Comgest, an independent, international asset management group focused on growth investing, has appointed Jimmy Chen (pictured), as an Analyst specialising in Asian equities, with a focus on the Chinese market.
The appointment is the latest move to add further depth to Comgest’s research capabilities on the ground in Asia, which the team believes will continue to be an attractive hunting ground for quality growth companies, particularly in light of the increasing accessibility of the domestic Chinese share market by foreign investors.
As the third native Mandarin speaker in the 12-strong Asia Pacific ex Japan investment team, Chen will be responsible for research and analysis of companies that offer long-term investment opportunities in the region, following Comgest’s investment process of bottom-up stock picking.
Based in Hong Kong, he will work closely with lead Portfolio Manager David Raper, who heads up the firm’s Asian research team, as well as Baijing Yu and Jasmine Kang, Analyst/Portfolio Managers dedicated to the firm’s Greater China strategy, which was launched in 2001.
Prior to joining Comgest, Chen worked for Sanford C Bernstein as a Senior Research Associate specialising in Asian regional telecoms. He previously spent five years as a consultant with Bain & Company working with clients across a number of industries, ranging from consumer to industrial, and was based in Australia and China. Jimmy holds a Bachelor’s degree in Commerce & Law from the University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
Arnaud Cosserat, Comgest CEO and CIO, says: “We are proud of our track record in Asian equities which spans over 25 years, having opened our Hong Kong research office in 1993. In a market where local research and language skills are key, we have continued to invest in our resource base, establishing a strong and diverse team that is well equipped to deal with the expanding opportunity set. Jimmy’s breadth of knowledge and research expertise within the Asian equities space, including his in-depth understanding of China, is a great addition to our company. Jimmy will bolster the research capability of our Asian team, furthering our objective of ensuring we identify high quality sustainable growth companies for our portfolios, in line with our long-term approach.”
