The group is adding to ranks of advisors serving HNW clients in the region.

France’s biggest lender continues to grow its south Asia wealth management offering, naming a new head of investment services in Hong Kong - Gabriel Chan. Chan will oversee delivery across traditional and digital channels to Hong Kong clients.

The group said that Chan will also drive the rollout of new initiatives across the region and has been the “key architect” behind its advisory platform over the past two years. He will report to Garth Bregman, investment services regional head, located in Singapore.

Chan joined BNP Paribas in 2013 from Credit Suisse and CLSA, and takes over from Lemuel Lee, who moves to head BNP Paribas’ Hong Kong market division.

Bregman said that the investment services team has become a “pace-setter for the wealth management industry, thanks to the breadth and depth of our products and services and niche expertise in areas such as sustainable investing.”

In related news, this week The South China Morning Star reported plans by the French bank to enter brokerage and wealth management services in China. The move stems from US-China trade tensions and China’s softening stance towards opening up its capital markets to foreign banks.

BNP Paribas has reportedly said China's moves to open market access allows overseas banks to play a bigger role in serving China’s domestic market as more international capital flows in.

The bank has also reportedly said (South China Morning Post) that the bank was considering expanding into securities trading in China and looking for a joint venture partner to apply for a securities licence.

BNP Paribas operates in 13 markets across Asia and on latest filings has €377 billion ($422 billion) in global assets under management. It has forged a number of joint ventures in the region to gain access to Asia’s growing wealth market and its presence in China dates back to 1860 when it opened its first office in Shanghai.