Threadneedle has hired four senior Hong Kong-based fund managers, including a co-head for the firm’s emerging market debt team, as the latest in a string of hires at the UK asset manager.

John Peta joins Threadneedle from Boston-based Acadian Asset Management, where he was head of emerging market debt, having joined the firm in 2007. Peta joined Threadneedle on 15 October and reports to Jim Cielinski, head of fixed income. He will assume responsibility for a variety of strategic initiatives across the emerging market business, including a focus on local currency debt strategy.

Peta brings over 20 years’ experience in fixed income and sovereign analysis, and will be co-leading the emerging markets debt team jointly with Henry Stipp. Stipp has been at Threadneedle since 2001. Stipp will retain responsibility for hard currency debt portfolios, said the firm in a statement.

Together they will also lead the eight-strong emerging market macro economic strategy group. 

In addition to Peta, Threadneedle announced the appointments of Tammie Chan who joined as a fund manager, principally focusing on investment grade insurance funds. She joins from Pembroke Managing Agency where she was involved in Solvency II projects.

Ryan Staszewski joins from JP Morgan as a corporate credit analyst within the investment grade team, specialising in utilities and securitisation. James Waters, formerly of Goldman Sachs Asset Management, joins as fixed income investment specialist.

Since announcing a restructure in April this year that was designed to enhance the fixed income platform and better respond to changing market dynamics, there have been a number of changes to the team.

In June this year Clifford Lau joined as head of Asia-Pacific fixed income based in Singapore, in July Zara Kazaryan joined as fund manager, emerging market corporate debt in London. Threadneedle has also appointed Mindaugas Lepeska as an emerging markets analyst.

Threadneedle’s fixed income team comprises 48 investment professionals across emerging and developed markets, with specialist expertise in investment grade and high yield credit, government bonds, currencies and commodities. Threadneedle managed over £29 billion (US$46.7billion) in fixed income assets as at 30 June 2012, and £1.8 billion in emerging market debt.