Nomura has appointed Kelvin Ho as head of Southeast Asia investment banking, according to an internal memo circulated by the firm on Monday. He replaces Patrick Lee, who has left the firm.
Ho has been part of the investment banking team at Nomura since 1995 and is described by the firm as “an experienced senior local hand”.
Lee’s departure is said to have been amicable and a spokesperson for Nomura said that he has decided to move away from a traditional investment banking role. He had been head of Southeast Asia investment banking since joining from UBS in August 2008. It is rumoured that he may be going to Standard Chartered.
Nomura also announced changes within its fixed income team on Monday. Samir Bhandari has become sole head of institutional sales for fixed income in Asia ex-Japan. His former co-head, George Sun, has left the bank. Bhandari reports to Takashi Abiko, head of fixed income sales, and Jai Rajpal, head of fixed income for Asia ex-Japan.
Henrik Melph will head Asia ex-Japan G10 flow rates distribution, while retaining his current global head of central bank and sovereign wealth fund sales role.
Vishal Sodha joins the fixed income division as a managing director in Hong Kong. He will be responsible for heading up the sales efforts in flow credit and illiquid credit distribution in Asia ex-Japan. He joins from Credit Suisse, where he was recently the head of credit sales for non-Japan Asia, including Australia. He will report to Bhandari.
