As head of regional client and sales management for the intermediaries and infrastructures unit in Asia-Pacific, Dirckx, based in Hong Kong, will lead a team handling high-profile banks and broker dealer clients. He will also focus on building partnerships with infrastructure clients, including regional exchanges, central depositaries and clearing corporations.

Junko Nishioka Head of research, Japan RBS Securities Japan

Nishioka will take responsibility for a team of analysts in Japan spanning economics, rates strategy and analytics as well as maintaining her current role as chief Japan economist. She joined RBS from ABN Amro in May 2007 as a senior economist and was previously an economist at Mitsubishi UFJ Securities and an economist at Bank of Japan.

Akito Fukunaga Chief rates strategist, Japan RBS Securities Japan

Fukunaga will be responsible for research and analysis of Japanese government bonds and other yen-denominated fixed-income products. He had worked at Credit Suisse Securities as a fixed-income strategist and at AIG Star Life as an actuary. Fukunaga obtained a master's degree in physics from the University of Tokyo and is a fellow of the Institute of Actuaries of Japan.

KK Lau Senior president - corporate network Integrity

Lau has more than 38 years of experience in insurance. He has won various local and international honours including the million dollar round table, the distinguished salesman and distinguished manager awards. Lau has been a member of the Lions Club of Castle Peak since 1977.

Faith Chu President - corporate network Integrity

Chu has more than 27 years of experience in insurance. He was previously a senior district director at a leading insurance company. He is the founder and president of HappyMen Foundation. Chu has a bachelor's degree in business administration from the University of Northern Virginia.

Samuel Lim Executive sous chef Langham Place

Lim's career has spanned fine dining from Singapore's Raffles Hotel to contemporary cuisine at Dubai's underwater restaurant, Al Mahara. Most recently he was chef de cuisine at City of Dreams in Macau. At Langham Place, Lim will oversee cuisine at four of the hotel's five restaurants and bars.

Amy Ho Director of public relations (Asia) Langham Hotels International

Ho will develop strategic publicity campaigns for the group's hotels and new properties. She will be responsible for media exposure in key feeder markets, including China, Thailand and Singapore. She was previously with Estee Lauder.

Alec Tong Group finance director Dairy Farm International

Tong has been with Jardine Matheson for 17 years where he held a number of senior finance positions, including finance director of Jardine Motors and Jardine Pacific. He is a qualified chartered accountant, and holds a bachelor of science (honours) degree from Manchester University and a master of science from Leeds University in Britain.

Steven Liu Head of corporate DLA Piper

Liu will be overseeing private equity and venture capital matters for the region. He has been a partner in the group for three years. Liu has a broad background in corporate work specialising in mergers and acquisitions and capital markets. He began his career in Silicon Valley before relocating to China in 2006.

Artem Volynets First deputy chief executive En+ Group

Volynets was previously director for corporate strategy and business development at Rusal. He will lead the execution of group strategy as it works to become a development fund, investing in the metals, mining and energy markets, and strategically related industries in Russia and abroad.

Eric Wong Operational risk analyst Newedge

Wong joins the operational risk management team for Asia-Pacific and will be based in Hong Kong. He came from Ernst & Young, where he was working on the audit engagements of a number of global financial institutions. Wong graduated from Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, majoring in accounting. He is a certified public accountant.