FROM THE PRESS RELEASE DESK THIS WEEK…
People moves
EFG International has appointed Angela Bow as Hong Kong-based deputy head for Asia-Pacific. Bow will be working together with the firm’s management team to drive EFG’s growth ambitions in the region, including increasing the private bank’s penetration in key markets. She will report to Albert Chiu, head of Asia-Pacific, and will closely work with the CEOs, the heads of private banking and the investment solutions team at EFG in Hong Kong and Singapore. Before EFG, she was managing director and head of Japan, emerging Asia and intermediaries at Bank Julius Baer. Prior to that, she was market group head for the Philippines at Credit Suisse and also worked for at least 18 years at UBS Wealth Management…
MSCI has appointed Simone Bouch as Sydney-based head of Australia and New Zealand client coverage. Based in Sydney, Bouch will report to Jack Lin, head of Asia-Pacific client coverage, who joined MSCI last year from Amundi Asset Management. Like Lin, Bouch was previously in the asset management industry, serving as head of distribution for Australasia at Aberdeen Standard Investments…
Business moves
Tokyo-based Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank and Aberdeen Standard Investments (ASI) has established a joint venture that will invest in residential real estate in Japan and other mature markets across Asia-Pacific. Through co-investment and co-management by ASI and the Japanese bank’s subsidiary Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Real Estate Investment Management, the joint venture will target investments in residential assets such as multi-family, senior housing, student housing and corporate housing. The joint venture’s clients will include global investors and ESG factors will also be integrated into the investment process, with the aim of supporting sustainable social development through ESG-screened investments in Japan…
Natixis Investment Managers has launched Vauban Infrastructure Partners, which will specialise in infrastructure investing. The new affiliate will be established by transferring the current infrastructure team of Mirova, another Natixis IM affiliate that focuses on sustainable investments, into a new specialised affiliate. The firm has been ramping up its alternative assets capabilities with the launch of Flexstone in December, as well as the acquisition of UK-based private debt specialist MV Credit in May last year…
Technology and AI
Diginex Asset Management in Hong Kong has received licences for advising on securities (Type 4) and asset management (Type 9) from the Securities and Futures Commission. It is one of the first firms that will be focused on digital asset strategies. The firm plans to offer investors fund of digital asset hedge fund strategies and has already vetted at least 200 digital asset hedge funds globally…
Taiwan’s financial regulator has approved the country’s first fund to use artificial intelligence to pick stocks, according to a Cerulli Associates report. Reliance Securities Investment Trust received approval from the Financial Supervisory Commission in April to launch the Reliance Tarobo Robotics Quantitative Fund, with Tarobo being a Taipei-based robo-advisor. The fund invests in robotics and technology stocks listed both in Taiwan and overseas. The product is similar to the AI China Alpha Strategy in Hong Kong, which was co-launched by China Asset Management and Magnum Research, the firm behind robo-advisory platform Aqumon. The AI China Alpha fund invests in individual stocks in the China A- and H-share markets and makes use of Magnum Research’s AI capabilities…
Last Word Asia also wishes our readers a happy Dragon Boat Festival as FSA takes a holiday break on Friday…
