JPMorgan adds to equity derivatives headcount

JPMorgan has made three new appointments to its China equity derivatives operations. The new hires will focus on domestic Chinese clients as part of the bankÆs strategy to tap the rapid growth of equity derivatives activity on the mainland.

The firm hopes to enhance its platform with localised structuring, marketing and sales capabilities in order to customise deals more effectively and enhance opportunities for JPMorganÆs Chinese counterparts.

The new appointments consist of Jackie Lin, Brian Bai and Yvonne Shen, all vice-presidents. Lin will be responsible for developing the equity derivatives groupÆs institutional marketing business for China, and promoting the bankÆs equity derivatives, fund derivatives and alternative strategy products to institutional clients. She joins from ABN AMRO where she was responsible for fund-linked derivatives marketing. Prior to this, Lin worked with BOCI Securities.

Bai joins the group's institutional marketing team from Standard Chartered bank in Shanghai. There he focused on the sale of structured FX, interest rates and commodity derivatives to Chinese companies, state-owned enterprises and institutional clients. Before this, Bai worked at ABN AMRO.

Shen joins the investor sales team to promote the distribution of access products (derivatives that allow local investors to access foreign markets) to domestic Chinese QDII asset managers. She comes from Bank of Shanghai where she headed bond brokerage and product design for domestic institutions. Shen will cover the China markets and be based in Hong Kong.

JPMorgan has focused heavily on systems development and expanding its resources to build its equity derivatives platform in Asia, transforming the business in the past year to leverage its strengths in the region, according to a press release. These include, according to the bank, a strong cash equities business, a strong private bank in Asia and an onshore commercial banking presence in 16 countries in Asia.