Gregory Robinson-Kok has been named as chief executive of Vietcombank Fund Management, an investment management firm which is a joint venture between US-based Franklin Templeton and Vietcombank.

The appointment is subject to regulatory approval by Vietnam’s State Securities Commission,

Mr Robinson-Kok takes over from Stephen Grundlingh, country head for Templeton Asset Management ( Singapore), who had served as interim CEO of VCBF since California-headquartered Franklin Templeton’s acquisition of a 49 per cent share in the firm in February 2008. The remaining 51 per cent of VCBF is owned by Vietcombank.

“Our aim is to make Vietcombank Fund Management the leading asset manager in Vietnam and our partnership with Franklin Templeton is paving the way toward that goal,” said Pham Quang Dzung, chairman of Vietcombank Fund Management.

Mr Robinson-Kok is a chartered accountant who has held senior roles globally in operations, compliance and risk, as well as financial institution audit and assurance. He joined Franklin Templeton in April 2004 and most recently has been responsible for building and implementing the company’s Transfer Agency Global Risk & Control function outside the US. Formerly based in Edinburgh, he has relocated to Vietnam and will be based in Ho Chi Minh City.

This is Franklin Templeton’s first joint venture in Vietnam. Franklin Templeton also intends to partner with Vietcombank to make its investment funds available, in time and as regulations permit, to Vietnamese investors.

Templeton Asset Management, a subsidiary of Franklin Templeton, opened a representative office in Ho Chi Minh City in August, which conducts company research for the company’s emerging markets investment group, with a team of analysts reporting to Mark Mobius, executive chairman of Templeton Asset Management.