Switzerland’s Pictet Asset Management has hired a vice president, business development, for Asia-Pacific, with a focus on expanding the business in Hong Kong and Macau.

Laurence Lo will be responsible for developing retail fund distribution in Hong Kong and Macau, according to a statement from the bank. He will report to Lawrence Tse, head of distribution, Asia-Pacific.

Lo was previously senior manager, distribution sales, at France's BNP Paribas Investment Partners since 2007. He has also held various business development related roles at JP Morgan Asset Management, DBS Bank and Standard Chartered Bank.

“This appointment supports the continued expansion of Pictet Asset Management in Asia especially where distribution is one of our key initiatives," said Amy Cho, managing director and regional head of business development, Asia-Pacific.

She added that the firm recently established Pictet's own securities investment consulting enterprise (SICE) office in Taiwan in a bid to develop a greater distribution market share.