Barclays Wealth

Appointment underscores the importance of trust services as a key value proposition for Barclays Wealth's long term cross-generational client relationships

Barclays Wealth, the global wealth management division of Barclays PLC, today announces the appointment of Thelma Kwan as Head of Wealth Advisory, Asia Pacific.

Based in Hong Kong, Ms. Kwan will head the team of trust consultants in Hong Kong and Singapore, and oversee the provision and marketing of trust structuring and wealth advisory services to Barclays Wealth high net worth and ultra high net worth clients across Asia.  She reports to London-based Rob Withecombe, Barclays Wealth Head of Wealth Advisory, as well as to Didier von Daeniken, Chief Executive of Barclays Wealth Asia Pacific.

Prior to joining Barclays Wealth, Ms. Kwan was at LGT Management Services where she was Executive Director of Trust Services for the past three years. In that role, she was responsible for leading a team of trust consultants in marketing trust solutions to private banking clients in Asia. Ms. Kwan brings with her a total of 25 years of wealth advisory experience from various financial institutions, including more than ten years at HSBC.

In June 2010, Barclays Wealth obtained the license from the Monetary Authority of Singapore to conduct trust business in Singapore, and to provide a regulated platform for global clients seeking trust services out of Singapore. The set up of the Barclays Wealth Singapore Trust Company complements its Hong Kong Trust Company, and makes Barclays Wealth one of the few private banks in Asia to have a trust offering in the two major financial hubs and wealth management centres in Hong Kong and Singapore.

Rob Withecombe said, "Our Wealth Advisory proposition has been greatly strengthened recently through our ability to deliver a full service trust business, including trust structuring and succession planning to our Asian clients, as well as to provide a regulated platform for our global clients seeking trust services out of Singapore. I am confident that Thelma's appointment will further strengthen the Wealth Advisory teams in Asia, as we deliver continuous improvements in our service offerings."

Didier von Daeniken added, "Thelma's appointment underscores the importance of trust services as a key value proposition for our long term cross-generational client relationships. With someone of Thelma's calibre and experience leading our teams of trust consultants across Singapore and Hong Kong, I am confident that our wealth advisory services in Asia will be further enhanced to cater to the complex succession planning and trust structuring needs of our high net worth Asian clients."

The appointment of Ms. Kwan today follows on the heels of recent senior leadership appointments made by Barclays Wealth across Asia Pacific since the beginning of the year, including Vikram Malhotra, as Managing Director, Head of South Asia; Bryan Henning, as Managing Director, Head of Global Research and Investments, Asia; Urban Wilde, as Managing Director, Chief Risk Officer, Asia Pacific; Helen Pun as Market Head of Hong Kong; Soh Chye Guan as Head of Singapore and Malaysia; and Errie Maksum as Head of Indonesia.

For further information contact:

Gan Lee Meng, Barclays Wealth, Corporate Communications
+65 6308 3772

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