Threadneedle, the UK asset manager, added two hires to its fixed income team in Singapore and London following a restructuring of the business. 

Clifford Lau joins in the newly-created role of head of Asia-Pacific fixed income. Lau joins from Pramerica Fixed Income, the asset management division of Prudential Financial.

Zara Kazaryan joins as fund manager, emerging markets debt in London. Kazaryan joins Threadneedle from G2 Capital Partners (formerly known as Alcantara Asset Management), the emerging markets debt asset manager, where she was most recently a portfolio manager. She joins Threadneedle in London on 2 July.

Threadneedle recently announced changes to the structure of its fixed income capability to enhance collaboration and integration across its fixed income platform. The restructure included the establishment of a global macroeconomic strategy group, to better integrate macroeconomic strategies across developed and emerging markets, consistent with the company’s view that traditional fixed income boundaries are increasingly less relevant.

“Our new approach acknowledges the seismic shift in fixed income markets that has been experienced post the credit crunch, a theme I have discussed extensively with clients over the past year," said head of fixed income Jim Cielinski. "The new structure is also consistent with Threadneedle’s collaborative investment approach and enables us to fully leverage insights gained from our culture of idea sharing and debate,” he added.

Threadneedle’s fixed income team comprises 42 investment professionals managing around £28.5 billion ($44.6 billion) in fixed income assets as at 31 March 2012.