Published by Asia Asset Management – 22nd Aug 2018
Barings LLC has appointed Duncan Robertson to the newly-created position of head of Asia Pacific and Shelley Liu as country head of China as the US asset manager seeks to grow its investments and expand its client base in the region.
Mr. Robertson, who was the company’s global head of distribution and marketing, reports directly to Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Tom Finke in the new role, Barings says in a statement on August 21.
He will relocate to Sydney, Australia from Charlotte, North Carolina for the new job, and will also continue to oversee the company’s distribution and marketing strategy.
According to Barings, the appointment “reflects the firm’s commitment on growing its investment operations and client base in the region, where Asia Pacific currently represents 34% of Barings’ external assets under management (AUM)”.
“The growing influence of the Asia Pacific region within the global financial markets is among the leading narratives in the asset management industry, and our firm has positioned itself to deliver comprehensive investment solutions to clients across the region,” Mr. Finke says in the statement.
Ms. Liu’s appointment comes after Barings was issued a licence earlier this month by the Shanghai municipal government which allows the company to set up wholly-owned subsidiaries in China to carry out domestic fundraising.
Barings says Ms. Liu’s “leadership and in-depth knowledge” of the Chinese asset management industry will help establish the company in the “significant market”.
She reports to Mr. Robertson.
Ms. Liu was previously chief representative of Vanguard Investments Hong Kong’s Beijing office and its head of government relations in China.
Barings had global AUM of approximately US$306 billion at the end of June.
