Thailand Wealth Management – where does the industry go from here?

Don Charnsupharindr was appointed Retail Banking Head on December, 2015, with overall responsibility for Retail Banking functions. Prior to this, he was Head of Wealth Management Products and Banking Branch Distribution. Don joined Thailand Wealth Management Products in 2012 and achieved many new business records, including hitting new highs in revenue every year and giving the previously deposit-centric portfolio a greater investment focus. In 2015 Don extended his responsibility to cover Banking Branch Distribution, where he oversaw the successful launch of the new Smart Branch. Prior to joining the Retail Banking division in Thailand, in 2010 Don was selected as one of the bank’s Asia Pacific FastTrax employee. His first assignment was to head the Premium Segment for the Credit Cards business in Thailand, where he led the launch of the Ultima Card, and the re-launch of Citibank Select and Citibank Rewards. In July 2011, he rotated to the Retail Business unit in Japan, where he focused on the smart banking model. Don joined Citi in September 2003 as a Management Associate. His first placement was in the Global Transaction Services business as a Trade Product manager. Between 2004 and 2008 he was assigned to Citicorp Securities (Thailand) as a Capital Markets originator. During that period Don was responsible for working closely with Thai issuers across domestic and cross-border bond issuances; syndicate loans; project finance; equity; and advisory. He led several key transactions, including the innovative project finance bond for Gulf Electric in 2006 that won the best Project Finance Deal award in Asia from Project Finance Magazine. In late 2008 Don transitioned to the role of coverage banker, overseeing relationships with a list of corporate clients managed by the Top Tier Local Corporate team. Don graduated from Harvard College (Cum Laude in Social Studies, Class of 2003). He was the recipient of a prestigious Thai King’s Scholarship in 1998, a distinction granted annually to the top 9 students across the country. He is a certified Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA).

Jon is Head of Investment Solutions in the Wealth Management Department at Phatra Securities.  He oversees investment solutions and product selections for the Wealth Management Department.  He has over 18 years of experience in the financial industry both domestically and internationally.  He joined Phatra in 2010 and was Head of Hedge Fund Department which managed systematic investment strategies in Thailand and Asia. Prior to joining Phatra Securities, Jon worked for three years at Barclays Global Investors in San Francisco.  He was a quantitative researcher in the Scientific Active Equities which managed global active equity products, including global hedge funds in both developed and emerging markets.  He spent five years as an economist at the U.S. Federal Reserve Board in Washington D.C. where he was responsible for conducting policy work and researching on international financial markets.  Besides frequently briefing Board members, he also published his research in top academic journals.  Jon holds a PhD in economics from Duke University and his BA in economics from Chulalongkorn University.

Thiyachai Chong is the Managing Director of Phillip Asset Management Thailand and a Director at Phillip Life Assurance since 2018. Leading a management turnaround by focusing on a more customer-centric business model as well as industry leading investment solutions, Thiyachai is particularly passionate on increasing financial inclusion, especially amongst the unbanked. Prior to this, he was the VP of Product and Business Development at Phillip Securities Thailand which focused on curating the world’s leading financial products and services, and customizing it for the local Thai market. Before moving to Thailand, Thiyachai consulted for Thomson Reuters in New York City, USA and Vancouver, Canada for 7 years, advising the world’s leading portfolio management firms, hedge funds, investment banks and government agencies on investment and risk management strategies. He started his investment management career at the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA), one of the world’s largest sovereign wealth funds in 2007. Thiyachai is a Bachelor of Commerce (Finance) graduate at the University of British Columbia, Canada with a postgraduate exchange in Developmental Economics at the University of Cape Town, South Africa.

Voted “TOP 10 Most Influential People in FinTech” by Thai Fintech Association (TFTA) and “TOP 12 Popular Analyst in 2016” by Money Channel, Mr. Chonladet stands among the top Fintech GURUs in Thailand. As Chief Executive Officer and Co-founder of Robowealth Mutual Funds Brokerage Securities and Fintech (Thailand), He combines a wealth of innovative ideas and coordination with various regulatory bodies to become one of the major driving forces behind the technological disruption of the traditional finance industry. This includes managing and directing “odini”, Robowealth’s flagship product and Thailand’s 1st ever robo-advisory platform, as well as “INDEGO”, a robo-for-advisor service for high net-worth investors. Previously, Mr. Chonladet has held senior roles at Apple Wealth Securities, KKTRADE Securities (KKP Group) and Bualuang Securities, in addition to other roles at Thanachart Securities, Krungsri Securities, Wealth Management System, Siam Cement, and Bangkok Bank.

