Schroders appoints Hong Kong distribution head

UK fund house Schroder Investment Management has named Chris Durack as head of distribution for Hong Kong, a newly created role overseeing intermediary and institutional sales and marketing.

Durack has relocated to Hong Kong from Sydney, where he was head of product and distribution for Australia. He assumed his new post on February 1, reporting to Lieven Debruyne, Hong Kong chief executive and Asia head of intermediary business.

Debruyne said Durack's role was created to align with the team structure of other Schroders offices in the Asia-Pacific region. Schroders could not confirm who would replace Durack in Australia by press time.

He now has three senior reporting lines: Clara Law, head of Hong Kong intermediary business; Kelvin Lee, Hong Kong head of institutional business; and Yvonne Ma, head of marketing for Hong Kong and China. Durack's remit excludes China, which is headed by David Guo, who oversees an eight-strong team across retail and institutional sales.

Meanwhile, Schroders is seeking replacements for two senior regional roles. The firm lost its Asia Pacific head of marketing Grace Ho to Manulife Asset Management in October, and Gerald Koh will leave his post as director of private bank sales for Southeast Asia in March.

Durack joined Schroders in October 2011 as Australia head of product and distribution. Prior to that he was CEO of Australian superannuation fund NSW State Super, following roles at Australian fund houses Perpetual and Challenger and investment consultancies Mercer and Towers Perrin (now Towers Watson).