Brown Brothers Harriman boosts Asia sec-lending team

Global custodian Brown Brothers Harriman (BBH) has assigned Robert Lees and Richard Meek to Hong Kong as head of securities-lending trading and head of securities-lending relationship management, respectively, for the Asia-Pacific region.

Lees reports to Jeff O'Neill, global head of securities lending trading, and Meek to Elizabeth Seidel, global head of securities lending relationship management, business development strategy and marketing.

Both have already arrived in Hong Kong and will work closely with Andrew Tucker, a partner who is responsible for the Asia-Pacific region and BBH's markets business, which includes global securities lending. Tucker moved to Hong Kong from New York earlier this year as the first Asia-Pacific head based in the region.

And further hires are planned, as the firm is looking to build its Hong Kong trading, sales and relationship-management capabilities to form an Asian servicing hub.

Lees, who has been with BBH for eight years, is a vice-president and senior trader within global securities lending and has held senior trading responsibilities in the London and Boston offices. He has transferred from the Boston office.

Meek, a vice-president with BBH for 10 years, is responsible for BBH's global securities lending Asia-Pacific relationship management and sales efforts. He previously led the European securities lending relationship team in London.

The appointments continue the firm's build-up in the region. BBH opened an office in Beijing, its third in Asia, in September.