The firm said that the new head of Korea's leadership skills and significant investment experience will help it drive the next phase of its business in Korea.

Global investment manager Barings has appointed John Park as head of Korea and the sole representative director of Baring Asset Management Korea Limited (“Barings Korea”), effective from 1 January 2024.

Park is currently the co-representative director of Barings Korea, serving alongside Ike Bae, who will be retiring in December after twelve years of service, the firm said in a statement.

Park, who joined Barings Korea in 2000, formerly SEI Asset Korea, was promoted to chief investment officer in July 2008.

“John has extensive experience developing and managing onshore investment products. His leadership skills and significant investment experience are extremely well placed to drive the next phase of our business in Korea,” Duncan Robertson, head of Asia-Pacific, said.

Barings, which is also committed to providing career opportunities and advancement within the firm, as well as cultivating talent and leadership in Asia-Pacific, has also appointed Hong Kim and Sam Kim as co-heads of sales for Barings Korea. Kim and Kim, who managed the institutional business for Korea most recently, will be taking on expanded responsibilities in their new roles.

Barings’ Korea business has shown steady growth in its assets under management, which surpassed 15 trillion won ($11.4 billion) in September 2023. The asset manager is continuing to build its business as an independent foreign asset manager without an affiliated distributor in South Korea.