The new SEA head has worked at firms including DBS, JP Morgan and UBS, among others.

US-listed asset management giant BlackRock has appointed Deborah Ho as head of Southeast Asia, with effect from March 2018. She joins from Barclays Bank, where she has been managing director and co-head of senior relationship management, overseeing the firm’s platinum client relationships in Asia Pacific since 2012. 

Ho brings more than 30 years’ experience in financial institutions in Asia and the US, as well as extensive senior client relationship experience in both investment banking and asset management. She led DBS Asset Management in Singapore as CEO between 2007 and 2011, after serving UBS as head of fixed income distribution for Asia ex-Japan between 2001 and 2005. She played a similar role for JP Morgan Securities, covering Greater China and Southeast Asia from 1995 to 2001, and worked for Credit Suisse and Citibank earlier in her career.

Deborah also sits on steering committees for various financial leadership bodies in Singapore and has held board directorship responsibilities in financial and charitable organizations.

Head of Southeast Asia is a new title. However, Southeast Asia was previously covered by Kevin Hardy’s role as head of Singapore, a spokersperson told this publication.