On-Demand Webcast: Uncovering Opportunities with Thematic Investing

Julian Liu

Executive Chairman | Yuanta SITC

Julian Tsung-Sheng Liu, Chairman of Yuanta SITC(Yuanta Securities Investment Trust Co. Ltd.), under Julian’s leadership, Yuanta SITC is not only the largest ETF provider and the most profitable asset management company in Taiwan, but also extended its ETF sub-advisory arms to other countries in Asia. Julian has been invited by Bursa Malaysia Berhad to be the advisor for developing innovative ETFs in Malaysia since 2018, and has strategic partnership with Kenanga Investors Berhad (“Kenanga Investors”) to launch the first L&I ETFs to be benchmarked against the FTSE Bursa KLCI (“KLCI”) in Malaysia in 2020.

Julian is the founder of ETFs, and founded the first ETF in Taiwan in 2003 and has continued to innovate the Taiwan ETF industry for over 17 years. Yuanta SITC has achieved numerous milestones in the ETF market since 2014 by launching its first leveraged and inverse ETFs, futures-based commodity ETFs, bond ETF, and ETF feeder fund. As well as emphasizing product innovation, Julian is continually putting more effort into investor education and ETF promotion. At the end of 2019, Yuanta owned over 600,000 ETF beneficiaries, covering over 66% of the market.

Yuanta has incorporated sustainability into its investment processes, and will offer sustainable investment solutions to its clients. In developing the next generation of the ETF market, Yuanta has combined AI, machine learning and quantitative model with investment and is transforming from an ETF product provider to an ETF solution provider in the future to keep up with the needs of Taiwan investors.

In overseas market expansion, Yuanta SITC has expanded its sub-advisory arm and duplicated its successful experience into other Asian countries including China, Thailand, Hong Kong, Malaysia, and partnered with Mirae in Korea, MUTB in Japan.

Julian was recognized as the best CEO in Taiwan and Asia by numerous renowned magazines such as Asia Asset Management and The Asset. Julian became PhD of Economics from Shanghai University of Finance and Economic in 2009. Currently Julian is Assistant Professor of few regional universities and has written and published more than 60 books.

Laura Ryan

VP, Regional Director, APAC Sales | FactSet

Ms. Laura Ryan is Factset’s Director, Head of Analytics Specialty Sales and Support, Asia Pacific. She has over 15 years of experience in complex enterprise sales across data, analytics, and front & middle office operations. In this role, her team supports Asset Owners and the Investment Management community with Factset’s best-in-class portfolio analytics software for performance, attribution, and risk.

Prior, Ms. Ryan began at Cantor Fitzgerald/BGC Partners where she focused on FX interdealer brokerage and fixed income trading platforms. She also has experience as Head of Buy-side Sales & Listed Trading Solutions at Refinitiv, APAC Sales Head at Eze Software Group, and Tora Trading, as well as launching the APAC ex-Japan operation of Orbital Insight, a leading geospatial analytics firm. Ms. Ryan earned a bachelor’s degree in Business Management from Bucknell University.

Simon Karaban

Head of Index Services | Singapore Exchange

Simon Karaban is Head of Index Services at Singapore Exchange (SGX). He joined SGX in March 2013 and has lead the development and build of the index business for SGX through the introduction of new technology, indices and index services for global clients.

Prior to SGX, Mr. Karaban was the Director of Research and Design for S&P Dow Jones Indices based in Hong Kong, where he led the R+D initiatives for indices across asset classes for the Asia Pacific region. Prior to S&P he worked for Morningstar as a Product Manager for the research data business, developing and commercializing research data solutions for institutional clients.

Mr. Karaban graduated from the University of Sydney with a Bachelor of Economics. He also holds a Masters in Finance from the University of Technology, Sydney.

Jeremy Zhou

Head of Index Solutions | FactSet

Mr. Jeremy Zhou is Vice President, Head of Indexing Solutions at FactSet. In this role, his main responsibilities include alternative data sourcing, index creation and partnership, and investment strategy consulting. Together with top tier index providers and fund sponsors, Mr. Zhou has led the creation of a suite of smart-beta/thematic indices that power exchange-traded funds, unit investment trusts, and passive funds with more than $7 Billion assets under management. Prior to joining FactSet in 2013, Jeremy was a senior executive with Revere Data—a leading alternative data firm acquired by FactSet—and held positions as Head of Index Solutions, Associate Director of Product Strategy, and Director of Healthcare Equity Research. From 2011 to 2013, Jeremy was also a Portfolio Manager for Covestor Ltd.—now part of the Interactive Brokers Group. Mr. Zhou earned a Master of Public Health and a B.S. in Nutrition & Toxicology from the University of California, Berkeley. He is also a CFA charterholder and a member of the CFA Society San Francisco.