Here are the moves in wealth management for the Asia-Pacific region during December 2012.

Prime Value Asset Management, the Australian boutique equities management firm, named a new national distribution manager, Jake Ireland. He moved to the company from Russell Investment Group, where he previously served as advisor partnership manager.

FIIG Securities, the Australian fixed income and financial planning firm, named a financial services industry veteran as its new chief executive. Mark Paton joined the company from Westpac where he was general manager for commercial banking, Victoria for five years.

Perpetual Investments, the Australian asset management firm, hired former Select Asset Management employee, Robert Graham-Smith, as portfolio manager to supervise absolute return portfolios, based in Sydney. Gillian Larkins joined Perpetual Investments as chief financial officer, taking over from Roger Burrows who left in November to join Asciano Limited. Prior to that, Larkins was with Westpac Institutional Bank, where she served as chief financial officer and managing director.

Energy Super, the Australia-based superannuation fund, bulked up its investment team with two hires - Daniel Judd joined as investment manager, while former ANZ Bank employee, Andrew Russell-Clarke stepped in as key member relationships manager.

HLB Mann Judd, the Melbourne-based accounting firm, created a new division dedicated to providing wealth management services, and consequently appointed Andrew Lord to lead the new unit (HLB Mann Judd Wealth Management) as key financial advisor.

Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft, the international law firm that services financial institutions, added Rose Zhu as a partner to its China office, based in Beijing. Zhu joined the firm from K&L Gates, where she was a partner specialising in capital markets, mergers and acquisitions and bank financing transactions.

China Merchants Group, the state-owned investment group, launched a new asset management business that focuses on 'alternative investment.' The new firm, China Merchants Capital, is  manned by a 100-strong team of financial specialists, with Ziang Tianwei as chief operating officer and Fu Yuning as chairman and chief executive.  Zhang previously worked for JP Morgan, while Fu is the chairman of China Merchants Group.

BNP Paribas named a new head for its global equities and commodity derivatives business in Asia-Pacific, supervising BNP Paribas Equities in Shanghai and BNP Paribas Securities in Taiwan. Hugo Leung assumed the role of head of GECD, Greater China, and deputy chief executive for BNP Paribas Securities (Asia). He also continues to manage the Asia-Pacific equity syndicate function, with a strong focus on Greater China deals.

Offshore legal and fiduciary services provider Appleby made important changes to its leadership team - Frances Woo moved up to group chairman, succeeding Peter Bubenzer who will be retiring from the group on 31 March 2013, after a career at Appleby of more than 32 years. Appleby also appointed a new global head of its corporate and commercial practice, Cameron Adderley, who succeeds Judith Collis, also retiring on 31 March 2013, after 27 years.

The chief financial officer resigned from Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited, the holding entity for the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Futures Exchange and Hong Kong Securities Clearing Company. Effective from 13 January 2013, Stephen Jeffrey Marzo transfers his responsibilities to current deputy CFO Kwong Yau Shing on an acting basis. A selection committee will be formed in due course to identify his official replacement.

Ascalon Capital Managers, the Australian fund manager that caters to high net worth clients, named a new chief executive, Chuak Chan. He took the lead role at the firm after serving as head of Ascalon Asia since July 2011 to boost the company's presence in the fast-growing region.

LeapFrog Investments, the US-based investment management firm, appointed two new partners, Michael Fernandes and Stewart Langdon, to grow its financial services capabilities in South and South East Asia. Fernandes most recently served as country head for India at Khazanah Nasional, the Malaysian fund, and Langdon was previously director of investments at LeapFrog.

Davis Polk & Wardwell, the New York-headquartered international law firm, strengthened its Hong Kong office with the addition of two new partners, Martin Rogers and James Wadham. They joined the firm to help place Davis Polk's Hong Kong and Asia franchise at par with its US office in terms of volume of work. Both Rogers and Wadham previously worked at Clifford Chance.

Manulife Asset Management named a new portfolio manager, Oscar Leung, for its Hong Kong equities business. Prior to this. Leung was a senior investment manager for Hong Kong China equities at ING Investment Management, in Hong Kong.

The Hong Kong Securities and Investment Institute, the professional organisation for the securities and investment industry in the Asian region, announced a new chairman and set of board directors – Craig Blaser Lindsay replaced Anthony Muh, bringing over 30 years of financial services experience to the role. The board directors elected by members include Prof Michael Arthur Firth, John Martin Maguire, Colin Stuart Shaftesley and Tsang Chi Suen Trini. Directors appointed by the Securities and Futures Commission are Chiu Kwow Keung Ringo, Shek Chi Fai Derek and Wong Ying Kwan Stephen.

