The wealth management arm of Zurich-listed Swiss private bank UBS appoints former regional chief investment officer (CIO) of HSBC’s private bank.  

UBS Global Wealth Management has appointed James Cheo (pictured) to join its chief investment office (CIO) team for the Asia-Pacific region, covering Southern Asia and Australia, effective 30 March 2026.

He will be based in Singapore and will report directly to Tan Min Lan, head CIO APAC, UBS said.

Cheo will play an active role in the investment content and client coverage across Southeast Asia, Australia and India, the firm said in an internal memo seen by this news service.

“His appointment reflects the continued momentum of our business and the growth opportunities we see across the region. Importantly, this hire will deepen the CIO bench and add capacity and capability as our platform scales,” a spokesperson at the bank said.

Prior to this, Cheo was at HSBC Global Private Banking and Wealth, where he served as regional CIO for Southeast Asia and India, leading cross-asset investment strategies for UHNW clients, family offices, and institutional investors. He brings more than two decades of experience in multi-asset strategy, macroeconomic research, and thematic investing, including five years as senior economist with the Monetary Authority of Singapore.

Among recent changes, in December UBS said Chris Gelvin would be acting as interim head for group technology at the firm, adding to his chief operating officer, group technology role. It also announced that Chong Seng Kwa had been named chairman of Singapore and Southeast Asia, effective 1 December 2025. See more here.