Tokyo headquartered Nikko Asset Management, one of Japan’s leading asset management firms, announced on Wednesday the appointment of Blair Pickerell as Head of Asia and Global Chief Marketing Officer. Pickerell will be based in Hong Kong where he’ll be responsible for executing the firm’s global branding strategy. “I’m very pleased to be joining Nikko AM,” commented Pickerell in the firm’s press release. “The favorable demographics, continued deregulation, and ongoing economic success of Asia suggest that this region will be one of the leading generators of wealth in the coming decades.” Pickerell joins from Morgan Stanley Investment Management where he served as CEO, Asia.