Burgess leaves Clariden Leu to join Julius Baer

Swiss private bank Julius Baer has continued its Asian expansion with the hire of Christopher Todd Burgess in a newly created role as head of the international desk and external asset manager (EAM) business in Hong Kong.

Burgess left rival firm Clariden Leu in early September, where he had held several senior positions, including head of North Asia.

He will now cater both to international and institutional clients, such as family offices and external asset managers. The international desk will serve clients around the world who are managed by wealth advisers in Hong Kong.

Julius Baer is seeking to expand its EAM business, says a spokeswoman, so there are likely to be additions to existing team members Pamela Phua and May Chow. The EAM business aims to build further relationships with family offices and stand-alone independent advisers.

Burgess has worked in the wealth management industry worldwide, and particularly in Asia, for 19 years. He has held senior posts at Coutts and HSBC Republic in Hong Kong, as well as in the New York, Paris, Geneva and Luxembourg offices of Bank Indosuez.

The appointment comes on the heels of Julius Baer's SFr520 million ($505 million) acquisition of ING's private banking business in Switzerland. The takeover added SFr15 billion to its assets under management, but the Swiss firm is said to be out of the running for ING's Asian wealth business.