VAM Funds, the Luxembourg-based specialist investment boutique, has confirmed the appointment of Linda McLaren (pictured) as Business Development Manager for Asia. McLaren, who joined last week from Standard Bank, will be based in London and visit Asia six or seven times a year, VAM Funds’ Global Sales Director, Nigel Watson, told Hedgeweek. “Linda has worked with me before at Standard Bank where I recruited her,” says Watson. “She’s a very experienced lady with a decade of offshore global intermediary business development behind her. I’m delighted to have her on board.” VAM runs a basket of 11 funds, all of which are approved by MAS in Singapore. Consequently, McLaren’s initial market focus will be on SE Asia (Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand) where VAM has strong intermediary relations. Hong Kong and Japan will be targeted down the line: the common denominator being that only investment managers catering to an English-speaking audience will be used. VAM currently has one Asia-focused fund; the VAM Fixed Income Fund. Managed by Hong-Kong based Enhanced Investment Products (EIP) Ltd, it has achieved accumulated returns of 6.29 per cent (USD) YTD. “The fund uses investment-grade bonds only, making it a good cash alternative product. People believe in the Asia story out there,” adds Watson. A commodity and sovereign debt fund are due to be added soon.