Movers and shakers of August: Top moves at asset owners
The AsianInvestor team had a busy August as we reported on several significant moves at key asset owners in the region.
Among them was a departure at CPP Investment's Hong Kong office, China's CIC hiring a quantitative equity investment head, Australia's Cbus Super bringing on board a head of portfolio strategies and Singapore's government appointing a new CEO for its central provident fund scheme.
The former chief investment officer at the world's largest pension fund also bagged a new advisory role at an index provider.
So without further ado, here is our list of the key people moves last month.
(For more details on the hires, please click on the links in the headlines.)
GREATER CHINA PROPERTY CHIEF AT CANADA’S LARGEST PENSION FUND EXITS
Hong Kong-based Managing Director Guy Fulton has left the Canadian Pension Plan Investment Board (CPP Investments) after 14 years with the fund.
Fulton, who managed the fund’s Greater China real estate portfolio, was at the forefront of one of the largest Asia Pacific property deals in recent years, when CPP Investments sold its stake in six Raffles City Developments in China in 2021.
Net proceeds from the sale amounted to C$800 million ($649 million) before closing adjustments. CPP Investments did not disclose its exact shareholding in these projects.
FORMER GPIF CIO TURNS MSCI SPECIAL ADVISOR
Hiromichi (Hiro) Mizuno, former chief investment officer (CIO) at Japan’s Government Pension Investment Fund (GPIF), has been appointed special advisor to the chairman and CEO of index and analytics provider MSCI, Henry Fernandez, effective August 1.
Mizuno served as the executive managing director and CIO of GPIF from 2015 to 2020. Mizuno will provide MSCI with strategic counsel, thought leadership, and industry engagement.
Mizuno has also held roles as special envoy of the UN secretary general on innovative finance and sustainable investments and director of the board of Tesla.
CIC HIRES QUANTITATIVE EQUITY INVESTMENT HEAD
China Investment Corporation (CIC) hired Jane Zhao as managing director at the public equities department to oversee the quantitative stock investment team, according to a Bloomberg report citing people familiar with the matter.
The appointment came after former team head Zhang Rong’s resigned at the end of 2021, Bloomberg said.
Zhao is an experienced quant investor, having served as director of equities at PanAgora Asset Management from 2006 to 2016, and senior director of risk officer at Point72 until 2017.
CBUS SUPER HIRES PORTFOLIO STRATEGIES HEAD
Cbus Super has appointed Leigh Gavin as head of portfolio strategies.
The role was created to drive Cbus Super’s new five-year investment strategy, through which the Fund intends to internalise more than half its assets under management, while enhancing global partnerships for greater access to new investment.
Singapore’s government has appointed Melissa Khoo as the next chief executive of its S$549 billion Central Provident Fund.
Khoo is currently deputy secretary of higher education and skills at the Ministry of Education.
She will commence the role on October 1 and will serve as the CPF’s chief executive designate from September 1.
LEGALSUPER COO DEPARTS AMID LEADERSHIP CHANGES
Trevin Erichsen, chief operating officer of Australian superannuation fund legalsuper left his position on August 16 as part of a restructuring of leadership under the new chief executive, Luke Symons.
Erichsen joined legalsuper less than a year ago as interim CEO after Andrew Proebstl's departure following nearly two decades with the fund.
He was also acting CEO for seven months before assuming the role of chief operating officer in September 2022.
VANGUARD SUPER NAMES HEAD OF STRATEGY
Matthew Dempster has been named head of strategy at Vanguard Australia, with effect from August 15.
He will collaborate with the executive team to develop strategies and make decisions that will benefit clients and members.
Dempster has been with the fund for almost 13 years and was previously senior manager of strategic growth.
CHUBB APPOINTS KOREA PRESIDENT
Chubb appointed Janice (Jae-Kyung) Mo as country president of its general insurance business in South Korea.
In her new role, which is subject to regulatory approval, she will have responsibility for Chubb’s overall performance in South Korea. She will be based in Seoul.
Mo's appointment is effective from September 1. She reports to Paul McNamee, Chubb’s regional president for Asia-Pacific. She succeeds Edward Kopp, who has been appointed regional president for the Far East and country president for Japan.