Surmit Chaturvedi was appointed as a relationship manager on the NRI team. He specialised in private banking for nearly 20 years, with a focus on the NRI market. Previously, he was at Bank J Safra Sarasin in Singapore where his responsibilities included the acquisition of new clients across markets such as Southeast Asia.

In addition, Poonam Kaur, joined the NRI team. As an RM, Kaur is responsible for growing Indosuez Wealth Management’s NRI business in the region. She brought over 10 years of international experience in the industry including HSBC Private Bank where she was responsible for ultra-high net worth and high net worth clients.

Another appointee was Alan Mufatti, who honed his banking skills mostly in Europe with 25 years of private banking experience, working with international banks. Prior to joining Indosuez Wealth Management, he was with Bank J Safra Sarasin, Singapore.

Sharon Han Su Yin, who has worked at Credit Suisse, UOB and DBS in Singapore, also joined the team. 

In Hong Kong, Indosuez WM added RMs Helen Lee and Stephen Ho. They are responsible for the North Asia market. Lee brings with her more than 10 years of private banking experience. She has worked at DBS Bank (Hong Kong) and ANZ Private Bank in the territory. Ho has more than 15 years of private banking experience. Ho, who is an RM, was previously at LGT Bank in Hong Kong.

Nikko Asset Management appointed Mari Yamauchi to the position of outside director, taking its board of directors to 10. She is based in Japan. Five of the board members are outside directors, including chairman of the board Yoichiro Iwama, who was appointed to the role in May this year. Since April 2014, Ms Yamauchi has been a visiting professor at the Doshisha University Institute for Technology, Enterprise and Competitiveness focused on management and employment systems.

Nikko Asset Management built out its China equity teams, bringing in new managers in Shenzhen and Hong Kong. The “All China” team of six added to the group housed in Singapore, made up of native Chinese analysts and specialists. Leading the team is Eng Teck Tan, senior portfolio manager, who reports to Peter Sartori, head of Asian equities. 

EFG International named Tho Gea Hong as its new Singapore chief executive, taking over from Kong Eng Huat, who retires at the end of this year. Tho Gea Hong is also a member of the Asia Business Committee that is chaired by Albert Chiu, executive chairman for the Asia-Pacific region. Tho Gea Hong has more than 30 years of experience in the private banking sector; she served as head of private banking at Singapore from 2012 to 2016 at EFG. She moved to Royal Bank of Canada as CEO of its Singapore branch, before re-joining EFG. Tho Gea Hong started her career at DBS Bank and previously also worked for Bank of America Merrill Lynch.

Ivan Ferraroni joined EFG as the new head of global markets for Asia, to take effect in early October 2018. In this role, Ferraroni has taken charge of all global markets activities in Asia. He works with Albert Chiu and the central global markets unit, under the leadership of Maurizio Moranzoni. Ivan Ferraroni is  based in Hong Kong with a functional reporting line to Moranzoni and a regional reporting line to Kees Stoute, CEO of EFG’s Hong Kong branch. Ferraroni’s role was a newly-created one.

Prior to joining EFG, he worked for UBS Investment Bank in Singapore from 2011 to 2018, where he last held the role of head of APAC Client Office and was a member of the APAC Global Family Office Committee.

Julius Baer continued its Asia expansion with four more hires from UBS. It appointed Chern Pei Pei and Rachel Sun Li as senior advisors, and Kuo Ling and Celine Lee as executive directors for its greater China team. Chern, who is based in Singapore, spent ten years as a private banker at UBS. She worked at American Express and Citibank. Sun Li, who is also based in Singapore spent seven years at UBS as well as its investment banking arm. Ling was with JP Morgan for 17 years before joining UBS. Lee was most recently team head in UBS' Taiwan team. Both women are based in Hong Kong. All four new hires report to Chew Mun-Yew, Julius Baer's group head for China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan as well as market head for Taiwan. 

