Eastspring hires ex-TPG Capital exec as new CFO

EASTSPRING Investments, the Asian investment management arm of Prudential plc, on Wednesday announced two senior appointments.

Francis Woo has joined as chief financial officer (CFO), while Joyce Chan was named head of intermediaries and, subject to regulatory approval, general manager of the Hong Kong office.

Based in Singapore, Mr Woo will work closely with the regional teams and also become a member of the management committee. He reports to Eastspring chief executive officer (CEO) Wai-Kwong Seck, and is responsible for the financial management of the business.

Before Eastspring, Mr Woo was CFO Asia for TPG Capital, overseeing the US private equity firm's profitability and the performance of its investments in Asia. Prior to joining TPG in 2012, he worked in investment banking with Credit Suisse Group, UBS Investment Bank and Credit Suisse First Boston.

Meanwhile, Ms Chan's appointment as general manager in Hong Kong, if approved, will allow Ooi Boon Peng to relinquish his position as Hong Kong CEO and focus on his role as Singapore CEO and head of investment strategies. She will oversee general administration and regulatory matters and report to Eastspring's head of distribution, Xavier Meyer.

In addition, as head of intermediaries in Hong Kong, Ms Chan will be responsible for driving the sales and distribution of Eastspring's products through key wholesale and intermediary distribution channels. In this role, she reports to head of intermediary sales Glen Lee, who is based in Singapore.

Ms Chan joins Eastspring from PineBridge Investments Asia, where she spent a decade mainly in business development roles. She has also worked with Allianz Global Investors, UBS Asset Management and HSBC Global Asset Management.