Baring Asset Management, the London-headquartered investment house which is part of MassMutual Financial Group, has appointed Laura Luo as head of Hong Kong China equities, effective 12 September.

Luo will be responsible for managing the Hong Kong China equities team as well as being lead manager on the Baring Hong Kong China Fund and segregated portfolios.

Based in Hong Kong, she will report to Wilfred Sit, chief investment officer of Asia. She replaces Agnes Deng, who has left the firm.

Luo has over 17 years’ experience of researching and investing in Hong Kong China equities and joins from Schroder Investment Management, where she worked for over 12 years.

Winston Ke will become lead manager on the Baring China A-Share Fund and all China A-Share segregated portfolios, effective immediately. He will report to Luo.

Ke joined Baring Asset Management in April 2010 from First State Cinda Asset Management in Shenzhen, China, where he covered China A-Share markets.

In other recent news, last month Baring Asset Management appointed James Ross to the newly created role of director of investment process.