Credit Suisse appointed Michael Marr as head of private banking Australia. Marr is based in Sydney and reports to Alex Wade, head of developed and emerging Asia for private banking, and John Knox, chief executive for Australia. He took over from Wade, who has run the business since January 2016.

HSBC Private Banking appointed Ken Tsang as regional head of global solutions Asia. In this new role, Tsang leads the team that advises HSBC Private Banking’s ultra-high net worth (UHNW) entrepreneur and family office clients in Asia. Prior to joining HSBC, he spent 10 years at Credit Suisse in Hong Kong.

Macquarie Group appointed Shemara Wikramanayake, formerly group head of its asset management arm, as managing director and chief executive. Wikramanayake replaced Nicholas Moore in the role, after he decided to retire from the firm, taking effect from 30 November. The new CEO joined Macquarie in 1987 and worked with Moore in corporate services and then in establishing Macquarie Capital, which at that time included advisory; infrastructure funds; corporate leasing and lending; and cash equities. She was appointed head of Macquarie Asset Management in 2008. 

In her time at Macquarie, Wikramanayake has worked in nine cities in six countries and across several business lines. This has included establishing and leading Macquarie’s corporate advisory offices in New Zealand, Hong Kong and Malaysia, and the infrastructure funds management business in the US and Canada. Wikramanayake also serves as chair of the Macquarie Group Foundation.

Bermuda-based financial services firm Butterfield appointed Brian Balleine as regional head of Asia. Balleine was previously managing director of Butterfield Trust in the Cayman Islands. He has over 30 years’ experience in the field of international trust and fiduciary services, and has worked with ultra-high net worth families and their advisors.

The firm also appointed Nick Harwood, director of client services in its Singapore office. Harwood has 30 years’ experience in the trust industry, and in wealth planning. He previously led Deutsche Bank’s trust team in Singapore.  Yang Ping Tang, also from Deutsche Bank, joined as vice president of client services, and will manage the office’s client service delivery. Tang has 15 years’ experience in the Singapore trust industry.

Lastly, the firm appointed Hannah Bisson as manager of trust services in Singapore. Bisson joined the Singapore office from Butterfield Trust in Guernsey. She has over 10 years’ experience with fiduciary, corporate and institutional structures.

Westpac Banking Corporation appointed Anita Fung to the Westpac board. The appointment is subject to regulatory approval and Australian visa requirements. Fung spent 19 years of her career at HSBC, including seven years serving as group general manager of HSBC Holdings plc. Then from 2011 to 2015, she was the chief executive of HSBC Hong Kong. Prior to joining HSBC, Fung held a number of roles at Standard Chartered Bank. She is a former chairman of HSBC Global Asset Management (Hong Kong).

Global investment management firm Pimco said Bill De Leon has resigned from his role as global head of risk management to spend more time with his family, despite reports that he stepped down after a probe into his personal conduct. De Leon, who was also a managing director at the Californian-based asset manager, had been head of risk since 2009. The firm replaced De Leon with Sudi Mariappa, currently managing director and portfolio manager, as its new global head of portfolio risk management. Mariappa has 31 years of experience in the investment management industry, including 14 years with Pimco in various roles.

US investment manager Carret Private Capital, affiliate of Carret Asset Management, hired Mauricio Ribeiro and Changick Kim to its Hong Kong office. Ribeiro has more than 10 years of experience as a private banker managing portfolios for high and ultra-high net worth individuals in Asia, Europe and Latin America. Prior to joining Carret, he was a managing director, as well as the head of international and the independent portfolio management desk at EFG Bank Hong Kong. Kim has been in the banking industry for over 10 years, with experience in wealth management. Prior to joining Carret, Kim was a vice president at EFG Bank Hong Kong, where he focused on managing portfolios for high net worth individuals from Europe, the Middle East and Asia.

