Threadneedle Investments, the international asset management firm, has relocated a London-based executive to support the company's growing presence in the Asia-Pacific region.

Gigi Chan, the Asia-Pacific equities fund manager, is the first of company's investment team to be based in Asia, Threadneedle said in a statement. Chan joined the company in 2000 and currently manages some $500 million from Singapore across a range of funds and segregated mandates.

"We believe it's important to have fund managers on the ground in the region to be closer to our investor base," said Raymundo Yu, chairman for Asia-Pacific. "This is part of our commitment to building a genuine client-focused approach and service for investors across Asia."

Threadneedle, which has offices in Singapore and Hong Kong, recently bolstered its Japan operations with the appointment of Yoshihisa Kojima as sales director in November. Before that, the asset manager added to its Taiwan business by naming Ben Hwa as sales director and Miranda Huang as sales manager.