Tom Keenan appointed as Head of Wholesale Asia ex-Japan at Robeco

In this new role, Tom will lead the wholesale business for the firm in Asia excluding Australia and Japan and focus on expanding relationships with intermediaries including banks and wealth managers, insurance companies and independent financial advisors in the region. Based in Singapore, he will report to Graham Elliot, Head of Distribution Asia Pacific.

Tom has more than 17 years of experience in the asset management and financial services industries across Asia Pacific. He joins from Blackrock, where he held positions as Head of Private Bank & Wealth Distribution for Asia ex-Japan, based out of Singapore, and Head of iShares ETF Specialist Sales in Hong Kong. He also worked at BT Financial Group, Colonial First State and Fidelity International in Australia prior to joining Blackrock in 2007.

On his appointment, Tom Keenan said: “I am thrilled to join the Robeco team and to take up this new role. The fund distribution landscape in Asia is changing amid the rise of technology, mutual recognition and regulations. I have set myself the goal to turn these challenges into our competitive advantages. I also look forward to working with our local and global teams as we continue to develop and set up the pace across Asia.”

Robeco’s Head of Distribution Asia Pacific, Graham Elliot, said: “Asia is a strategically important market to Robeco and we have committed ourselves to growth in this region for which the wholesale business is expected to be a key component of this. Robeco offers a wide range of solutions that Asian wholesale clients are increasingly demanding, such as quantitative particularly factor-based investing, sustainability investing and innovative credits strategies. I am very excited to have Tom leading our Asia wholesale business operation and expansion. Tom's long and proven track record managing intermediary businesses in Asia will bring to our team new perspectives and skill sets."

Robeco has been present in the Asia Pacific region since 2005. The company has been growing its footprint via the addition of offices in Hong Kong, Shanghai, Singapore, Sydney and Tokyo. In 2016 Robeco announced that it had received a Wholly Foreign-Owned Enterprise (WFOE) business license and launched a China research team, located in Shanghai. That same year, Robeco also announced the opening of a new office in Singapore, with a focus on credit research and strengthening service to clients in the market and the broader Southeast Asia region. Growth in Asia Pacific is a key part of our strategy 2017-2021.