The new CEO replaces Wong Boon Choy, who will stay on at the firm as an advisor.

Manulife Asset Management Services Berhad has appointed Jason Chong as chief executive, based in Malaysia, effective 1 May 2017.

Chong will replace Wong Boon Choy, who will stay on as advisor and will retire from the full-time CEO position, the firm said in a statement on Friday.

He will oversee the growth and development of MAMSB’s integrated wealth and asset management business. He will report directly to Gianni Fiacco, Asia wealth and asset management chief operating officer and locally to Mark O’Dell, group CEO and executive director.

“Jason has played a key role in the building of our Malaysian asset management business since 2010,” said Fiacco. “We are very pleased to have in Jason a strong and natural successor to Boon Choy, with the pair having worked closely together through the integration of our wealth and asset management business."

Among other recent appointments in Asia, Manulife Asset Management appointed Shinichi Yamamoto as president and chief executive of Manulife Asset Management Japan. Yamamoto joined with almost two decades of industry experience. He previously served as president and co-chief executive of PIMCO Japan, where he oversaw the company’s pension, financial institution and retail businesses. At PIMCO Japan, he also led the company’s global wealth management team and the development of its sub-advisory model.

In February, Manulife rolled out an Apple Watch App for Hong Kong and Macau. (See that story here.)