Associate Director - Client Group, Malaysia

Job Description

Who we are

Aberdeen Investments is part of Aberdeen Group plc, one of the UK’s leading Wealth & Investments groups.

Strengthening talent and culture is one of our strategic priorities. We strive to make Aberdeen a great place to work so that we can attract and retain the industry’s best talent.

Our people put our stakeholders at the heart of everything they do by helping us to make a positive difference to the lives of our clients, customers, colleagues, shareholders and society.

We are repositioning our specialist asset management business to meet client demand and are committed to providing excellent client service, supported by leading technology and talent.

As a global business, Aberdeen consists of three divisions: Investments, Adviser, and interactive investor (ii). Each division is dedicated to meeting and adapting to our clients' evolving needs.

Our Asia Pacific Investments business has a large, dedicated and highly experienced investment team which has been investing across the region since 1985, and manages all our Asian products, including regional, country, smaller companies, and sustainable investing propositions.

The team has a strong regional footprint with offices in Singapore, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Seoul, and Sydney. This breadth gives us close proximity to the companies we own and the markets we invest in. Our APAC operations have been based in Singapore since 1992. We invest in Asian companies to grow with them and to help them to become better investors.

Reporting to the Head of Institutional – South East Asia, the role is part of the team responsible for growing, diversifying and retaining aberdeen's funds under management with SEA institutions, focusing on Malaysia. Working closely with the Head of Institutional – South East Asia, as well as the Malaysian Client Group Team, including the Chief Executive Office – Malaysia, they will work with the Client Directors in identifying, building and managing of relationships with allocated key target institutions including central banks, sovereign wealth funds, insurers, endowment funds, government institutions and other official institutions predominantly in Malaysia.   

Working as part of the South East Asia (SEA) Institutional Client team, the role is flexible in playing both a leading role on designated client relationships, pitches and initiatives as well as supporting peers as 2nd chair on other accounts. The role is expected to mentor and guide junior team members as well as work closely with internal stakeholders, such as fund managers, consultant relations and client services to execute the sales and retention strategy.  

The role contributes to a robust and well-disciplined sales management process, including prospect identification, project managing complex client engagements (pitches and reviews), acting as the client advocate and ensuring timely and accurate management information.

The role maintains a high knowledge of aberdeen's investment capabilities and our prospects’ needs, in order to idea generate and produce effective client engagement points. 

This role is predominantly client facing and will build the aberdeen's brand in SEA, positioning aberdeen's as a premier investment house.

To support the execution of a focused sales strategy for the SEA market, predominantly Malaysia. This includes having individual responsibility for designated relationships and initiatives as well as supporting Client Directors in client relationships.

Identifying and prospecting new opportunities and relationships in support of the sales strategy.

Working with Client Directors to assist the Head of Institutional – South East Asia to develop the sales strategy and account plans, particularly for Malaysia.

Contribute to the building of significant funds under management across an array of investment strategies and solutions.

Work closely with internal stakeholders, including fund managers, legal and compliance and support teams to effectively project manage the team’s formal client engagements such as proposals, pitches and reviews.

Stay abreast of industry developments and collect market intelligence to feedback to the broader business.

To deliver on stated objectives around individual meeting activity, team pipeline development and team sales conversion.

Execute programmes required to support the sales effort (e.g. arrange appropriate fund manager / portfolio specialists' trips to raise aberdeen's profile and prospects).

Maintain a high level of knowledge on aberdeen's investment capabilities to match them with our prospects’ needs. In doing so, generate the ideas and ultimately produce the client engagement points to deepen our value-add to targeted prospects.

Work closely with the client service team to collectively own client retention, assist them in developing client relationships to effectively cover the day to day client servicing and work closely to troubleshoot client retention issues. Identify and support cross sell opportunities.

Understanding of the Asset Management industry, South East Asia regulatory environment and investment management.

Maintain an excellent knowledge of the sales process.

Track record in dealing with clients within Asset Management, including an ability to develop strong relationships.

Product experience that includes global equities, global fixed income, private markets and multi asset.

Self-starter, highly motivated and can work independently;

High level of personal integrity, regard for our clients and respect for colleagues;

Strong team ethos, with an ability to work in both a supporting and leading role;

Ability to professionally engage clients and represent the aberdeen's brand;

Ability to plan, organise and take initiative;

Outcome orientated, with a focus on achieving sales outcomes;

Excellent communication skills: written and spoken, both face to face and over the telephone.