FTSE appoints director for Asia

Index and data provider FTSE Group has appointed Jessie Pak as director for Asia. She replaces Fran Thompson, who left in late 2008 to develop Asia-Pacific business at Greenline Financial Technologies.

Pak joined FTSE in late 2009, reports to Imogen Dillon-Hatcher, London-based executive director of global sales, and works across FTSE's entire suite of index and data solutions.

The Hong Kong-based role has been adjusted to place a greater emphasis on China. FTSE has taken over much of the day-to-day management of its joint venture with Xinhua, which includes running the FTSE Xinhua series of equity indices. The index vendor is also pitching for more mandates related to qualified domestic institutional investor (QDII) products.

China is not the whole story though: Pak's remit will be regional, excluding Australia and Japan. Part of her management duties include running an expanded operation in Hong Kong, now that FTSE is transferring operations people behind its series of Asian indices from London to the fragrant harbour. The regional hub in Hong Kong now has a team of more than 20.

FTSE is also looking to further strengthen its position as a provider of indices referenced by exchange-traded funds in Asia.

Pak's most recent role was at NYSE Technologies in Hong Kong, and FTSE values people with experience at stock exchanges. She has also served as managing director at ADP Wilco, a payroll/human-resources tech company, and in technology roles at buy- and sell-side institutions such as Schroder Investment Management, NM Rothschild, James Capel, Creditfinance Securities Canada and Standard Chartered Securities.