Bruno Lee will start the newly-created role as head of partnership, product and platform development for Manulife AM in Asia on the 1 September.
From Hong Kong, Lee will be tasked with expanding intermediary channels across 10 regional markets in Asia, as well securing new partners and developing the company’s wholesale capabilities.
He will also help deliver a suite of products to meet the needs of customers across all channels in Asia and will be responsible for the Asia investment management services team.
Stronger platform
“Since the start of the year, we’ve been working to bring our wealth and asset management businesses together in the region, combining institutional investment management with retail distribution,” said Michael Dommermuth, head of Manulife wealth and asset management in Asia.
“We are very pleased to welcome an industry veteran like Bruno to the team and believe he will play a key role in strengthening our distribution platform and helping to drive the overall growth of our business in Asia.”
Dommermuth said Lee has a “thorough understanding” of key markets which will help create a stronger platform to bring “much needed and relevant investment solutions to more clients and distributors”.
Lee currently works as regional head of retail in Fidelity Worldwide Investment’s Asia ex-Japan division.
Prior to that, he worked for HSBC in Hong Kong as regional head of wealth management, and also previously held senior roles with Invesco and Fidelity Worldwide Investment in Taiwan and Hong Kong.
In February, Manulife Asia announced its decision to merge with its wealth and asset management divisions to target $19trn (£12.2trn, €17.1trn) worth of untapped cash deposits in the region.