Oddo Asset Management, the French fund management firm, has opened its first office in Asia and out of Europe.

The new branch in Singapore is headed by Roy Diao as chief executive. Diao joined the company in October this year from BNP Paribas Investment Partners, where he served as managing director. He reports to Nicolas Chaput, the Paris-based CEO of the asset management business.

For the meantime, Diao is operating alone in Singapore. The firm is currently looking for six or seven investment and sales professionals to fill the team. 

Oddo Asset Management is a subsidiary of Oddo & Cie, which has around $15 billion in assets under management in UCITS funds and segregated accounts and another $10 billion in private banking assets.