Japan M&A boom momentum is prompting Citigroup to expand its investment banking team in the country by 30% by the first half of 2026, aiming to capture deal activity involving Japanese companies that has reached about USD350bn this year, the highest since records began in 1998. Japan vice-chair Masuo Fukuda said governance reforms have made corporate boards more shareholder-focused, driving divestments of non-core assets and overseas expansion, while hostile bids, private equ

HSBC has appointed veteran wealth manager Ida Liu as chief executive of its private banking business, strengthening leadership as global competition for ultra-high-net-worth clients intensifies. Liu will take up the role as CEO of HSBC Private Bank on Jan.5, 2026, reporting to Barry O’Byrne, CEO of HSBC International Wealth and Premier Banking. HSBC said Liu will focus on deepening relationships with ultra-wealthy clients, strengthening cross-border connectivity along major w

Nomura Asset Management is expanding its international trainee program as it plans to relocate dozens of staff from its Tokyo headquarters to overseas hubs, including London and New York, to strengthen investment and sales capabilities and deepen its pool of globally trained professionals. The initiative comes as Japan’s regulator has flagged competitiveness gaps among domestic asset managers, even as reforms to tax-free NISA accounts draw more households into investing. Nomu

Japan’s Daiwa Securities Group will make a minority investment of about JPY5bn(USD32m) in Ambit Wealth, strengthening the Daiwa Ambit Wealth investment partnership in India’s fast-expanding wealth sector, the Nikkei reported. Ambit Wealth, which serves ultra-high-net-worth clients and family offices, had assets under management and advice nearing USD10bn as of 31 March 2025, according to Daiwa. Daiwa said it aims to share its portfolio-strategy and marketing expertise with Am

Citigroup has appointed Yuko Nakayama as head of equity capital markets for its Japan investment banking franchise, strengthening its Japan equity capital markets franchise as competition intensifies for dealmaking talent. Effective immediately, Nakayama will lead the Japan ECM team and report to Taiji Nagasaka and Akira Kiyota, with matrix reporting to Harish Raman and Kenneth Chow. Nakayama previously worked at Citi from 2009 to 2015 before moving to Goldman Sachs and later

Citi FX hires Asia continue to increase, with seven senior sales and trading specialists joining since September as the bank targets rising FX flows and deeper client engagement. New hires include Manoj Goel to lead corporate FX sales for the India sub‑continent; Cassalynne Lou in Singapore corporate FX; Yusuke Aita in Tokyo and Renee Gao in Hong Kong for institutional coverage; Matthew Lim in Singapore for institutional FX; and traders Nicky Lam and Jonathan Chua for G10 opt

Singapore CEO tenure continues to exceed global norms, with Straits Times Index leaders averaging 8.8 years in office in Q3 2025, compared with the worldwide average of 7.2 years, Russell Reynolds Associates reported. Hong Kong CEOs averaged 3.7 years, while Asia‑Pacific overall slipped to 5.9 years as boards demand greater agility amid regulatory and market shifts. More than four in five new CEO appointments in the region came from internal promotions, versus seven in ten gl

UBS Singapore leadership has been strengthened with the appointment of Kwa Chong Seng as chairman for Singapore and Southeast Asia, effective December 1. The veteran executive will report to APAC president and global wealth co‑president Iqbal Khan, working closely with regional chairman Edmund Koh and Singapore head Jin Yee Young. Kwa has chaired major firms including SGX, ST Engineering, Olam International and MediaCorp, and previously served as deputy chair of Temasek Holdi

Recruiters expect Hong Kong finance hiring to increase 10–15% in 2026 as asset growth and stronger equity markets prompt banks and fund houses to expand headcount. Robert Walters reports a 20% rise in active roles this year, though completed offers remain behind as employers stay cautious after pandemic overhiring and subsequent cutbacks. Robert Half noted increased openings in front-office and revenue-generating roles, with steady demand across middle and back offices. Banks

Hong Kong has renewed the contract of Securities and Futures Commission chief executive Julia Leung Fung‑yee for a further two years to the end of 2027, ensuring continuity as the markets watchdog advances regulatory and market reforms. Leung, who joined the SFC in 2015 and became CEO in January 2023 after serving as deputy CEO, previously held senior roles at the Hong Kong Monetary Authority and as Under Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury. The government said

Raffles Family Office (RFO) has appointed Caroline Langston as chief people officer, a newly created role as the Asia multi-family office expands across Greater China, Southeast Asia and new markets. Effective immediately, Langston will oversee people strategy, talent development and corporate culture, including the Raffles Group Academy for workforce learning and reskilling. Having served as an executive coach to RFO for over five years, she brings more than two decades of i

The Citi family office head Hannes Hofmann will leave the bank about three years after joining, marking another leadership change within Citigroup’s global wealth business. Hofmann, who joined in 2022 from JPMorgan, expanded the firm’s family office coverage and quantitative strategy adoption. His departure follows an earlier private-bank restructuring that saw global head Ida Liu step down and the introduction of four regional heads reporting to wealth chief Andy Sieg, who j

The Lioner Singapore expansion marks a major milestone for Lioner International Group, which has moved its Singapore operations to a larger office at One Raffles Place after tripling revenue in the first half of 2025. The Chinese wealth consortium, providing integrated insurance, trust, and family office services, said the relocation reflects growing demand from ultra-high- and high-net-worth clients for consolidated legacy and wealth-planning solutions. Operating across Hong

Women in finance Hong Kong 2025 now represent 45% of senior roles and 37% of board seats, both up by double digits since 2018, according to a report by Women Chief Executives Hong Kong, KPMG, and The Women’s Foundation. The city ranked highest among global hubs for visible societal acceptance of female leaders, with 70% of women feeling encouraged to lead and only 15% citing bias. HKEX’s gender disclosure and board diversity rules were cited as major drivers, alongside improv

Hong Kong director pay 2024 data show thirty-one executives of listed firms each earning over HKD100m (USD12.8m), according to activist investor David Webb’s financial website Webb-site. Li Auto founder Li Xiang topped the ranking with nearly HKD680m, followed by JS Global Lifestyle chairman Wang Xuning and J&T Global Express founder Jet Li Jie, who each earned around HKD520m, mainly from share awards. HSBC CEO Georges Elhedery ranked 23rd with HKD130m, more than double his 2

Lioner Hong Kong leadership has been bolstered with the appointment of Gary Mak as general manager, reinforcing Lioner International Group Ltd.’s growth strategy in Asia. The firm, which offers insurance, trust, and family office services, said Mak will oversee Hong Kong operations, focusing on sales strategy, advisor engagement, and expansion into Asia’s wealth hubs. With more than 20 years of experience at Fubon Life, AXA, MetLife, and New York Life, Mak brings strong exper

Raffles Family Office has strengthened its Hong Kong presence with the appointments of Michael Tung as Managing Director and Jennie Liang...

Hong Kong will host its first Women Finance Leaders Summit on 3 November, convening more than 200 senior executives including global CEOs...

Hong Kong asset management growth is accelerating, driven by a sharp rebound in IPO activity and rising demand for wealth and pension...

Visa China general manager role has been given to Elaine Chang, a technology executive with more than 30 years of experience, succeeding...