US-headquarteredBaird, an employee-owned international capital markets, private equity, wealth and asset management firm, is building its investment banking capabilities in Asia with the addition of Anthony Yan-Hong Siu, as a managing director.

Mr Siu, previously an investment banker atStandard Chartered Bank in Hong Kong, will focus on cross-border mergers and acquisitions, working closely with Baird’s investment bankers in the US and Europe. He will be based in Baird’s Shanghai office, which also houses Baird Private Equity operating and investment staff.

With more than 150 investment banking professionals based in the US, UK, Germany and now China, Baird has a substantial global investment banking team principally focused on the middle market ($50-$500 million in transaction value).

Director of investment banking Steve Booth pointed to Baird’s history in Europe: “In the late 1990s, our clients valued us for our deep sector expertise, but we were in danger of becoming less relevant due to our strictly US focus. As we expanded into Europe and gave our US clients the access they were interested in, we formed relationships with European clients who were similarly interested in our US connections. The situation today in China is directly analogous.”