The investment and financial services group has made two top-level appointments in the Asia-Pacific region.

Barings, the investments and financial services group, said that its global distribution and marketing head, Duncan Robertson, has taken on an expanded role as Asia-Pacific head.

Additionally, former Vanguard senior manager has joined as country head of China.

The business has also received approval to establish an Investment Management Wholly Foreign-Owned Enterprise (WFOE) in Shanghai.

Robertson’s position is a new one. In this role, he will lead Barings’ overall business operations and growth strategy in the Asia-Pacific region while continuing to oversee the firm’s global distribution and marketing strategy. 

The business said that Robertson’s appointment – he reports directly into Tom Finke, chairman and CEO - reflects the firm’s “commitment on growing its investment operations and client base in the region”.

Barings said that Asia-Pacific accounts for 34 per cent of their external assets under management. 

As part of the change, Robertson switches to the firm’s Sydney office from Charlotte, North Carolina.

“The growing influence of the Asia-Pacific region within the global financial markets is among the leading narratives in the asset management industry, and our firm has positioned itself to deliver comprehensive investment solutions to clients across the region,” Finke said. 

Robertson has worked in the finance industry since 1991 and joined Barings in 2008 in Sydney. Prior to joining Barings, he oversaw all fixed income distribution services in Australia and New Zealand for Merrill Lynch. Robertson earned a bachelor of business degree from RMIT University, is a chartered accountant, and is a member of the Financial Services Institute of Australasia.

Shelley Liu, meanwhile, reports to Robertson. Prior to joining Barings, Liu was the chief representative of the Beijing office and head of government relations in China for Vanguard Investments Hong Kong Limited. She has also held positions with Wellington Global Investment Management and Morgan Stanley. She earned a bachelor of economics degree in international business from the University of International Business and Economics in China and a master of science in international banking from Loughborough University in the UK.