Weekly roundup of people news, Feb 2
FUTURE FUND APPOINTS CHAIR, BOARD MEMBERS
The Australian government appointed Greg Combet as chair of the Future Fund Board of Guardians for a five‑year term.
He replaces Peter Costello, who, as treasurer set up the fund and served two terms as chair.
Combet is currently chair of the Net Zero Economy Agency (NZEA) and will continue in this important role over the coming months, with the expectation that he will start as chair of Future Fund around mid‑year.
The government will work with NZEA on recruiting a new chair.
In addition, Mary Reemst was named acting chair of the Future Fund in the interim and commences her role on February 4, until Combet takes over.
Nicola Wakefield Evans and Rosemary Vilgan were also appointed as part‑time members of the board for five‑year terms. Wakefield, chair of the 30 per cent Club Australia, begins her role on March 1.
Vilgan, currently chair of Commonwealth Bank Officers Superannuation Corporation and the Vincent Fairfax Family Foundation, will start her role on February 4.
HK INSURANCE AUTHORITY APPOINTS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
The Hong Kong government on January 23 appointed Clement Lau as executive director, policy and legislation for the Insurance Authority.
He will serve a three-year term until January 2027.
Lau will be responsible for coordinating corporate planning, reviewing legislative frameworks and regulatory instruments, engaging with industry stakeholders, as well as steering research and public education efforts among other responsibilities.
Lau has a track period in public administration and financial supervision in Hong Kong.
He joined the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) in 2013 and was most recently executive director for monetary management until 2020.
A separate recruitment exercise for two executive directors in charge of long-term business and general business respectively is making good progress, and the outcome will be announced shortly, the Insurance Authority said in a statement.
MARK MOBIUS JOINS CHARTWELL CAPITAL AS ADVISOR
Renowned investor Mark Mobius joined Chartwell Capital in a non-executive independent advisory capacity.
Mobius is best known for his role at Franklin Templeton Investments, where he managed one of the world’s first emerging markets funds.
He is credited with helping the group’s emerging market assets under management grow from $100 million to about $50 billion, before stepping down in 2018.
Mobius later founded Mobius Capital Partners with two former colleagues.
Chartwell Capital is a Hong Kong-based investment firm that focuses on China’s Greater Bay Area and the Asia-Pacific region.
PGIM ASIA EX-JAPAN INSTITUTIONAL HEAD DEPARTS
PGIM’s head of Asia Pacific ex-Japan institutional relationship group, Philip Hsin, left the position at the end of last year, the firm confirmed to AsianInvestor.
Hsin’s Asia responsibilities have been taken up by its expanding institutional business development teams within PGIM affiliates in Hong Kong and Singapore, including PGIM Fixed Income and PGIM Real Estate.
Based in Singapore, Hsin joined PGIM in 2011.
He has become chief executive officer of an education technology company in Singapore since January this year, according to his LinkedIn.
PGIM HIRES FROM MORGAN STANLEY IM FOR AUSTRALIA ROLE
PGIM appointed Chris Briant as head of the institutional relationship group (IRG) for Australia and New Zealand.
Briant, based in Sydney, will be responsible for deepening PGIM’s institutional client coverage.
He reports to Cameron Lochhead, US-based global head of IRG.
Briant replaces Murray Brewer, who left the company last year, a spokesperson told AsianInvestor.
Briant was most recently managing director at Morgan Stanley Investment Management, having joined its subsidiary Parametric Portfolio Associates as Parametric’s first Australasian CEO in 2013.
Morgan Stanley did not respond to a query on whether anyone replaced Briant in his former role.
Briant has previously also worked for Russell Investments, BNP Paribas, and BT Portfolio Services.
WRISE LAUNCHES DUBAI OFFICE, NAMES MIDDLE EAST CEO
WRISE Group appointed Dhruba Jyoti Sengupta as CEO, WRISE Middle East.
Based in Dubai, Sengupta will report to Derrick Tan, chairman of WRISE Group.
The appointment comes after the Singapore-headquartered multifamily office announced the opening of its Dubai office.
The office will serve the operational needs of the ultra-rich and their family offices in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and across the Middle Eastern region.
Sengupta brings over 25 years of experience working in the financial industry across the Middle East and North Africa.
He was most recently CEO of a single family office in Dubai. He held senior wealth management positions at financial institutions like Citibank previously.
GAM APPOINTS NEW JAPAN DIRECTOR
GAM Investments appointed Takakiyo Iwamoto as representative and director of GAM Japan in Tokyo, effective January 31.
Iwamoto will be leading all distribution activities and GAM’s office in Japan.
He will report to Rossen Djounov, global head of distribution at GAM, a spokesperson told AsianInvestor.
Iwamoto joined GAM as head of distribution in Japan in October 2023, managing client relationship and acquisition activities. He will continue to oversee this role, the spokesperson said.
Masato Tojima, former representative director and president of GAM Japan, left on January 31 after working for the company for 6 years.
Iwamoto previously worked for Barclays Securities Japan Limited,, State Street Global Advisors, JPMorgan Securities, Deutsche Bank Securities, BNP Paribas, and Mitsui & Co.
GREENBERG TRAURIG ADDS TO JAPAN REAL ESTATE TEAM
Greenberg Traurig has hired four lawyers from White & Case.
Mizuho Yamada, who previously headed White & Case’s Japan real estate practice, and colleague and partner Ayako Kawano have both joined Greenberg Traurig’s Tokyo office as real estate shareholders.
Additionally, White & Case’s Tokyo-based counsel Kazuo Kasai has joined as a local partner, while associate Hiroshi Hara was also hired as counsel.