Julius Baer appointed three new members to its Hong Kong office. The new hires report to Vicki Lee, group head Greater China. The firm appointed Jenet Chau as managing director and senior advisor, Shelley Yiu as executive director, and Helen Yao as executive director. Chau has over 20 years of experience in wealth management. Prior to joining Julius Baer, she was senior client advisor at UBS Wealth Management where she had worked since 2006. Yiu joined from UBS, where she had worked since 2006 and was a senior client advisor in China team. Yao was previously with UBS, where she had been a senior relationship manager in the China team since 2007. 

BNP Paribas Asset Management appointed Jane Ambachtsheer as global head of sustainability. Ambachtsheer reports to Frédéric Janbon, chief executive and head of investments at BNPP AM. She joined on 27 August and is based in Paris. Ambachtsheer is responsible for BNPP AM’s overarching approach to sustainability.  Together with Helena Viñes-Fiestas, BNPP AM’s deputy head of sustainability, she leads on sustainability-related research, environmental social and governance integration, engagement, advocacy and governance.  

Bank of Singapore appointed three new members to its Greater China operation. The new hires are based in Hong Kong. It appointed Phonda Chan and Anne Song as managing directors and market heads, and Jacqueline Lee as head of risk and executive director. They report directly to Derrick Tan, chief executive of Bank of Singapore Hong Kong branch and global market head for Greater China and North Asia.

LaSalle Investment Management announced that Ian Mackie, head of strategic partnerships – Asia-Pacific, and member of its APAC investment committee, retired at the end of the year. Mackie spent 40 years with the firm. He first joined Jones Lang Wootton in 1978 as a retail leasing agent in Sydney, before the creation of LaSalle Investment Management after the merger of Jones Lang Wootton with LaSalle Partners in 2000. 

UAE-based financial services firm Holborn Assets appointed Jason Conlin as chief executive, and Greg Miller as vice president of its Hong Kong operation. Conlin has been with the firm since it was established in the city earlier this year. Miller was formerly at Capstone. Conlin took over the role previously held by Edward Harris, assuming all responsibilities.

Comgest, the independent, international asset management group, appointed Junzaburo Hyuga as an analyst, based in the firm’s Tokyo office. Hyuga was formerly a senior associate at Global Strategy Consultants, where he was responsible for assessing the viability of companies entering the Asian market and helping companies enhance their digital capabilities.  He also spent several years with JP Morgan Chase (Tokyo).

UBS appointed a former senior banker from Barclays/Bank of Singapore as its desk head for its wealth management team for Southeast Asia. Errie Maksum was most recently market head, Indonesia at Barclays (recently acquired by Bank of Singapore) where he managed the bank's coverage of that market from 2010. Prior to this, he was a senior private banker at Citi before becoming a team leader at Credit Suisse, leading a team covering the Indonesia market. Maksum started his career at Standard Chartered Bank, beginning in audit before transferring to the credit risk area then switching to private banking.

DBS Private Bank expanded the portfolio of Rob Ioannou, the managing director and head of international client coverage. Ioannou was handed the responsibilities of wealth planning and insurance solutions in addition to his current role. He was appointed by DBS in 2016 to lead the global South Asia and non-resident Indian teams, the Europe, the Middle East and Africa geographies. He also takes care of the Japanese international segment.

Standard Chartered appointed Patrick Lee as chief executive of its bank in Singapore. Lee is based in Singapore and reports to Judy Hsu, regional CEO, ASEAN and South Asia, who passed her Singapore CEO responsibilities to Lee. He has 25 years of experience in the banking industry, including corporate and investment banking, and has worked in Singapore, Hong Kong and London. He joined Standard Chartered in 2012 and his most recent position is head of global banking, Singapore, for which he will remain responsible until a successor is announced.

International corporate, private client and funds provider Hawksford appointed Marcus Hinkley as head of private client Asia. He has around 20 years’ worth international private client legal experience. Based in Singapore, he is responsible for the management and development of Hawksford’s private client business in Asia, as well as developing client and intermediary relationships. 

