Editors

Global property consultancy Knight Frank has established a new Australian Private Office in Sydney, positioning itself at the centre of the region's rapid high-net-worth growth and increasing cross-border investment flows.

Leading asset managers are setting a cautious yet opportunistic tone for 2026, emphasizing a strategic pivot away from broad diversification toward more deliberate and selective exposures in private markets.

The recruitment drive builds on recent leadership appointments, including Phonda Chan as deputy Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Branch and Chua See Plu as market head for North Asia.

Nomura International Wealth Management has appointed Rahul Bhandari as Desk Head for South and Southeast Asia in Hong Kong.

The fund will be managed by UBP’s DPM team in Singapore, providing clients access to a wide spectrum of asset classes.

Standard Chartered is expanding its wealth management proposition in Asia with a new focus on client health, forging key partnerships with insurer Bupa Global and wearable-tech firm WHOOP to offer integrated wellness solutions to its affluent customer base.

Based in Frankfurt, Vivienne Chia will report to Alessandro Caironi, head of banking, lending and investment solutions.

The recent study reveals a "personalization gap," where firms are failing to meet client demands for hyper-personalization, leaving an estimated 90% of potential growth unrealized over a typical three-year planning cycle.

KBank's K WEALTH is deepening its alliance with J.P. Morgan Asset Management.

A key feature of EQT Nexus is its evergreen structure, designed to offer private wealth investors greater flexibility compared to traditional, closed-ended private equity funds.

The funds are designed to provide Thai ultra-high net worth clients with their first dedicated access to the niche world of insurance-linked securities, an asset class known for its resilience during economic downturns due to its low correlation with traditional stocks and bonds.

The hiring underscores the industry's shift towards holistic advisory services, directly addressing the region's significant intergenerational wealth transfer and the complex needs of its ultra-high-net-worth families.