Kishore Mahbubani joins fund manager as chairman

Professor Kishore Mahbubani has parked his money with Aggregate Asset Management for nearly three years.
Professor Kishore Mahbubani has parked his money with Aggregate Asset Management for nearly three years.

Academic and former diplomat Kishore Mahbubani has gone from client to chairman at a boutique fund manager.

Five-year-old Aggregate Asset Management (AAM) announced yesterday that the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy dean has joined the board as non-executive chairman and non-executive director.

He has parked his money with the fund house, which sets a minimum investment amount of $150,000, for almost three years.

Professor Mahbubani, who also serves on other boards, including those of Zurich Insurance Group and commodity giant Wilmar International, told The Straits Times: "I look forward to enhancing the team's pool of knowledge by lending relevant geopolitical insights to navigate market cycles."

The ex-diplomat last year gave a keynote address on the economic potential of the rise of Asia at a retirement seminar jointly organised by AAM and The Business Times.

AAM, which opened in 2012, made a splash in the wealth management scene here by being the first fund house to charge only a performance fee and not a management fee. Its flagship fund has since recorded a net average of 11.31 per cent in annualised total returns.

Prof Mahbubani added: "I believe in the management team's capabilities and the long-term performance prospects of the fund, investing in the untapped opportunities across Asia's high-growth emerging markets."

Annabeth Leow

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on September 26, 2017, with the headline Kishore Mahbubani joins fund manager as chairman. Subscribe