The latest moves in wealth management across Asia-Pacific.

KKR
US-based investments house Kohlberg Kravis Roberts, aka KKR, has appointed a head of strategy and business development for the Asia-Pacific region. The appointee is Kate Richdale, who was previously at Goldman Sachs.

Richdale will work with KKR’s senior leadership team in Asia to help the firm expand its platform across business and new investment strategies. The move adds to other recent investments in the Asia business. Over the past year, KKR hired two additional members, John Pattar and David Luboff, to head its real estate and infrastructure investing platforms, respectively. In addition, Brian Dillard relocated from KKR’s New York office to Hong Kong to lead the firm’s credit business.

“Asia-Pacific holds enormous opportunity for investment and partnership and is an integral part of KKR’s global growth strategy. Given our market position and commitment to building out our platform, now is the right time to bring in a talented executive like Kate Richdale,” Joseph Y Bae, co-president of KKR, said.

Richdale joins KKR from Goldman Sachs in Hong Kong, where she was chairman of investment banking in Asia Ex-Japan. Prior to that, she was the co-head of the firm’s investment banking division in Asia Ex-Japan. Before that, she worked at Morgan Stanley. 

New York-listed KKR has invested into the Asian region for about 15 years.

UOB
Singapore’s United Overseas Bank has appointed a new senior vice president as part of its efforts to scrutinise regional funds. The appointee is Ernst Low, formerly of AXA Insurance Singapore where he had been head of investment and wealth management.

UOB declined to comment on press reports of Low’s move.

Reports said he had been at AXA for four years, and prior to that, general manager for products and research at Professional Investment Services.