Weekly roundup of people news, Sept 6
CIC APPOINTS NEW EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT
China Investment Corporation named Liu Jiawang as its new executive vice president.
AsianInvestor understands that previous incumbent Shen Rujun, aged 60, has retired.
Liu was most recently executive vice president of the Agricultural Bank of China until July. He took the role in 2022.
He previoulsy headed ABC's branches in several major cities and provinces.
Shen, who has retired, joined the sovereign wealth fund in 2018 as executive vice president and the president of Central Huijin Investment, a subsidiary of CIC that makes equity investments in state-owned financial institutions in China.
CHOW TAI FOOK FAMILY OFFICE NAMES CO-CEOs
Chow Tai Fook Enterprises (CTFE), the investment arm of the Cheng family in Hong Kong, set up an Office of the CEO led by three executives, including Christopher Cheng Chi-leong, the youngest son of business tycoon Henry Cheng.
The creation of the Office of the CEO is led by Henry Cheng, patriarch of the Cheng family and director of CTFE.
He believes the structure will facilitate family members performing their respective duties and enhance corporate governance.
Christopher Cheng will become co-chief executive officer and head of North Asia.
Patrick Tsang On-yip will become co-CEO and head of Americas, Australia and Europe, while Gilbert Ho Chi-hang will serve as co-CEO and head of corporate functions and operations.
Tsang has been CEO and director of CTFE since 2012, while Christopher Cheng and Ho are new CEOs.
CTFE is the holding company of two publicly traded conglomerates, New World Development and NWS Holdings. CTFE also owns Rosewood Hotel Group.
Christopher Cheng is the younger brother of Adrian Cheng, CEO of New World Development.
Christopher Cheng has been executive director of NWS Holdings since 2020.
NWS Holdings operates toll roads, insurance, logistics, construction, and facilities management predominantly in Hong Kong and mainland China.
FORMER BNP PARIBAS AM EM FIXED INCOME HEAD TAKES ON NEW ROLE
Specialist investment manager TT International appointed Jean-Charles Sambor as head of emerging markets (EM) debt.
Sambor will join a wider team of five investment and trading professionals, focusing on EM fixed income across sovereign and corporate credit, foreign exchange and rates.
He was previously with BNP Paribas Asset Management for almost eight years as head of EM fixed income and was lead portfolio manager of EM debt strategies, managing over $$8 billion.
Based in London, he will report to Eric Mackay, managing director of TT International, a spokesperson for the firm said, adding that the role is newly created.
Alaa Bushehri succeeded Tambor in March at BNP Paribas Asset Management.
L&G MAKES STRATEGIC HIRES IN ASIA
L&G’s Asset Management division expanded its team in Asia with key strategic appointments in the region.
Russell Huang was named as head of wholesale distribution, Southeast Asia, and Aaron Kwan was appointed head of wholesale distribution, Greater China.
Both Huang and Kwan will drive client acquisition for the firm’s wholesale business in Southeast Asia and Greater China, respectively.
Huang joined the firm on July 8; Kwan started on August 5.
Both of them report to Gerald Koh, head of wholesale Asia (ex-Japan), who is based in Singapore.
Huang was most recently executive director at UBS where he advised regional clients on portfolio asset allocation decisions and managed solutions investments.
Kwan was most recently director, retail distribution at HSBC Asset Management, Hong Kong.
In addition, L&G’s Asset Management appointed Choong Yew Thong as research analyst in the Singapore office on August 29.
He was most recently a quantitative analyst at GIC.
Finally, Kate Lim joined as ESG analyst on August 1. The firm’s Asia ex-Japan investment stewardship team based in Singapore is led by Trista Chen, head of investment stewardship, Asia ex-Japan.
Lim’s recent experience was overseeing regional sustainability projects and driving impact on energy security at the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change and Enterprise Singapore.
LAZARD HIRES FROM CAPITAL GROUP FOR CHINA SALES
Lazard Asset Management hired Ada Zhang as director of China sales.
Based in Hong Kong, Ada will work with Lazard’s Asia ex-Japan distribution team and lead strategic initiatives to drive continued growth in the region.
Zhang will also spearhead LAM’s business development strategy for onshore China, alongside Lazard’s Senior Advisor for China, Ken Fan.
