Nomura Launches Japan Shariah Active Core Fund to Harness Opportunities from Japan’s Economic Growth
January 20, 2025
Nomura Asset Management Malaysia obtained its fund management license in December 2006 from the Securities Commission Malaysia. The establishment of a local presence was part of our continued commitment to our clients in Malaysia, some of which, we have been servicing since 1990s from outside of Malaysia.
Nomura Asset Management Malaysia is a full-fledged asset manager with front-, middle- and back-office operations housed locally. We have grown from a 3-member team in 2006 to a combined staff strength of 57 (including Nomura Islamic Asset Management) as of 31 December 2024.
Our capabilities range from Domestic Equity, Domestic Fixed Income and Sukuk, Global Sukuk and Developed Markets Equities. Alongside Nomura Islamic Asset Management, we are signatories of the Malaysian Code for Institutional Investors. More of our efforts in Responsible Investing are published here.
As of 31 December 2024, the combined total assets under management of Nomura Asset Management in Malaysia stood at MYR 36.6 billion.
As of 31 December 2024, we have 12 funds with total AUM of MYR1.6 billion
Financial Year Ended | MYR | ||
---|---|---|---|
Date | 31.03.2025 | 31.03.2024 | 31.03.2023 |
Paid-up share capital | 5,000,000 | 5,000,000 | 5,000,000 |
Shareholders’ funds | 96,176,136 | 81,145,262 | 65,646,870 |
Revenue | 86,577,605 | 70,464,405 | 59,937,569 |
Profit/Loss before taxation | 33,899,584 | 29,209,071 | 21,411,219 |
Profit/Loss after taxation | 26,030,874 | 22,498,392 | 16,981,658 |
Managing Director / Country Head
Leslie Yap, CFA, is the Managing Director for Nomura Asset Management Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., and the Country Head for NAM’s business in Malaysia, since 1 November 2021. Prior to his appointment as Managing Director, he was the Head of Investments in Malaysia (a role he held since Apr 2015) where he oversees the global equities, Malaysian equities and Malaysian Fixed Income & Global Sukuk portfolio management teams in Kuala Lumpur.
Leslie has over 24 years of industry experience in funds management and research coverage. Together with the Global Equities team in Kuala Lumpur, he is responsible for the investment management of global developed market equities of over MYR 7 billion (Sept 2021), on behalf of Malaysia and overseas-based institutional investors.
Leslie is one of the contributing member of the Global Equity Strategy Committee and the Global Stock Selection Committee in Nomura Asset Management. He is also the Investment Committee member at Nomura Islamic Asset Management
Leslie holds a Bachelor’s degree in Engineering from the University of Nottingham, U.K. He is also a CFA charter holder.
Head of Malaysian Equities
Swee Fung Teoh joined NAMM as portfolio manager in Nov 2006 and currently heads and oversees the Malaysian Equities portfolio management team, with over 25 years of experience in the financial services industry. Swee Fung is one of the contributing member of the Pacific Basin ex Japan Investment Strategy and Stock Selection committees.
Chief Administrative Officer
Chooi Su May is the Chief Administrative Officer of Nomura Asset Management Malaysia Sdn. Bhd. and oversees the Corporate Administration, Fund Administration and Trading departments. She joined the Company in 2008 and prior to assuming her current role, she was the Head of Compliance, Risk and Legal in the Company.
Su May has over 20 years of working experience in the areas of compliance, legal, operational risks, audit and tax from various local and international companies across audit & tax advisory, insurance and capital markets industries.
Head of Compliance, Risk and Legal
Eric is the Head of Compliance, Risk and Legal department at Nomura Asset Management Malaysia. He joined NAMM in 2015 and prior to that, Eric was Head of Trust and Agency Services, Deutsche Bank (Malaysia) Berhad and Compliance Officer at Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ (Malaysia) Berhad
The Investment Committee members’ convene at least 4 times a year to review on investment offerings managed by Nomura Asset Management Malaysia. During the meetings, the members’ would review investment decisions undertaken on behalf of the funds’ managed by Nomura Asset Management Malaysia, evaluate on the investment performance of the funds’ against their respective investment objectives; as well as, deliberate on product development ideas.
Non-independent member
Hiew heads the Malaysia Fixed Income & Global Sukuk team, with more than 23 years’ experience in the industry. Hiew Teck Kong is one of the contributing member of the Emerging Bond Investment Meetings in Nomura Asset Management and actively participated in marketing roadshows showcasing Nomura Islamic Asset Management and Global Sukuk capabilities locally and in the Middle Eastern region, amongst others.
Independent member
Ms Julia joined the firm as an independent director on 27 August 2020 and brings with her over 30 years of working experience in the financial industry, since 1989. Ms Julia was previously at Principal Asset Management Berhad as the Chief Operating Officer, Asean region, overlooking operational divisions such as Finance, HR, Strategy, Legal, Risk, IT, Operations and Product Development across Principal Asset Management’s Southeast Asian entities. Before joining Principal Asset Management, Ms Julia was with CIMB Investment Bank Berhad for 23 years where her last position held was Head of Equities Malaysia and Head of Institutional Sales, ASEAN. Prior to that, Ms Julia was a fund manager at Arab Malaysia Investment Bank Berhad for 5 years. Ms Julia holds a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) Economics and Politics from University of London, School of Oriental & African Studies (SOAS).
