Fidelity seeks SE Asia head after losing Ho to Natixis
Fidelity Worldwide Investment is seeking to hire a new head for its regional hub, Singapore, and Southeast Asia after losing veteran Madeline Ho to Natixis Global Asset Management.
Ho joined Natixis GAM in the city-state last week as head of wholesale distribution for Asia-Pacific and managing director of its Singapore business.
She quit Fidelity in December, having served as regional head for Singapore and Southeast Asia since 2006. Prior to that she was Singapore country head for Franklin Templeton Investments.
In the interim Mark Talbot, Fidelity’s managing director for Asia-Pacific ex-Japan, will manage Ho's responsibilities. He oversees all retail and institutional business for Fidelity in the region, while CIO John Ford manages and oversees its investment teams and approach.
Natixis GAM says Ho’s appointment forms part of an expansion of its wholesale capabilities and follows the opening of its Hong Kong office last November, as reported.
It is understood that Ho will take over the duties of Carmen Wee, who was head of sales for Natixis Global Associates for the past five years but has since moved on. AsianInvestor could not confirm her destination by press time.
“[Ho’s] knowledge and understanding of the needs of retail and high-net-worth investors will be instrumental in helping construct more durable portfolios that can meet the challenges of modern markets,” says John Hailer, Natixis GAM’s president and CEO for Americas and Asia.
AsianInvestor met Hailer in Hong Kong late last year, when he mapped out Natixis GAM’s Asia expansion plans. It has offices in Beijing, Singapore, Taipei and Tokyo, and has just opened a rep office in Korea. Jung Tai is transferring from Tokyo to Seoul this month as chief rep there.
Japan is by far Natixis GAM’s most well established business in the region, accounting for about $15 billion of the firm’s $32.6 billion in AUM sourced from Asia-Pacific. Globally it had $734 billion in AUM as at the end of last year, by AsianInvestor numbers, meaning Asia-Pac represents 4.4%.
Fidelity has endured considerable turnover in its Asia business in recent times, none more senior than Arne Lindman, who departed last November as the firm scrapped the post of Asia-Pacific CEO, as reported.
In August Kerry Ching quit Fidelity as country head for Hong Kong, with responsibility for institutional, wholesale and retail direct business, to join AMP Capital to lead institutional sales and business development for the region.
Senior portfolio manager Joseph Tse also left Fidelity in July. He was managing the firm's Asian Special Situations Fund and its Greater China Fund, responsibility for which was passed to Suranjan Mukherjee and Raymond Ma, respectively.