Weekly roundup of people news, July 20
FIDELITY HIRES JULIUS BAER FUNDS SPECIALIST
Johann Santer has joined Fidelity as head of the private banking business for Asia ex-Japan, effective July 16.
The UK-based asset manager said in a statement that the role was newly created and that Santer would work with Fidelity’s global teams to deliver services and investment solutions for private banks in the region.
Santer was previously head of investment specialists for funds in Hong Kong at Bank Julius Baer. His former employer did not respond to queries on when he left or whether a replacement had been named.
Fidelity did not respond to queries on who was handling private banking relationships before Santer's appointment.
FRANKLIN TEMPLETON APPOINTS INVESTMENT SOLUTIONS HEAD FOR ASIA
Franklin Templeton Investments has appointed Subash Pillai (pictured) as managing director and head of investment solutions for Asia under its multi-asset solutions group.
Pillai took up his Singapore-based role on May 23 and reports to Wylie Tollette, executive vice president and head of client investment solutions, who is based in San Mateo, California.
Simon Coxeter was the previous head of investment solutions for Asia, excluding Australia. He was with Franklin Templeton for six months between April and October last year, and has rejoined Mercer as principal, according to his LinkedIn profile.
Pillai will help lead the development of client investment solutions in Asia, including Australia, a company spokeswoman said.
Pillai was responsible for fixed income and multi-asset business in Australia at Goldman Sachs Asset Management, a position he left last year. Goldman Sachs declined to comment on his departure.
RBC APPOINTS SE ASIA WEALTH HEAD
Mike Reed has been appointed head of wealth management for Southeast Asia and chief executive for Singapore at Royal Bank of Canada’s, effective June 1.
He has relocated from Hong Kong to Singapore for this role.
He takes over from Tho Gea Hong, who has decided to pursue an external opportunity, an RBC spokeswoman said.
Reed was previously head of client and business development for RBC Wealth Management in Asia.
The spokeswoman said he would retain his fomer responsibilities for the Asia wealth management business.
AsianInvestor could not ascertain what Tho’s next role would be.
BANK OF SINGAPORE HIRES MARKET HEADS FOR HK AND TAIWAN
Bank of Singapore has hired two market heads and a head of risk in Hong Kong.
Phonda Chan (pictured) joined the private bank as managing director and market head for Hong Kong on July 5. She was previously a managing director at LGT Bank.
Anne Song started her role as managing director and market head for Taiwan on June 19. Before this, she was the managing director and country team head for Taiwan at UBS Wealth Management.
Jacqueline Lee joined as executive director and head of risk for Hong Kong on May 2. Her LinkedIn profile shows she previously worked in the credit risk management division at BNP Paribas Wealth Management.
All three report to Derrick Tan, Bank of Singapore's chief executive of Hong Kong and global market head for Greater China and North Asia.
Chan and Song’s roles are new, and they are heading newly assembled teams as part of the bank’s plan to grow the Greater China business, a company spokeswoman said, declining to reveal the size of the teams.
Lee’s role was not new, the spokeswoman said, but she declined to identify her predecessor.
The three individuals' former employers declined to comment on their departures.
NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK APPOINTS WEALTH CHIEF
National Australia Bank (NAB) has appointed Geoff Lloyd as chief executive of its wealth management arm, MLC.
The appointment will take effect on September 1 and Lloyd will report to NAB CEO Andrew Thorburn. It is subject to approval by regulators including the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority, the bank said in a press release.
NAB did not reply to AsianInvestor’s query about his predecessor.
Lloyd was previously chief executive of Australian financial services group Perpetual, which declined to comment on his departure.
HOLBORN ASSETS NAMES NEW HK CEO
Dubai-based fund house Holborn Assets has promoted Jason Conlin to Hong Kong CEO, as well as hiring a new vice president in the city.
Conlin had been a senior wealth manager and second in command to previous CEO Edward Harris, a spokesman said. He now reports to Riyad Adamou, chief commercial officer and board director.
Harris will stay with the company in a senior role, to be announced in the next few weeks, the spokesman added.
Conlin's previous duties will be shared between two senior employees, Chris Land and Nick Shiroi, the spokesman added.
Meanwhile Greg Miller has been hired as vice president in Hong Kong. The spokesman said Miller, who will report to Conlin and Adamou, was an addition to the team who would take responsibility for developing new business as the firm expands in the region.
Both Conlin and Miller started work on July 1.
Miller was most recently a client adviser at wealth manager Capstone Financial, leaving the firm in May, a Capstone spokesman said.
Miller’s former duties are being covered by the existing client advisory team, and there will be no replacement as the firm is moving towards a more technology-driven advisory model, the spokesman added.
This article has been updated with responses from Holborn Assets
THE CARLYLE GROUP NAMES ADVISER TO JAPAN TEAM
US alternative asset manager The Carlyle Group has appointed Koshibe Minoru (pictured) as senior adviser to Carlyle Japan’s advisory team.
Minoru advises the team on the business environment and key trends in the chemicals industry and other sectors, as well as supporting the management teams of Carlyle’s portfolio companies on issues such as corporate governance, operations, branding and growth strategies.
He started his role in June and works closely with Yamada Kazuhiro, head of the Japan buyout advisory team, and Otsuka Hiroyuki, head of general industries on the Japan buyout team, a Carlyle spokesman said.
Minoru joins from Japanese chemical manufacturer Mitsui Chemicals, where he remains as senior counsellor, a Mitsui spokesman said.
Other people news reported by AsianInvestor last week: