Threadneedle Investments (Threadneedle) will have a presence in Malaysia, with plans to offer Shariah compliant capabilities to institutional investors including sovereign wealth funds, pension funds, insurance companies, government/ quasi-government entities, corporates and charities.

 

Syed Elias Alhabshi, who has been a senior advisor to Threadneedle in Singapore since September 2011, has been appointed chairman for Malaysia.

 

Mohd Farid bin Kamarudin , CEO of Malaysia, assumes the additional role of senior fixed income fund manager, based in Malaysia. He reports to Clifford Lau, head of fixed income (Asia-Pacific), Alhabshi and Andrew Chan, chief administrative officer, Asia-Pacific. Farid will lead the effort to build out Threadneedle’s Shariah-compliant investment capabilities and will be a senior member of the global investment team.   Previously, he was executive director and head of sukuks and alternative investments for AMIslamic Funds Management in Malaysia.

 

Sabrina Wong has been appointed as fixed income analyst based in Malaysia, reporting to Farid and Lau.    Prior to this, she held fund manager positions at Investec Asset Management and Bank Negara in Malaysia.

 

The team will be supported by the Singapore regional office and global head office in London.

 

Threadneedle established a presence in Asia in 2008 and has offices in Singapore and Hong Kong and Taiwan. Part of Ameriprise Financial, the company last year announced plans to expand its Asian business, building on its established presence and considerable investment capabilities, and that of its sister company Columbia Management. Threadneedle was granted approval in principle from the Securities Commission to establish an Islamic fund management company in Malaysia and is now ready to apply for full license to the Securities Commission.