JP Morgan has relocated its chief executive for Latin America, Nicolas Aguzin to Hong Kong to become its new Asia-Pacific head.

Manulife, the Canada-based financial services group, named Paul Smith as the new head of individual financial products in Hong Kong. Smith has been with Manulife for 27 years and has held senior roles in insurance, wealth management, distribution and banking in both the Canadian and Singaporean offices.

JP Morgan Asset Management appointed former Standard Chartered executive, Tai Hui, to lead its Asia-Pacific funds business. Tai Hui assumed the newly-created role of chief Asia-Pacific strategist for the funds business, based in Hong Kong. His old post was filled by David Mann, who relocated from the US.

Principal Global Investors, the US-based asset management firm, appointed two new members to its emerging markets equity team - Mohammed Zaidi joined as head of emerging Asia strategies, while Alan Wang took on the role of portfolio manager for Hong Kong and China equities, and head of the Greater China research team.

Goldman Sachs Asset Management has named Sheila Patel as the new head for its Asia ex-Japan unit. The appointment is an expansion of her previous role, co-chief executive for Europe, Middle East and Africa. Patel took over from Oliver Bolitho, who was named chairman of GSAM Asia-Pacific.

BNY Mellon, the global investment management firm, named the new equity finance head for its Asia-Pacific operations, Paul Solway. He joined as managing director and regional head of equity finance for APAC, based in Hong Kong. He also became a member of the Asia-Pacific operating committee.

JP Morgan added to its team of India-focused bankers by appointing managing director Ravi Bulchandani and executive director Jafar Hamid. Bulchandani joined the bank from Barclays Wealth (as that bank’s wealth and investment arm used to be known), where he was a senior private banker in the ultra high net worth team and also a member of its private client asset allocation committee. Hamid previously worked at Credit Suisse Private Bank where he was a senior private banker and investment partner for ultra high net worth Indian clients.

Nikko Asset Management, the Japan-headquartered investment firm, appointed new senior members to its management team – Yu Ming Wang was named chief investment officer, international, while Hiroki Tsujimura as CIO for Japan.

Wang joined the firm from Manulife Asset Management, where he was head of fixed income for Asia. Tsujimura was the head of active investments at Nikko Asset Management. In his new post, he will be overseeing all investment management activities in the Tokyo branch.

Blackstone, the world’s biggest alternative investment manager, appointed Gautam Banerjee as chairman of Blackstone Singapore, a newly created position. Banerjee joined the New York-listed firm from PricewaterhouseCoopers Singapore, where he spent more than 30 years, becoming executive chairman 2004.

Credit Suisse appointed a new market area head, Southeast Asia for private banking Asia Pacific, Claudio de Sanctis.  Formerly at UBS Wealth Management, de Sanctis assumes the Singapore-based position on 1 April this year. The move sees Tee Fong Seng step down from the role, which he occupied for the past year, while remaining vice chairman of private banking Asia Pacific.

GIC, the sovereign wealth fund wholly-owned by the Government of Singapore, named Lim Chow Kiat  as the new group chief investment officer, effective 1 February 2013. Kiat succeeds Ng Kok Song, who will be retiring after 42 years managing Singapore's foreign reserves.

APS Asset Management, the Singapore hedge fund, appointed a former cabinet minister, Raymond Lim, as its chairman. He took the top role at the company after serving as senior advisor and independent director since January 2012. Before joining APS, he held various ministerial appointments, including second minister of finance, second minister of foreign affairs and minister of transport.

Swiss private bank, Lombard Odier, named industry veteran, Vincent Magnenat as Singapore-based CEO. He succeeded Richard Wee, who remains on the Lombard Odier Singapore board, assuming the position of vice chairman of board. In his new role, Magnenat oversees the growth of both the private banking and the asset management businesses in Singapore and Southeast Asia.

Vistra Fund Services, the fund administration unit of international trust and fiduciary group Vistra Trust & Corporate Services, has expanded its Asian network to include Singapore. The new office is jointly managed by Charles Kwun, Andrew Mascall-Robson, the regional commercial directors, and Jean-Pierre Koolmees, the managing director of Vistra Singapore.

Withers, the international law firm, appointed Simon Michaels as a partner in its Singapore office, becoming the third partner to join the group in the city state since the office opened in May 2012. Michaels takes up his role in Withers’ wealth planning practice this month.