Weekly roundup of people news, May 10
CBUS HEAD OF TOTAL PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT DEPARTS
Mark Ferguson, head of total portfolio management at Cbus, is stepping down after three years.
Cbus is one of Australia's largest public offer superannuation funds.
Ferguson was responsible for asset allocation, capital markets, portfolio execution, and overseeing the quantitative solutions teams.
His departure coincides with the super fund's search for a new head of portfolio construction, a role that requires expertise similar to Ferguson's former position.
Prior to Cbus, Ferguson was head of investment risk at APRA and held various roles at AustralianSuper, QBE Insurance, QIC, and Qantas Super.
BLUE OWL HIRES FORMER FIDELITY EXECUTIVE
Alternative asset manager Blue Owl Capital has hired Johann Santer as a managing director and head of Asia Pacific private wealth, effective May 6.
Based in Hong Kong, he reports to Sean Connor, president and CEO of global private wealth.
Santer was most recently with Fidelity International where his latest role was head of private banking and regional lead for wholesale and wealth, Asia Pacific ex-Japan
He left Fidelity in March and his responsibilities are now share across the regional team a spokesperson told AsianInvestor.
Value Partners Group appointed Clare Zhao as head of institutional business, Asia Pacific, head of China business, and head of ETF business, effective April 29.
Zhao is responsible for the development and better coordination of Value Partners's Asia Pacific institutional business, onshore and offshore China business, and exchange-traded fund (ETF) business development.
These roles are newly created.
Previously, the institutional businesses and China business were led by respective local leaders across region, while the ETF business was led by the investment team, a spokesperson told AsianInvestor.
Based in Hong Kong, Zhao reports to the leadership committee.
She was previously managing director, head of China business at Amundi, where she oversaw its China institutional business.
She has also worked with Vanguard and with Value Partners in an earlier stint.
Amundi declined to comment on the replacement of Zhao.
HESTA NAMES NEW CFO
HESTA, the A$82 billion ($54.2 billion) Australian superannuation fund, appointed Natalie Kelly as chief financial officer, following her tenure as acting CFO since early March 2024.
Her responsibilities at HESTA will include overseeing financial and accounting processes, along with managing legal, compliance, tax, and project execution areas.
She reports to CEO Debby Blakey.
Kelly has over two decades of experience across finance, healthcare, and government sectors.
Before joining HESTA, Kelly held senior roles at Medibank Private and Bupa.
M&G Investments (M&G) appointed Lesley Lo as head of institutional distribution for Asia Pacific, effective May 6.
Based in Hong Kong, Lesley will report to Amy Cho, head of Asia Pacific at M&G.
M&G did not clarify AsianInvestor's enquiries regarding whether Lo's role is newly created, and who oversaw its responsibilities prior to her hire.
Lo’s most recent role was with Principal Asset Management where she was managing director and head of institutional sales in North Asia based in Hong Kong, a spokesperson confirmed to AsianInvestor, adding that a replacement search is underway.
She has also held roles BNP Paribas Asset Management and MetLife Investment Management, among others.
MACQUARIE CAPITAL NAMES EX-CREDIT SUISSE AS GREATER CHINA HEAD
Macquarie Capital, the advisory and principal investment arm of Macquarie Group, on May 7 announced the appointment of Li Honggui as head of Greater China.
Li will be based in Hong Kong and support Macquarie Capital’s existing coverage of the region.
Previously, Li was head of Greater China for Credit Suisse and spent 10 years at UBS where he was the deputy head of investment banking in China.
Macquarie Capital didn't respond to queries for more details.
CHARLES RIVER HIRES APAC HEAD
Charles River Development, an investment management front office solutions provider and a State Street company, appointed Vinayak Bhat as senior vice president, head of Asia Pacific, effective April 22.
Based in Singapore, he reports to Matt Daly, chief revenue officer at Charles River Development.
Bhat will be responsible for all business oversight within the region and collaboration with State Street Alpha, the asset servicing platform for institutional investors.
Bhat will also have client and commercial oversight of the Middle East and take on committee chair for a newly formed State Street Alpha Asia Pacific executive committee.
Bhat joins Charles River from FactSet Research Systems where he was head of the Asia Pacific business. FactSet did not respond to AsianInvestor’s enquiries at the time of publication.
Prior to this, he spent a decade at Tata Consultancy Services.