Singapore

BNP Paribas will now offer affluent clients a new range of investment solutions from Singapore with its Personal Investors' services. It will operate as a department of BNP Paribas Wealth Management Singapore branch through two dedicated teams—one focusing on Asian clients, and the other on Asia-based European clients. Both teams will offer clients the possibility of booking in Singapore and in Europe with a wide range of investment solutions.

Singapore Exchange Limited (SGX) has set up an Investor Education Fund (IEF) to benefit investors in its securities and derivatives market. The IEF will support initiatives that seek to improve the understanding and ability of investors to make better informed investment decisions.

Ever wanted to include modern art in your investments or pension portfolio but don’t know where to start? Castlestone Management can help, with its launch of an eight-year investment vehicle giving individuals access to the art market.

Singapore Exchange Limited (SGX) and NYSE Euronext (NYX) have agreed to terminate the American Stock Exchange® – SGX Pte Ltd Joint Venture (JV) on 30 April 2009. The two companies, however, will continue to collaborate in their respective areas of focus and expertise in the exchange-traded fund (ETF) space.

In partnership with UFG, the EDHEC Risk and Asset Management Research Centre has launched the creation of the "Dynamic Allocation Models and New Forms of Target-Date Funds for Private and Institutional Clients" research chair.

BNP Paribas Investment launched an Islamic umbrella fund for investing in sukuk and murabaha.

Meyado Private Wealth Management has recently announced an expansion of operations as well as a relocation of offices.Meyado has recently hired more staff in their Singapore branch. Future plans for growth include hiring as many as five additional employees in the next six months to a year, despite the global financial crisis.Formerly housed in Singapore Land Tower, Meyado has taken over space in a shophouse in Far East Square."Yes, the economy is tough right now," said Mark Paine, CEO of Meyado Singapore. "But the reality is that some sectors of the financial community provide unique, valuable services to individuals that are now more important than ever. As an independent financial advisory, more and more people are coming to us for impartial advice, while simultaneously seeking out a company with very personal relationships. Hence, our growth."

AXA has officially opened the AXA University Asia Pacific Campus in Singapore, the first in the Japan Asia-Pacific region. The Campus is aimed to be AXA’s regional hub of learning and development for Japan and Asia-Pacific employees and agents.

Allianz' life insurance premiums from both Asia-Pacific and the Middle East fell slightly to $7.4 billion due to the turmoil on financial markets. Allianz has more than 21 million customers in Asia Pacific and MENA today.

AXA Life Insurance Singapore appointed four senior executives to respond to the global financial crisis.

ING has bought 7,260,000 ordinary shares of its delta hedge portfolio, which is used to hedge employee options. The shares were bought on the open market at an average price of US$5.70 per share.

RBS will make Transamerica Insurance’s flagship Universal Life policies available to its customers.

HSBC Global Asset Management has extended its Singapore operations via Brunei to serve regional markets in South East Asia.

HSBC has launched a fund that will invest in a globally diversified portfolio of around 30 to 40 US dollar-denominated bonds. Known as the HSBC Investment Grade Bond Fund 2013, it also aims to deliver coupons on a semi-annual basis throughout its four-year investment tenure.

ING Investment Management Asia-Pacific has appointed Grant Bailey as the Regional General Manager for Asia-Pacific. Reporting to Alan Harden, CEO of ING IM Asia-Pacific, Bailey will take responsibility for the investment management businesses in a number of countries, including Japan, Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines and Thailand.Bailey has been with ING IM for seven years. He started with ING in Australia where he was the CEO of IIM Australia from 2003 until 2007 before moving to Dubai to establish ING IM’s Greenfield investment operations in the Middle East.Alan Harden stated: "I’m delighted to welcome Grant back to ING in Asia-Pacific. His appointment underlies our commitment to the region. Grant has extensive investment management and financial market experience, and with his track record working around the ING IM network, he will be able to contribute immensely to the development of ING IM and reinforce our position as a leading investment management franchise in Asia."Prior to ING IM, Bailey was with Citigroup Asset Management where he held various senior positions including CIO and CEO for Australia and New Zealand, and Managing Director and Head of Investment for Asia-Pacific based in Singapore.Before moving into investment management, Bailey was Chief Economist for Citibank Australia following a 14-year career with the Australian Treasury where he worked in a number of areas including international finance, fiscal policy, debt management and a posting to the Australian Embassy in Washington in the late 1980s as Counsellor (Economic).Bailey holds an Honours Economics Degree from the University of Adelaide, Australia.

HSBC will double its SME loan fund in Hong Kong to US$1.03 billion to accommodate more than 3,000 applications.