In the new role, Bathija will have regional responsibilities to accelerate the growth of the firm’s private banking and family office network across Asia, working closely with local teams in key markets such as Singapore and Hong Kong.
Bathija has over 25 years of experience across capital markets, private equity and private banking. He most recently served as the managing director of BNP Paribas Wealth Management, focusing on the family office segment in Southeast Asia.
The new appointment is amid Asia’s rising prosperity, which is reshaping the global investment landscape, says Bucaro. High-net-worth investors in the region are increasingly looking for more complex, diversified and global investment solutions, he adds.
“[Bathija’s] extensive industry experience and wide network of relationships, combined with Franklin Templeton’s diverse suite of public and private market investment capabilities, will put us in a stronger position to deliver more bespoke investment solutions and become the partner of choice for private banks and ultra-high-net-worth channels in Asia.”
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