvestor reveals the reasons why we picked the first half of this year's most impressive local fund managers, across the region's leading investment markets.

The investment industry lacks coherent sustainability standards, which makes applying them harder, said officials at asset owners and fund houses from Japan, Malaysia and Korea.

Swelling assets are prompting regional pension funds to look beyond home markets and outsource alternatives and ESG investments, say experts.