Manulife Investment Management has announced the appointment of Kenneth Ong as head of equities, Singapore, effective 1^st September.

Ong was previously portfolio manager at Lion Global Investors for the firm’s Singapore equity strategies.

Based in Singapore, Ong will be tasked with developing Manulife IM’s equity platform in Asia, taking the reins from Hock Fai Chan, who is planning to retire at the end of the year.

“Kenneth’s appointment reflects our commitment to strengthening our investment platform with experienced talent and on-the-ground market expertise,” said June Chua, head of Asia equities, Manulife IM.

“Singapore remains an important market within our regional equities franchise, and Kenneth’s extensive investment experience, strong understanding of the market, and collaborative approach will further enhance our ability to deliver differentiated investment outcomes for clients.”

Hui-Jian Koh, CEO, Manulife Investments Singapore, said: “The combination of Kenneth’s market experience, investment expertise and deep understanding of the Singapore market will further strengthen our equities capabilities and build on the strong foundation of our Singapore equities platform.”

Prior to being a portfolio manager for Lion Global Investors’ Singapore equity strategies, he was a portfolio manager for Indonesian equities and a global equities analyst. Prior to that he held roles at GuocoLand Group in investment and corporate planning.