Hong Kong based asset management firm, Enhanced Investment Products (EIP) makes strategic hires in a move to grow its alpha and beta business. Paul So, who joined the firm in May 2010 as Head of Beta Products, has been hiring key positions with a view to increasing the firm’s beta offering and moving his side of the business further into Exchange Traded Funds.
Since inception in 2002, EIP has provided beta investment opportunities in the Asia Emerging Markets through its Enhanced Index Funds, investing in Taiwan, China, India, Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia, Philippines and Thailand, to predominantly institutional investors. Responsible for the management of this Index portfolio, So has made three key appointments to develop the firm’s offering making it more accessible to regular investors.
Taiwan born Alex Hsieh joins EIP as a Portfolio Manager after a significant stint at China Southern Fund Management Company, where he pioneered and launched the first Qualified Domestic Institutional Investor (QDII) fund in China and raised approximately US$8billion. After obtaining approval for the first overseas subsidiary company, CSOP Asset Management Limited, to be set up by a Chinese fund house, Hsieh moved with CSOP to Hong Kong. Bringing a unique skill set and knowledge of products and regulations in Greater China, Hsieh’s appointment to EIP is important in understanding, attracting and accessing the investors in Greater China.
Graduating from the University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, with a Bachelor of Arts degree majoring in Accounting, Ada Yin joins EIP as Portfolio Manager. She is licensed under the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission (Type 4 and 9) and has nine years of experience as a Portfolio Manager and over 10 years of experience in the Asset Management Industry. Prior to joining EIP, Yin was Senior Portfolio Manager for ETF, Index and Structured Products at BNP Paribas Asset Management Asia ex Japan.
New Sales Manager, Kennis Lee joins EIP from Prudential Asset Management, where she worked in the mutual funds retail distribution team. Lee’s experience in equity derivative sales will also be a valuable asset to EIP. Lee will assist both So and the Head of Business Development, in sales and marketing of EIP’s beta products.
In addition to these new appointments, Rui Tang has also recently joined EIP as Head of Business Development. Though a new resident in Hong Kong, Tang has spent five years researching investment opportunities in Asia at two Fund of Funds houses – US based Fintan Partners and UK based Cube Capital. Tang looks forward to helping So in moving the business forward.
Tang comments: “I am looking forward to formulating and executing the firm’s growth strategy for both beta and alpha products, including raising assets for current funds as well as launching new products to the market.”
EIP has also hired Victor Kwok as Head of Legal and Compliance, a new independent function reporting directly to the Board. Joining EIP from Mallesons Stephen Jaques, a leading Australian law firm, where he specialized in private equity and retail funds, Kwok brings to the firm significant legal experience in funds. At EIP, he is responsible for all legal and compliance matters, and will assist all parts of the business including the development of new beta products that are in the pipeline.
So’s own background is also founded in beta products. Prior to joining EIP, So was Head of Portfolio Management for Asia ex Japan at iShares, the ETF division of BlackRock, in Hong Kong and managed over US$6.8 billion in Asian Exchange Trade Funds.
So says: “The diverse experience that each member of the team brings to the firm strengthens EIP’s execution on its business strategy. EIP believes in the separation of alpha and beta in the Emerging Markets. Investors have certainty that they are capturing the market economics with EIP’s cost efficient beta products as well as gaining outperformance through our non-correlated alpha products. This structure is unique and allows tailor-made solutions for institutional clients.”
Tobias Bland, CEO of EIP says: “I am pleased with the growth of the beta team. Over the course of the year Paul So has appointed key positions, which will stand us in good stead for future products the firm is looking to launch. We are also pleased to welcome Rui Tang to the team and expect that she will soon play a pivotal role in the growth of all our stable of products.”
