BNP Partners confirms that it has submitted authorization applications to financial services regulators in 3 Southeast Asia countries as it prepares to expand operations into ASEAN. The Shanghai, China-based boutique brokerage and wealth manager says the applications are the first step towards establishing what it calls a “beach head” in one of the world’s most exciting trading blocs.

“We stand by our decision to tackle this expansion without resorting to acquisition of existing operations in any of the jurisdictions we surveyed,” explained Gerald E. Powers, Chief Investment Officer at BNP Partners. “We’d rather build from the ground upwards by establishing a benchmark in terms of service rather than joining the fray offering more or less what competitors are providing,” he added.

The applications for authorization focus on permission to offer investment advice, administer client funds via segregated accounts and, in a departure from the remit at its existing operations, authorization to form its own branded mutual funds to investors.

“We’re hoping to open the first of three new offices in Asia where, to some extent, there is a fledgling wealth management industry if only in the form of established, foreign bank players like Citigroup. We think we can make inroads by focusing on our personal service levels which have stood us in such good stead in China,” added Powers.

BNP Partners says it will likely open the next asian office by the second quarter of 2016, regulatory approval permitting with further operations following in the third and fourth quarters.

About BNP Partners:
At BNP Partners, they define effective wealth management as an overall strategy that seamlessly integrates their clients’ personal ROI (return-on-investment) aspirations with their investment management prowess.

Whilst today’s markets can often demonstrate the type of characteristics that have served to hamper the efforts of many traditional investment methodologies to secure the returns they once did, BNP Partners continue to secure exceptional returns for their esteemed clients utilizing a meticulously applied combination of those same traditional methods whilst diligently complementing them with new, pioneering techniques.