Australia

Sydney investment manager Select Investment Partners announced the appointment of Matt Olsen as head of research effective 12 November 2013. Olsen, previously the deputy chief investment officer and head of manager research at van Eyk, had worked as a senior investment analyst at Colonial First State, LFG Holdings and Ausbil Dexia.

David Foster, chief executive of Suncorp Bank, left in 9 December 2013 after 10 years with the company, according to a statement posted on the Australian Stock Exchange website. Foster was replaced by John Nesbitt, the chief financial officer whose old post was assumed by Steve Johnston, deputy CFO. Foster will stay on in an advisory capacity during a transition period.

Standard Life Investments, the global asset manager, hired Matthew Newham as an investment director for its Australian business. Newham is now based in Sydney and is responsible for developing Standard Life Investments’ wholesale business across Australia and New Zealand. He joined from JANA Investment Advisers, where he was responsible for business development, marketing and communications functions for almost seven years.

Sunsuper, the Australian superannuation fund, named Scott Hartley as its new chief executive effective 28 January 2014. Sunsuper is one of the country's largest super funds, recording A$25 billion in funds under management and around a million members. Prior to the appointment, Hartley was executive general manager for corporate and institutional wealth at National Australia Bank.

Colonial First State Global Asset Management appointed a senior analyst for its Australian equities team. Wim Steemers, based in Sydney, assumed the coverage of the large-cap financials sectors and is an active contributor to stock selection in all Australian equities. He took up his new role in 18 November 2013.

The SILC Group, the Australian boutique financial products firm, added a new member to its advisory board. Ben Cohen brings extensive board and senior executive experience in financial services, covering mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance, banking, IT and accounting and manufacturing. He also previously served as director of finance and administration at Potter Warburg, director at Elders Finance and group financial controller at ICI Australia.

BetaShares, the Sydney-headquartered exchange traded funds provider, strengthened its advisor business with the appointment of Lyndall James to the newly-created role of director of advisor services. James brings over two decades of financial services experience to the firm, having worked senior distribution roles at van Eyk, OnePath and MLC.

The Actuaries Institute, the professional body for actuaries in Australia, named David Bell as its new chief executive effective January 2014 to succeed Melinda Howes who left in early November after four years in the role. Bell brings over 20 years of experience in management and public advocacy with organisations including the Australian Bankers' Association, Telstra, NRMA and Westpac.

China

Cushman & Wakefield, the privately-held commercial real estate services company, appointed Jonathan Davis as managing director, Eastern China. He is now based in the firm’s Shanghai office, concentrating on the business in the city and eastern China. Davis is a UK native with a 12-year track record in the Greater China real estate industry.

Hong Kong

China Private Equity Investments, the Hong Kong-based private equity investment holding group, named Conor MacNamara to a non-executive directorial seat on its board. MacNamara brings considerable experience to the role, having spent most of his career in the Japanese and Asian markets, holding senior roles at ABN AMRO / RBS Global Banking, Gen Re Securities and RBC Dominion Securities.

Standard Chartered, the UK banking giant, enhanced its Renminbi trading capabilities with the establishment of a new global RMB trading team in financial markets. Led by Charles Feng, global head of RMB trading and regional head of FX, rates and credit trading in North East Asia, the team comprises traders across key markets in Hong Kong, Shanghai, Taiwan, London and New York, with additional support from teams in other locations.

Acuma, the UAE-based wealth management firm, announced plans to open an office in Hong Kong by the end of November 2013. In a statement, company owner Nigel Green said that the expansion into Asia will initially focus on the Hong Kong office, but the firm has "far-reaching strategic plans" that involve highly-regulated areas in the Asia-Pacific region. The new branch is led by director Simon Davies, who joined from Hong Kong-based Richmond Asset Management, where he served as chief executive and director, in addition to managing private clients.

The Nan Fung Group, the Hong Kong-based conglomerate with interests in property markets and financial investments, appointed Blackstone's Greater China chairman as its new group chief executive. Antony Leung assumes his new post in February 2014.