She reports to Shen Tan, managing director and head of distribution for Asia ex-Japan.
Zhang was previously with Capital Group Investment Management where she was managing director, head of Greater China, institutional.
Stella Xu was appointed head of institutional business for Greater China at Capital Group in mid-August.
STARWOOD HIRES FORMER BLACKSTONE EXECUTIVE IN HK
Starwood Capital Group hired Celine Yoo as vice president in its global capital raising group, effective August.
The hire was confirmed by a Starwood spokesperson who declined to comment further on AsianInvestor’s enquiries about Yoo's role that is based in Hong Kong.
Yoo was previously with Blackstone in Hong Kong, where her most recent role was vice president at the institutional client solutions group, AsianInvestor understands.
Blackstone declined to comment on AsianInvestor’s enquiries.
Yoo previously held roles in Korea at Pantheon Ventures, Lazard and Standard Chartered.
MALAYSIA’S MILITARY PENSION FUND HIRES CFO
Lembaga Tabung Angkatan Tentera (LTAT), the pension fund for Malaysia’s armed forces, appointed Haizad Rizal as its new chief financial officer, effective August 15.
Based at LTAT’s headquarters in Kuala Lumpur, Rizal will report directly to Ashraf Radzi, CEO at LTAT, a spokesperson told AsianInvestor.
Rizal takes over the financial leadership from Radzi, who took over the CEO position in April, the spokesperson added.
Rizal was previously chief financial officer at the pension fund for federal employees, Kumpulan Wang Persaraan (Diperbadankan), also known as KWAP.
KWAP declined to respond to AsianInvestor’s request for comments regarding Rizal’ departure and replacement.
Prior to KWAP, Rizal held roles at Sime Darby Oils, SME Bank Group, Johawaki Group, RHB Bank Group.
REST APPOINTS TWO GENERAL MANAGERS
Rest, the A$86 billion ($58 billion) industry super fund, appointed two new general managers to bolster its leadership team.
Kareene Koh joins as general manager, strategy, and will report to Tyrone O'Neill, chief strategy and corporate affairs officer.
Koh, previously strategic projects director at Nine Entertainment Group, will lead Rest's strategic planning and alignment.
Florence La Carbona takes on the role of general manager, data and insights and reports to Jeremy Hubbard, chief technology and data officer.
La Carbona will oversee Rest's data management practices.
She joins from Resolution Life, and has previously worked in data, analytics and technology roles at Metlife, BT Financial Group, TAL and Westpac.
Both appointments are new roles at Rest.
T. ROWE PRICE HIRES FOR KOREA INSTITUTIONAL CLIENTS
T. Rowe Price appointed Jeffrey Jeon as senior director of institutional distribution in Korea, effective September 2.
Based in Hong Kong, he will report to Singapore-based Sae Joon Choi, head of institution, Southeast Asia and Korea.
Jeon replaced a former team member who departed to pursue external opportunities, a spokesperson told AsianInvestor, declining to name the predecessor.
Prior to joining T. Rowe Price, Jeon was head of ETF, indexing and smart beta sales for North Asia at Amundi, responsible for growing the firm’s ETF business in Greater China and Korea.
Jeon joined Amundi in September 2023, as reported by AsianInvestor.
Amundi declined to comment on AsianInvestor’s enquiries regarding Jeon’s replacement at the firm.
Prior to joining Amundi, Jeon worked at BlackRock for 11 years in Hong Kong and Seoul, most recently within their ETF business, iShares.
CUSHMAN & WAKEFIELD APPOINT APAC PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT HEAD
Cushman & Wakefield appointed Rob Hall as Asia Pacific’s head of integrated portfolio management (IPM) within the firm’s global occupier services (GOS) business, effective September 1.
Hall, based in Hong Kong, succeeds Nick Seaton, who has transitioned into the role of global head, asset management for the firm’s Standard Chartered account.
Having spent the last 34 years with Cushman & Wakefield based in Europe, Hall was most recently executive account director of GOS for EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa).
Hall reports to Cameron Ahrens, head of global occupier services, Asia Pacific, and will join the GOS Asia Pacific leadership team.