Timon Tam joins today in the newly-created role, reporting to Singapore-based Damien Ng, head of investment consulting, Asia.

Tam has a quarter century in private banking, most recently at China Construction Bank Private Banking. At CCB he established an investment advisory and product platform and advised ultra high net worth Chinese clients. He joined CCB from Credit Suisse in 2010, after five years as the head of structured products sales, North Asia. He joined Credit Suisse in 2005 from HSBC Private Bank, which he had joined in 1987.

An investment consultant provides investment advice based on detailed analysis of each client’s financial situation, assets, pension provisions, inheritance planning, income and expenses, as well as the individual’s attitude towards risk. Investment consulting caters to clients with greater needs in terms of time sensitivity, sophistication of solutions, a high level of activity, and the need for a team-based approach.

Sarasin has been growing its Middle East, and Asia business. In its most recent results the bank said there has been a slight rise in the proportion of clients based in the high-growth regions of the Middle East and Asia, now making up 18 per cent of the total. However last year in November, shortly after the mooted M&A deal between Sarasin and Julius Baer fell through, a team of eight led by Elina So left Sarasin en masse, for its spurned Swiss rival.

Replacements for the team will be announced in due course, said a spokeswoman. 

By the end of December 2011 Sarasin managed total client assets of SFr96.4 billion ($106.8 billion) and employed approximately 1,700 staff. Its former owner Dutch Rabobank sold it to Brazilian lender Safra last November.

In its 2011 results, posted in February, the bank reported that difficult market conditions, tax issues affecting Switzerland and uncertainties about its ownership dampened inflows in 2011, leaving assets under management standing at SFr96.4 billion (around $106.2 billion) at the end of last year, a fall from SFr103.3 billion in 2010.