The latest moves and appointments for senior roles for Asia-Pacific wealth management.

Nuveen
Asset manager Nuveen has appointed Kristina Hermanson this week as head of natural capital, APAC and Africa, based in Sydney. 

Her role demonstrates the firm’s commitment to increasing growth as it aims to expand its portfolio of high-quality farmland and timberland assets and provide nature-based climate solutions for investors, the firm said in a statement.

The firm will be developing partnerships and innovation in APAC and Africa – regions targeted for growth. 

Working with her, James Freeman will lead the Australian Farmland business. Freeman is taking over from Matt Bull who is due to retire at the end of the year, the firm added.

Hermanson has 20 years' experience of working in the agricultural sectors at a variety of key industry players. Most recently, she was managing director at FMC for Australia, New Zealand and the ASEAN region where she was responsible for driving commercial results, culture and growth strategies. 

Prior to this, she worked at Coca Cola Amatil as the director of growth and collaboration, leading strategy, innovation, and integrated commercial planning. Hermanson also spent 10 years at ADM in commercial and M&A roles, latterly as director of business development and strategy in SE Asia. She also serves on the board of directors at Australian Farm Institute and AgSafe Australia.

Nuveen Natural Capital is the farmland and timberland investment specialist of Nuveen. Nuveen Natural Capital has $9.4 billion of assets under management and 3 million acres across 600 properties in 10 countries. Its platform is equipped to deliver investment solutions to protect and enhance nature, the climate and people.

Franklin Templeton
Franklin Templeton has appointed Rahul Bhalla to the newly-created role of head of Asia exchange-traded funds distribution, marking the US firm’s foray into the rapidly growing Asian ETF market.

Based in Singapore, Bhalla will work with the regional distribution team to increase growth and raise the profile of Franklin Templeton’s ETF business in Asia. He will also be responsible for developing and implementing the firm’s long-term ETF business strategy for Asia.

Bhalla will report to Patrick O’Connor, head of global ETFs, in partnership with Tariq Ahmad and Matt Harrison, co-heads of APAC.

Bhalla has more than 20 years of industry experience in Asia and the US. Prior to joining Franklin Templeton, Bhalla was head of AMICORP Asset Management, Singapore. He previously served as the head of business development for Asia-Pacific at IHS Markit and head of South Asia at Vanguard Investments. He holds an MBA from the Booth School at University of Chicago and a BA from College of Wooster in Ohio.