Munro, who will step into the new role in the second quarter of 2011, replaces Rudolf Apenbrink, who became the CEO for HSBC Global Asset Management in Europe earlier this month. She will report to John Flint, global CEO, based in London. In the interim, Asia Pacific COO Edmund Stokes will be the acting CEO.
Prior to joining HSBC, Munro was responsible for UK institutional business and the global consultant relations team at Axa Investment Managers. She joined HSBC in 2005 as global CIO and became CEO of multimanager in 2007, before taking up her current position as global head of product in July 2010.
Before joining Axa, Munro held senior positions at Salomon Brothers Asset Management and ABN Amro Asset Management.
Flint said: “Over the years, we have successfully built a strong franchise in Asia with a clear proposition focusing on emerging markets.
“The region is rich with opportunities arising from within and outside of the group. With Joanna’s extensive investment and management experience, I believe our business in Asia will continue to enjoy strong growth under her leadership.”