Singapore-based private equity firm Aura Group appointed Andrew Coloretti as an executive director of its wealth operation. Coloretti has over 25 years' experience in cross-border financial services. He is responsible for expanding Aura's private wealth business, and focuses on high net worth individuals, family offices, impact investment groups and charitable institutions. He was most recently at Melbourne-based Giles Wade. He also spent three years as chief executive of Boston Capital Group, and was also at HSBC as head of wealth management.

HSBC Private Banking appointed Benedikt Maissen as market head for Indonesia. Based in Singapore, he is responsible for business development and client engagement. He reports to Philip Kunz, head of Southeast Asia at HSBC Private Banking. Maissen joined HSBC with more than 39 years of private banking experience including, most recently, leading a boutique private bank across Southeast Asia and international markets. Prior to this, he led the Southeast Asia region for an international private bank. Over the past 29 years, he has been based in Singapore.

Hawksford, the international corporate, private client and funds business which rebranded recently, appointed Marcus Hinkley to join the team at its Asian private client head. Based in Singapore, Hinkley, with 20 years of industry experience, leads management and development of Hawksford’s private client business in Asia, as well as developing client and intermediary relationships. Prior roles have been in the Caribbean, Channel Islands and Asian financial services markets, as well as New Zealand.

Mumbai-based ASK Wealth Advisors appointed Rajesh Nambiar as managing partner for the western region. His role includes building and maintaining relations with ultra-high net worth clients in domestic and offshore segments. Nambiar has more than 16 years of experience, and is an expert in financial planning and wealth advice. He has held several senior roles at Kotak Wealth Management, where he was a resource and team head.

Jersey-based Sanne Group, provider of trust and fund administration services, appointed James Ireland as its new chief financial officer. Based in Sanne’s London office, Ireland took over the role from Spencer Daley, who will be moving into the role of head of M&A and strategy. Ireland, who is responsible for managing the financial operations of the global business and its regional operations, most recently led Investec's support services sector team. He has also been a close advisor to Sanne for more than three years.

Cone Marshall, the legal, accounting and fiduciary services firm, named senior industry figure Peter Golovsky to a top Asia and global role. Golovsky became global head of fiduciary services and Asia head at the group. He is responsible for growth across a number or regions, as well as the task of creating the CM office in Hong Kong. Previously, he worked at Amicorp in Hong Kong, where he led its global institutional sales business for more than six years. Prior to this, he spent 10 years in private banking at Macquarie Group and Westpac, and previously was with Andersen for 10 years in Australia and the US, in roles covering private clients, risk management, corporate governance and audit. Golovsky is based in Hong Kong and he reports to Geoffrey Cone, founder and CEO of the group.

Aviva Investors, the global asset management business of insurer Aviva, appointed Tom Clapham as its head of institutional sales for Asia. Prior to joining Aviva, Clapham was head of sovereign wealth funds and central banks (Asia), institutional sales and head of consultant relations at AXA Investment Managers (AXA IM). He is based in Singapore and reports to Scott Callander, head of client solutions in Asia Pacific and the Middle East. Clapham has held senior roles at Macquarie Bank, Deutsche Bank and Mercer Investment Consulting.

Contineo, the Asian messaging network and data provider for structured products, tapped a former senior DBS figure to be its chief executive. Antoine de Charnacé replaced Mark Munoz who, after three years leading Contineo from an early-stage start-up to a successful revenue generating network business, stepped down to focus on other business opportunities. Prior to this appointment, de Charnacé was EAM desk head at DBS, a role he held from December 2016; before this, he was head of equity advisory and structured solutions. Earlier in his career he worked in several roles at Société Générale.

DBS Group appointed Tan Teck Long as chief risk officer. Tan reports to DBS chief executive, Piyush Gupta, and is a member of DBS’ Group executive committee. Tan has 25 years of experience with the bank in business and risk roles. He was most recently head of the institutional banking group’s large and mid-cap businesses, as well as its chief operating officer. He took over from Elbert Pattijn, who is retiring from the bank. Pattijn has been DBS’ CRO since 2008.