Be a Private Banker in Asia

If you ever fancy private banking be your investment banking career, you might want to consider relocating to Hong Kong. One more senior banker has moved his desk here.

After moving its CEO to Hong Kong in January 2010, HSBC is in advanced discussions to move Chris Meares, the global head of its private bank, from London to Hong Kong.

Apart from HSBC’s senior moves, JPMorgan has just relocated its head of international private banking unit, Douglas Wurth, from New York to Hong Kong in February. “Asia is seeing greater growth in the ultra-high-net-worth space than any other region.” said Douglas.

There are more than 2.4m dollar millionaires in Asia Pacific with a combined wealth of $7,400bn, according to the latest data from Merrill Lynch and Capgemini. The region is forecast to overtake North America as the world’s largest pool of wealth by 2013.


You might want to review my previous post of ‘how to become a private banker’


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Doug Wurth - Bio
JPMorgan Private Bank
Doug Wurth is a managing director of JPMorgan Securities Inc and global head of alternatives of JPMorgan Private Bank’s alternative investments group, which supervises over $33 billion in alternative investments including hedge funds, private equity and real estate. Doug is also a director and president of JPMorgan Private Investments Inc, which oversees private investment funds with $5 billion under management. Doug has been with JPMorgan since 1997, when he joined the Bank’s mergers and acquisitions group. He has helped lead the Private Bank’s global alternative investments business while based in San Francisco, London and New York. Prior to joining JPMorgan, he practiced law at the New York firm Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher, & Flom, and served as General Counsel to former Senator Robert Dole’s 1996 presidential campaign. Doug holds a B.A. from the University of Notre Dame and a J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law.



Investment Bankin Career - How to become a private banker