Weekly roundup of job-hoppers, Jan 18
Neil Harvey reassigned at Credit Suisse
Credit Suisse has reassigned the former head of its Asia-Pacific asset management business, Neil Harvey, to be chief executive for Hong Kong and co-CEO for Greater China.
He will share responsibilities as co-CEO of Greater China with Liping Zhang, who maintains his position as vice-chairman of the firm’s global investment banking department.
They will both oversee regulatory relationships in Greater China, while Harvey will also take care of business strategy and staff in Hong Kong.
In a statement, the bank said the appointments reflect the strategic importance of the Greater China region as one of the bank’s key growth opportunities worldwide.
Harvey’s internal move comes after Credit Suisse announced plans last November to merge its asset management business with its private bank to speed up cost savings, as reported.
AsianInvestor noted at the time that while the move appeared a logical step to reduce costs, it was cutting staff in its Asia AM unit at a time when other firms were ramping up in the region.
Others reported to have left the AM unit included Will Britten, Sydney-based head of Australia and Asia-Pacific distribution; Chris Faddy, head of non-Japan Asia distribution; and Stuart Guinness, head of emerging market products for Asia Pacific.
Harvey has been involved in investment banking and asset management for 27 years, 15 of which he has spent in Asia. He has spent 13 years at Credit Suisse, most recently as head of Asia Pacific and global emerging markets for the asset management division.
He has also worked as head of the investment banking division and fixed income division for Asia (ex-Japan). Harvey was founder of Credit Suisse’s global emerging markets fixed income business.
Eastspring Investments names Japan CEO
Prudential Corporation Asia’s asset management arm, Eastspring Investments, announced the appointment of Koji Wada as chief executive of its Japanese arm after the resignation of Felix Pang.
Effective January 25, Wada joins from Lombard Odier, where he was managing director of the AM business. He has also worked with Goldman Sachs AM as managing director, head of third-party distribution, head of marketing and head of a product specialists team.
Prior to that Wada was at UBS, where he worked as MD in its global AM business and head of strategy, as well as senior client adviser for its wealth management arm in Japan.
Last year, Eastspring announced the appointment of Woong Park as CEO of the group’s Korean AM business. It also appointed Mark Yuen and Piers Wheeler to newly created institutional sales roles for Southeast Asia and the Middle East, respectively.
Asked if Wada had been replaced, a Lombard Odier spokesman declined to comment.
HK names heavyweights to new council
The Hong Kong government has named heavyweights from across the financial sector including fund managers for its newly formed Financial Services Development Council.
Established yesterday, the council is made up of 20 non-official members, plus the chairman Laura Cha and Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury.
It is designed to provide a platform to explore ways to help facilitate the development of Hong Kong’s financial services industry.
BlackRock’s Asia-Pacific chairman Mark McCombe was among those to be named a non-official member for a two-year term, effective immediately.
Also appointed were Chen Chuang, CEO of China Everbright; Anton Liu Ting-an, deputy chairman of China Life Insurance; and Mark Shipman, head of global funds and the investment management sector at law firm Clifford Chance.
The council’s main functions include conducting policy research and industry surveys for the formulation of proposals to the government and regulators.
It will also work with regulatory and trade bodies to identify opportunities or constraints on the sustainable growth and diversity of the industry. And it will seek to maintain dialogue with relevant bodies in mainland China and overseas and promote Hong Kong as a global financial centre.
SLI to transfer UK staff to Hong Kong
Standard Life Investments (SLI) revealed that it was set to transfer two staff from its Edinburgh headquarters to Hong Kong as it looks to build up its penetration and presence in the region.
They are Malcolm Jones, investment director for Asia-Pacific within absolute returns and fixed income, and Jason Lam as business development manager.
It comes after AsianInvestor reported that the firm – which is 100%-owned by Standard Life Group but bills itself as 99% autonomous – had hired Allen Wang from BlackRock as head of Asian institutional business.
SLI is also seeking a head of wholesale business to provide investment products to professional investors via private banks and wealth management firms in the region.
Jones has 15 years’ experience as a fund manager in equity and fixed income. In his new Asia-based role he will continue to work closely with fund management, product development and business teams on developing investment propositions.
Lam, meanwhile, has been with SLI for nearly two years as its business development manager.
The moves come as the firm seeks to expand its business in Asia, which has $1-2 billon of AUM sourced in the region out of $264 billion globally.
Pioneer poaches Axa’s Bailie to distribution
Fund manager Pioneer Investments announced the appointment of Axa Investment Managers' Jon Bailie as head of Western Europe and Latin America.
Effective in April, he will come to replace Sandro Pierri, who will hold the position in the interim, having been promoted to CEO last July. Distribution for Asia and the Middle East continues to be headed by Jack Lin, who was appointed to his role in January 2012, as reported.
Axa IM has yet to find a replacement for Bailie, with media reporting that CEO Dominique Carrel-Billiard will take on his role while the firm searches for a replacement.
The French firm has lost people recently. Sarah Lu joined Manulife Asset Management as Asia head of asset allocation in May 2012 from Axa Rosenberg Investment Management Asia-Pacific. The same month it also lost senior Asia economist Hervé Lievore to HSBC Global Asset Management.
Pioneer is the AM arm of Italian banking group UniCredit and had around €157 billion ($210 billion) in AUM globally by the end of September, of which 3% is sourced from Asia.
Other people moves reported by AsianInvestor in the past week:
Fidelity and HSBC veteran joins BNY Mellon
Pictet eyes team to tap offshore China wealth
BlackRock hire of China chairman critical: McCombe
Fidelity seeks SE Asia head after losing Ho to Natixis
Mercer eyes growth markets after realignment