Khun Ittapat is a Partner at Wealth Planning and Family Office Advisory firm 159 Capitals, founded in 2018 alongside fellow partners Siriporn Lekhakul and Juthasree Kuvinichkul. In addition to his latest venture, Ittapat has built up extensive experience in wealth advisory, acting as an Executive Director at iWS Wealth Advisory since 2008, a role he still holds, with business development and financial planning responsibilities. He is also the CEO of Wealth Platforms Advisory, a training solutions provider to independent financial planners, insurance agents and business partners. Another role he continues to perform to date, since 2013, Ittapat is responsible for supporting IFA recruitment and training in his local market of Thailand. Further to these roles, Ittapat has previously been affiliated with DBS Vicker Securities (Thailand) as a Relationship Manager, as well as the likes of Scania Siam, Ford and Toyota Motor Asia Pacific, where he helped to establish its warranty procedure. Ittapat hails from Thailand’s Nakhon Ratchasima province and graduated in mechanical engineering from Suranaree University there in 2000.

Voted “TOP 10 Most Influential People in FinTech” by Thai Fintech Association (TFTA) and “TOP 12 Popular Analyst in 2016” by Money Channel, Mr. Chonladet stands among the top Fintech GURUs in Thailand. As Chief Executive Officer and Co-founder of Robowealth Mutual Funds Brokerage Securities and Fintech (Thailand), He combines a wealth of innovative ideas and coordination with various regulatory bodies to become one of the major driving forces behind the technological disruption of the traditional finance industry. This includes managing and directing “odini”, Robowealth’s flagship product and Thailand’s 1st ever robo-advisory platform, as well as “INDEGO”, a robo-for-advisor service for high net-worth investors. Previously, Mr. Chonladet has held senior roles at Apple Wealth Securities, KKTRADE Securities (KKP Group) and Bualuang Securities, in addition to other roles at Thanachart Securities, Krungsri Securities, Wealth Management System, Siam Cement, and Bangkok Bank.

Jon is Head of Investment Solutions in the Wealth Management Department at Phatra Securities.  He oversees investment solutions and product selections for the Wealth Management Department.  He has over 18 years of experience in the financial industry both domestically and internationally.  He joined Phatra in 2010 and was Head of Hedge Fund Department which managed systematic investment strategies in Thailand and Asia. Prior to joining Phatra Securities, Jon worked for three years at Barclays Global Investors in San Francisco.  He was a quantitative researcher in the Scientific Active Equities which managed global active equity products, including global hedge funds in both developed and emerging markets.  He spent five years as an economist at the U.S. Federal Reserve Board in Washington D.C. where he was responsible for conducting policy work and researching on international financial markets.  Besides frequently briefing Board members, he also published his research in top academic journals.  Jon holds a PhD in economics from Duke University and his BA in economics from Chulalongkorn University.

Michael is a prominent figure in the financial services industry in Asia. He is the founder and CEO of Hubbis, a renowned provider of intelligence and connectivity for the Asian wealth management industry. With a depth of experience and expertise, he has played a pivotal role in shaping the industry for over 30 years, becoming a leading industry presence in the events, professional development, and publishing space in the region. Hubbis is a multi-generational family-owned and managed business.

He has been actively involved in the Asia-Pacific region since 1993. And has lived in Asia since 1995, holding positions in Hong Kong, Sydney, and Singapore. 

For over 14-years, Hubbis has established itself as the gold standard media and events brand in wealth management thought leadership in Asia. Each year providing a very large body of cutting-edge editorial and sponsored content, organizing top-flight events. During that time Hubbis has become the platform of choice for many high-profile C-suite leaders to communicate their vision of the Asian wealth management.

Before his involvement with Hubbis, Michael founded Pacific Prospect in 2002, a financial services media company. Under his leadership, the company achieved significant success and was subsequently acquired by global business-to-business publisher Incisive Media in 2006. Michael continued to serve as the CEO of Pacific Prospect until October 2008. Prior to his entrepreneurial ventures, Michael garnered 5 years of experience in financial markets publishing.

His career in this field began in 1993 when he joined Euromoney Publications as the publisher of the quarterly magazine, International Bond Investor. In 1995, Michael joined Thomson Financial Services (now owned by LSEG) and spearheaded the conception and launch of Finance Asia magazine. During his tenure as Managing Director of Finance Asia, he also initiated the Asian Debt Review, Asian Private Capital Magazine, and the Finance Asia Conference Business. In 1997, he founded FIA Limited, further expanding his contributions to the financial publishing industry.

Born in North Wales, Michael served as the head boy of St David's College Llandudno. He holds a degree in Business Administration from Cardiff University. Beyond his professional endeavours, Michael is a family-oriented individual and is happily married with three children: Reanna, Garett, and Tarryn.