Threadneedle Investments, the international asset management firm, has appointed a new head of Asian equities along with four more key hires for the region. 

Effective immediately, Soo Nam Ng assumes the lead Asian equities role, to work with new team consisting of Bernard Lim as senior fund manager for Asia ex-Japan, Christine Seng as fund manager for Singapore and Australia, Weixiong Liang as analyst and Wee Jia Low as senior associate. All will be based at the firm's Singapore office.

Ng joins the firm from Nikko Asset Management, where he was chief investment officer. A veteran in the funds management industry, he brings over 18 years of experience in Asia-Pacific ex-Japan equity markets to his new role. Lim moves from Fullerton Fund Management, where he was senior vice president for equities, while Seng and Liang used to be portfolio managers at Nikko AM. Low, also from Nikko AM, was an equity analyst. 

The new team will work closely with the long-standing Asian equities team of seven, headed by Vanessa Donegan, which manages £3.6 billion ($5.8 billion) out of London and Singapore as at 31 August 2013. The Singapore group will focus on the building the firm's offering for Asian investors.

Ng reports to Leigh Harrison, head of equities at Threadneedle. Lim, Seng, Liang and Low report to Ng. 

Threadneedle, part of Ameriprise Financial, has been operating in Asia since 2008 and has offices in Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Malaysia and Australia.