Credit Suisse, the Swiss banking giant, announced the appointment of Jason Yeung joined the firm as managing director and senior client partner for Greater China. Based in Hong Kong, his focus would be to enhance the bank's ultra-high net worth client capabilities. He reports to Tee Fong Seng, vice chairman and market area head of Greater China for the Asia-Pacific private banking arm.

Manulife Asset Management strengthened its institutional business network by adding a European sales capability and expanding its Asia executive's role. James Chen, currently head of institutional business and relationship management in Asia, took on an expanded post as head of institutional business and relationship management, international.

First Asia Holdings, the Hong Kong-based real estate developer with a focus on mid and high-end property, appointed an industry veteran to be its associate director. Dato Eddy Kok Seng Yeap brings 15 years of financial services experience to the role and had been part of the marketing team for General Eastern Life Assurance, Prudential Assurance and Pacific Unit Trust.

Japan

Bank of America Merrill Lynch named a new head for its equities trading division in Japan. In a memo seen by WealthBriefingAsia, Eugene Iwami, head of Japanese equities trading, will have the sole responsibility for the division, which previously had a co-head structure. Iwami replaced Paddy Hogan, who moved to New York to take care of the US arm of BoA Merrill's Japan business. In addition, Hiroyuki Kaneda was named to the newly-created role of vice chairman of Japan equities. Both Iwami and Kaneda report to Olivier Thiriet, head of Asia-Pacific equities, and Jiro Seguchi, country executive for Japan.

BNY Mellon opened a new capital markets business in Tokyo, which falls under the The Bank of New York Mellon Securities Company Japan. The unit is managed by a nine-member team of broker-dealer and capital markets specialists led by Eiichiro Masaki as head of Japan capital markets sales. Masaki, previously the head of non-yen fixed income flow sales at Societe Generale, reports to Kazuma Yamashita, head of Japan global markets sales.

Swiss private banking firm Lombard Odier appointed a former senior Societe Generale private bank executive as a new managing director for Japan. On 20 November 2013, Keiichi Hirano assumed the role of managing director for Japan. The firm dubbed Hirano as "one of the pioneers" of SocGen's private banking business in the country. He has held various senior roles in Tokyo and Singapore, where he was global head of Japanese private banking clients and global head of real estate. He succeeds Norbert Joué as president and representative director on 16 December, subject to the board's decision on 13 December. Joué will move to a broader regional role in Asia but will be working closely with Hirano to ensure a smooth transition.

Singapore

Swiss-headquartered Vontobel appointed Fredy Flury as head of financial products Singapore as at 1st December 2013, in addition to being the new the CEO of Vontobel Financial Products (Asia Pacific). Vontobel Financial Products has had a presence in Singapore since 2012 handling market development in the Asia/Pacific region.

The Monetary Authority of Singapore, the city-state's financial regulatory body, awarded a capital markets licence to BNY Mellon for its new fund management services subsidiary. The new unit is led by Wendy Lim as chief executive. Lim was Lim was previously the managing director and regional head of business development and marketing for BNY Mellon Investment Management Asia-Pacific. She reports to Alan Harden, CEO, and retains her regional responsibilities.

Temasek Holdings, the Government of Singapore-owned investment company owning stakes in banks such as DBS Group, Standard Chartered and ICBC, named Cheng Wai Keung as its new deputy chairman. Cheng, chairman and managing director of Wing Tai Holdings, assumed his new role on the board in 4 November 2013 after serving as non-executive director since 15 September 2011.

Cushman & Wakefield appointed a new executive director for its office in Singapore. Shaun Poh assumed the role of executive director, heading up with the national capital markets and investment team in the city-state. Poh left DTZ after 22 years, most recently serving as head of the investment advisory services team.

ING Investment Management International, part of Netherlands-headquartered ING, appointed Marcin Adamczyk and Alia Yousuf as senior portfolio managers for emerging market debt local currency. With both reporting to Marcelo Assalin, lead portfolio manager for emerging market debt local currencies based in Atlanta, Adamczyk is now based in The Hague and Yousuf in Singapore.