Asia
AIJ president arrested in £878m Japanese pension scandal
Four executives of AIJ Investment Advisors have been arrested in an alleged fraud relating to missing pension fund money.
Asia assets to hit $4trn by 2015
ASIA - Asia ex-Japan and Australian assets are set to double by 2015, reaching $4tr, according to a recent study by Cerulli Associates.
Asian investors to search for returns in alternatives
ASIA - Asian institutional investors outside of Japan are looking to boost returns by investing more heavily in liquid alternatives, high yield debt and emerging markets while Japanese investors are looking for non-domestic opportunities, a new survey...
PIMCO bulks up emerging markets equity team
GLOBAL - PIMCO has hired five new investment staffers in London, New York and Singapore to round out its emerging markets equities team, with two joining from Goldman Sachs Asset Management (GSAM).
Aviva appoints Asia Pacific business development head
ASIA - Aviva Investors has appointed Patrick Chong as head of financial institutions business development - Asia Pacific.
BlackRock appoints Asia-Pacific fixed income head
US/ASIA - BlackRock has appointed ING Investment Management's Joel Kim as head of Asia-Pacific fixed income.
Mercer launches IM service in Korea
KOREA - Mercer has set up an investment management business in Korea to help local institutional investors take advantage of global market opportunities.
Northern Trust expands Asian footprint
HONG KONG - Northern Trust will begin offering index equity portfolio management services from Hong Kong after receiving regulatory approval this week.
Seismic shift in risk appetite sees Japan's managers suffer
Recently released year-end results show assets under management for Japanese asset managers were down 12% in the year ended March 31, as Gavin Blair reports
CPPIB forms joint venture with Asian logistics firm
CANADA/JAPAN - The Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) and Global Logistic Properties (GLP) have formed a joint venture to invest in the country's logistics network.
Acadian makes Asia appointment
US/ASIA - Acadian Asset Management Singapore has appointed Ho Yew Weng as director of institutional sales for Asia-ex Japan.
GPIF returns 0.21% in Q2 as assets fall by $33bn
JAPAN - Japan's public pension fund scraped a small return on its investments in the second quarter after its assets fell by $33bn, its latest report shows.
Japan delays accounting changes - reports
JAPAN - The implementation of new accounting rules that would have forced companies to book pension fund shortfalls as liabilities on their balance sheets is to be postponed, according to reports.
Moody's downgrades Japan on debt concerns
JAPAN - Credit rating agency Moody's has downgraded Japan's sovereign debt rating by one notch, saying weak political leadership has hampered growth.
ING's Gupta: Yuan to become reserve currency in two years
ASIA - ING Investment Management Asia's CIO believes the yuan will become a reserve currency within the next two years driven by the ongoing debt problems in Europe and the US.
HSBC launches new fund admin model in Asia
ASIA - HSBC Securities Services (HSS) has launched a fund administration infrastructure and operating model in Asia to help pension funds and other clients increase transparency in light of volatile markets and regulatory scrutiny.
Mercer considers implemented consulting launch in Japan
JAPAN - Mercer is considering launching its implemented consulting service in the Japanese institutional market.
Japanese pensions have twice as much in pooled accounts than with asset managers
JAPAN - Japan's corporate pension funds have twice as much money entrusted to pooled accounts run by life companies and trust banks as they have under mandates awarded to asset managers, research shows.
Aberdeen expands Asia fixed income team
MALAYSIA - Aberdeen Asset Management has hired Suhaila Suboh as Asian fixed income strategist and plans to expand the Asian debt team in Kuala Lampur, the firm said.
Chuo Mitsui inches to top of GPIF managers
JAPAN - Chuo Mitsui Asset Trust and Banking has emerged as the Government Pension Investment Fund's (GPIF) largest external manager over the past year, while AXA Rosenberg has disappeared from the list.
Monday Movers
BlackRock hires NEST's Gilbody; Aviva Investors; Liongate; Municipal Fire and Police Retirement System of Iowa; Ignis; HSBC Asset Management; Towers Watson; Acadian; Cardano; LGIM; Mercer
HSBC Asset Management names North America head, Asia CIO - UPDATED
US/ASIA - HSBC Global Asset Management has named Deborah Hazell regional head of North America and Bill Maldonado Asia-Pacific chief investment officer in a move to bolster its emerging markets business.
QCM targets Asia Pacific with new Japan office
JAPAN - UK hedge fund manager Quality Capital Management (QCM) has opened an office in Tokyo as part of plans to grow its Asia Pacific business.
NPS injects $234m into Titleist consortium - reports
SOUTH KOREA - The National Pension Service is understood to be investing 250bn won ($234.3m) into a Korean-led consortium for its project to buy golfing equipment brand Titleist, according to reports.
