Weekly roundup of job-hoppers, Jan 25
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Sarasin names BNPP vet as SE Asia chief
Swiss boutique Bank Sarasin announced the appointment of Eric Morin from BNP Paribas as its new chief executive for Southeast Asia.
Morin joined on January 21 as a managing director based in Singapore. He reports to Enid Yip, chief executive officer for Asia.
Sarasin has been seeking someone to take responsibility for its Southeast Asia business since last June after Grace Barki left.
Although it was reported that Barki was taking early retirement, a few months later she joined RBC Wealth Management as head of Southeast Asia.
Previously Morin was deputy CEO for Southeast Asia and market manager for Singapore at BNP Paribas, where he had worked since 1987.
He has since been replaced at BNPP by Eric Aubin, who was appointed head of international markets and other Asian markets last November, as reported.
In November 2011 it emerged that Safra Group had agreed to acquire Rabobank’s controlling stake in Bank Sarasin for around $1.1 billion. Julius Baer had expressed an interest and failed in its bid, but subsequently hired eight staff from Sarasin to cover Greater China.
StanChart names global sales head
British bank Standard Chartered announced that Margaret Harwood-Jones had joined its asset-servicing arm from BNP Paribas in a newly created role as global head of sales to investors and intermediaries.
She actually started back on December 10 based in Singapore to service clients including global fund houses, custodians, pension funds, hedge funds, insurers and broker-dealers.
She reports to Jiten Arora, global head of sales within StanChart’s transaction banking business.
Previously Harwood-Jones was head of client segments, asset managers and alternative investments at BNP Paribas Securities Services.
A spokesperson for BNP Paribas confirms that it is evaluating both internal and external candidates to fill the role.
StanChart recently told AsianInvestor it was building out its trustee services in Hong and Malaysia, with plans for Singapore, as it looks to win more custody business from mutual fund companies.
M&G Asia to announce new trio
UK-based asset manager M&G Investments is set to announce three new hires to its fledgling Asia operations, AsianInvestor understands.
Andrew Hendry, the firm’s managing director in Asia, says it will announce a Hong Kong relationship manager and new hires to cover institutional sales and client service in the first half of this year. He declines to give names, but the incoming additions will take M&G Asia’s regional staff to nine.
Hendry joined M&G in May 2011 in London and relocated to Singapore in December that year. He has been seeking to build out the business alongside Jeik Sohn, who is responsible for private banking relationships around the region.
Almost a year ago M&G Asia hired Raphael Jaggy from Capital Group in Singapore, although it did not officially announce the move until January 24 this year. Jaggy is a director and will be seeking additional hires, indicates Hendry.
M&G manages more than $350 billion in assets across equities, fixed income and real estate. It has a range of funds focused on the UK and Europe, Asia, emerging markets, international sovereign bonds, Japan and North America. It also has a series of global funds, including a convertible bond product and a dividend fund.
Credit Suisse in Australia reshuffle
Credit Suisse announced the appointment of Rob Stewart as its new chief executive in Australia.
Effective from February 1, he will lead its divisions in Australia including private banking and wealth management, in addition to his role as co-head of investment banking.
Only recently Credit Suisse announced plans to incorporate its fund management business into its private bank as it strives to cut costs, as reported.
Stewart succeeds David Livingstone, who returns to London to take a senior client role for the investment bank. He had been its Australia CEO for three years.
Wealth-X sets out on bold build-out
Data and research firm Wealth-X has announced bold plans to expand its global research team by hiring a further 150 staff in 2013.
Headquartered in Singapore, it will focus its expansion on Southeast Asia, Latin America and southern Europe. At present it has 160 researchers encompassing 35 languages researching ultra high-net worth individuals worth more than $30 million.
Mykolas Rambus, CEO of Wealth-X, tells AsianInvestor that the firm is seeking to increase its insight into the UHNW community.
Hamilton Lane expands exec team
Private equity manager Hamilton Lane announced the appointment of Paul Waller as partner in a new role in its London office and may look to replicate the move in Asia.
“Partner is a newly created position in Hamilton Lane and it is conceivable that we could identify people of Paul’s calibre in Asia or other parts of the world to join Hamilton Lane in a similar capacity,” Juan Delgado-Moreira, managing director and international head for Hamilton Lane, tells AsianInvestor.
Waller’s new role, which is part-time, will see him cover marketing and client relationships for the firm, which had $171 billion in AUM as at the end of last year. He will also help to develop strategy for Europe and the Middle East.
He joins from PE group 3i, where he worked for 35 years before retiring. As a managing partner at 3i he had responsibility for investor relations and fundraising and as a member of 3i’s investment committee he oversaw investments in Asia.
Hamilton Lane and Paul Capital was each selected to invest $30 million in international private equity on behalf of the Korea Teachers Pension Fund, as reported.
Other moves reported by AsianInvestor in the past week:
Lombard Odier feels for growth path in Asia
JP Morgan AM hires GSAM's Asia marketing chief
Bhattal scotches PE rumours, joins Lazard as adviser
Credit Suisse overhaul sparks further moves
Esemplia regroups with new hires, targets HK