AIA seeks new head of fund selection
AIA is looking to appoint a new head of fund selection after previous incumbent Ceri Ng recently left the pan-Asian insurance firm after some four years in the role in Singapore, AsianInvestor has learned.
Ng’s former post is part of the investment-linked and pensions business, which is headed by Shrikant Bhat and accounts for around $40 billion of AIA’s assets under management, according to Bhat's LinkedIn profile.
AIA did not confirm that figure and declined to comment on Ng’s departure.
Hong Kong-headquartered AIA is one of Asia’s largest insurers, with a presence in 18 markets in the region and $289 billion in AUM as of 30 June 2024.
Ng joined AIA Investment Management, the group’s Singapore-based regional investment hub, in July 2020, according to her LinkedIn profile.
AIA posted an advert recruiting to fill the vacancy last month.
The job description includes as key areas of responsibility: developing and implementing fund manager selection strategies; monitoring and oversight of unit-linked funds across all local business units; and building strategic relationships with key fund manager partners.
Ng previously worked at Prudential as director of fund research for the regional investment office and before that was ANZ Wealth’s Asia head of mutual funds.
AsianInvestor could not ascertain what her next move might be.
Ng’s exit comes as another senior executive moved on. Tan Soo Thiam, AIA's regional director of investment management for fixed income, left at the end of July, as reportedly exclusively by AsianInvestor in early August.
Tan's role has been taken on by group head of credit Anna Cheung.
Meanwhile, AIA continues to develop its in-house investment management platform, including by further building up its private markets portfolio (such as private debt exposure) and underlining its commitment to sustainability.
It recently opened its redeveloped Hong Kong headquarters, which incorporates numerous ESG-related features and standards, reflecting its approach to real estate investing generally.
Another key move, unveiled in July, was the insurer’s implementation of an integrated data management system in partnership with BlackRock and BNY Mellon.