US investment manager Vanguard strengthens its Asia-Pacific business by relocating its veteran executive to lead the regional investment and equities divisions.

Vanguard, the US-based investment manager, has sent one of its senior executives to Australia to push forward its Asia-Pacific business, it said yesterday.

Rodney Comegys has been named head of investments Asia-Pacific and head of the equity investment group for Asia-Pacific. Comegys, who has been with the company for 14 years, previously led the ETF trading and index analysis teams in the US, which are part of the firm's equity investment group. This division manages 79 portfolios and manages $1.3 trillion in assets. 

In his new role, he will relocate to Vanguard's Australian head office in Melbourne, where he will take over the regional role from Gregory Davis. Davis is returning to the company's Pennsylvania headquarters to serve as the global head of the fixed income group. Comegys will be responsible for the Asia-Pacific region, leading a team a 53 investment professionals in Australia. 

Vanguard Investments' other Asia office are in Hong Kong, Singapore and Japan.