Stuart Guinness returns to buy-side with Credit Suisse

Fund management industry veteran Stuart Guinness is returning to the buy-side after close to two years as regional Asia head of institutional client relations at French bank Société Générale. He will start on November 3 at Credit Suisse as Asia-Pacific head of emerging markets products for the asset management arm, a newly created role.

Guinness will remain in Hong Kong and report to Neil Harvey, head of the asset management business at Credit Suisse in Asia-Pacific and head of emerging markets globally, and Sudip Thakor, head of global emerging markets products. Harvey returned to the firm in February last year after a stint at investment banking and asset management group Renaissance Group.

Guinness will focus on Asian emerging markets product development and investment solutions for regional clients keen to tap into the growth potential offered by EM opportunities globally.

Asked if there would be further hires to the EM products team in Asia, a spokeswoman said: "We don't have additional names to announce immediately, but we are looking at some additions on a strategic, selective basis."

CSAM provides strategic advice, services and products to institutional clients, drawing on its global capabilities in alternative investments, asset allocation and advisory as well as emerging markets. The firm sold the bulk of its traditional long-only funds business to Aberdeen Asset Management in 2008.

Before joining Société Générale in September last year, Guinness had spent 13 years in funds management in Asia. He worked for US firm Fidelity Investments from 2008 to 2010 in various roles, including country head for Korea and regional head of product development.

He has also worked with Prudential Asset Management and AMP Capital Investors in pan-regional product development and marketing roles focusing on institutional relationships.

SG declined to comment on whether Guinness had been or would be replaced.