Independent member
Dato’ Mona joined the firm as an independent director on 1 November 2023 and brings with her 31 years of experience in the capital markets, specialising in Malaysian equities, which includes close to 9 years in Equity Research and 20 years in Equity Sales. Dato’ Mona is currently the Investment Panel Member at Lembaga Tabung Angkatan Tentera and prior to that she was the Chief Executive Officer at Affin Hwang Investment Bank Berhad. Prior to joining Affin Hwang Investment Bank Berhad, Dato’ Mona was the Country Head and Managing Director at Nomura Securities Malaysia. Dato’ Mona and her team at Nomura were instrumental in establishing and growing the firm’s Malaysian equities franchise from the ground up over the past 11 years. Before joining Nomura, she was Vice President of Institutional Sales at JPMorgan Securities Malaysia. Dato’ Mona began her career in the capital markets in 1991 as an investment analyst in various financial institutions which include Arab Malaysian Securities, Standard Chartered Securities Malaysia and Crosby Securities Malaysia. She also served as Head of Research at MGI Securities Malaysia. Dato’ Mona holds a BSc (Econs) in Accounting from the University College of Wales, Aberystwyth
Managing Director / Country Head
Leslie Yap, CFA, is the Managing Director for Nomura Asset Management Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., and the Country Head for NAM’s business in Malaysia, since 1 November 2021. Prior to his appointment as Managing Director, he was the Head of Investments in Malaysia (a role he held since Apr 2015) where he oversees the global equities, Malaysian equities and Malaysian Fixed Income & Global Sukuk portfolio management teams in Kuala Lumpur.
Leslie has over 24 years of industry experience in funds management and research coverage. Together with the Global Equities team in Kuala Lumpur, he is responsible for the investment management of global developed market equities of over MYR 7 billion (Sept 2021), on behalf of Malaysia and overseas-based institutional investors.
Leslie is one of the contributing member of the Global Equity Strategy Committee and the Global Stock Selection Committee in Nomura Asset Management. He is also the Investment Committee member at Nomura Islamic Asset Management.
Leslie holds a Bachelor’s degree in Engineering from the University of Nottingham, U.K. He is also a CFA charter holder.
Director
Atsushi Ichii was appointed as the Managing Director of Nomura Islamic Asset Management Sdn Bhd on 4 December 2020. He has over 25 years of experience in the financial and capital markets industry, from both the sell-side and buy-side. He began his career at Nomura Securities in 1991 and since then, he has undertaken various business development roles in Nomura Group and other Japanese financial institutions. Throughout his career, he has worked in various countries such as Japan, Hong Kong, Switzerland, and countries in the Middle East, such as Bahrain and U.A.E
Independent director
Ms Julia joined the firm as an independent director on 27 August 2020 and brings with her over 30 years of working experience in the financial industry, since 1989. Ms Julia was previously at Principal Asset Management Berhad as the Chief Operating Officer, Asean region, overlooking operational divisions such as Finance, HR, Strategy, Legal, Risk, IT, Operations and Product Development across Principal Asset Management’s Southeast Asian entities. Before joining Principal Asset Management, Ms Julia was with CIMB Investment Bank Berhad for 23 years where her last position held was Head of Equities Malaysia and Head of Institutional Sales, ASEAN. Prior to that, Ms Julia was a fund manager at Arab Malaysia Investment Bank Berhad for 5 years. Ms Julia holds a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) Economics and Politics from University of London, School of Oriental & African Studies (SOAS).
Independent member
Dato’ Mona joined the firm as an independent director on 1 November 2023 and brings with her 31 years of experience in the capital markets, specialising in Malaysian equities, which includes close to 9 years in Equity Research and 20 years in Equity Sales. Dato’ Mona is currently the Investment Panel Member at Lembaga Tabung Angkatan Tentera and prior to that she was the Chief Executive Officer at Affin Hwang Investment Bank Berhad. Prior to joining Affin Hwang Investment Bank Berhad, Dato’ Mona was the Country Head and Managing Director at Nomura Securities Malaysia. Dato’ Mona and her team at Nomura were instrumental in establishing and growing the firm’s Malaysian equities franchise from the ground up over the past 11 years. Before joining Nomura, she was Vice President of Institutional Sales at JPMorgan Securities Malaysia. Dato’ Mona began her career in the capital markets in 1991 as an investment analyst in various financial institutions which include Arab Malaysian Securities, Standard Chartered Securities Malaysia and Crosby Securities Malaysia. She also served as Head of Research at MGI Securities Malaysia. Dato’ Mona holds a BSc (Econs) in Accounting from the University College of Wales, Aberystwyth
Chief Administrative Officer / Director
Chooi Su May is the Chief Administrative Officer of Nomura Asset Management Malaysia Sdn. Bhd. and oversees the Corporate Administration, Fund Administration and Trading departments. She joined the Company in 2008 and prior to assuming her current role, she was the Head of Compliance, Risk and Legal in the Company. She was appointed as director in June 2022.
Su May has over 20 years of working experience in the areas of compliance, legal, operational risks, audit and tax from various local and international companies across audit & tax advisory, insurance and capital markets industries.
Director
Suzuki Kenichi is the Senior Managing Director and Head of the Global Business Unit at Nomura Asset Management, with over 30 years of experience in asset management and financial services. He has held numerous leadership roles across Nomura’s global offices, including in Japan, Luxembourg, Taiwan, and the UK. Most recently, as CEO of Nomura Asset Management UK, he manages 70 staff, drives business expansion, and implements key corporate strategies. His expertise spans trading, fund management, corporate communications, human resource, and business development, reflecting his deep knowledge of the financial industry and commitment to driving business growth and operational excellence. Suzuki Kenichi holds Bachelor of Science from the Kwansei Gakuin University, Japan.
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