Role Summary:
Support the Product Director in managing product development and management initiatives across Asia ex-Japan, helping to drive business growth and expansion in the region.
Key Responsibilities:
Product Strategy:
- Assist in advancing Asia-focused product initiatives and priorities to support the region's business growth. Provide objective assessments of new product ideas and enhancements.
- Develop business cases and proposals for APAC product and pricing initiatives in collaboration with relevant teams. Coordinate with internal stakeholders to obtain senior management and committee approvals, ensuring alignment with local market dynamics and the firm's pricing and capacity management philosophy.
- Based on market analysis, work with Distribution and Asset Class teams to evaluate the marketability of new or modified strategies. Ensure products have the appropriate attributes (guidelines, positioning, fees, share classes, etc.) to succeed in the local market, aligning with the firm's values and strategic priorities. Present proposals for approval by senior leadership and relevant committees.
APAC Fund Registration and Maintenance:
- Continuously support the registration and maintenance of investment vehicles in the region, ensuring a diverse and sustainable product set that meets long-term growth goals, particularly within the retail/intermediary channels.
- Collaborate with Distribution to prioritize local fund registration needs, focusing on key markets such as Singapore and South Korea.
- Work with regional Product Management and Legal teams to assist in the registration and ongoing maintenance of funds, coordinating timelines and managing product-related inquiries.
General Product and Business Support:
- Serve as the subject matter expert (SME) for the regional product range, monitoring market trends and the competitive landscape in Asia ex-Japan. Provide input on product needs and requirements for potential new market entry.
- Act as a local point of contact for product inquiries from internal stakeholders. Investigate and resolve requests by collaborating with relevant teams.
- Conduct regular and ad-hoc market research on trends, competitor analysis, and regulatory changes to inform product strategy, local registrations, and potential new market or client segment opportunities.
Qualifications:
- Bachelor's degree with 5-10 years of relevant experience, ideally in a product-related role within an investment firm.
- Strong analytical skills, both quantitative and qualitative.
- Strategic thinker with creativity and attention to detail.
- Self-motivated with the ability to manage multiple projects against tight deadlines.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with strong proficiency in PowerPoint and Excel.
- Experience in writing business proposals and communicating financial matters.
- Prior experience in research and project management.
- Broad understanding of the functions that support an asset management business.
- Familiarity with operational infrastructure related to commingled funds, particularly SICAVs.
- Knowledge of the investment and regulatory landscape in Asia, with a focus on Singapore, South Korea, and Southeast Asia.
- Proficiency in English; Mandarin Chinese is a plus (spoken and written).
- CFA qualification is preferred.
