CGS International Expands Regional Asset Management Capabilities, Introduces New Initiatives to Support ASEAN Capital Markets Rejuvenation

SINGAPORE, Oct. 15, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- ASEAN bourses are churning out initiatives to rejuvenate their capital markets; from Singapore's S$5 billion Equities Development Programme, Malaysia's Catalysing MSME (Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises) Access to the Capital Market Roadmap, and Thailand's Capital Market Attractiveness Initiative, broadening investor access has become an important enabler in their strategies.

To support the rejuvenation efforts, CGS International Securities Pte Ltd (CGS International) has been working to introduce more deals to the markets, such as secondary listings of Chinese firms in Singapore, and dual listing of Singapore-listed UMS Holdings' secondary listing on Bursa Malaysia.

The Group's Asset Management team in Singapore is further supporting this effort with the introduction of a new discretionary portfolio mandate. Named CGSI Ascend Access Strategy, it is designed to offer investors access to IPOs and secondaries traditionally reserved for institutional investors, and disciplined stock selection in recently listed equities in ASEAN and Hong Kong, targeting at least 50% allocation to Singapore. Through this, they can participate in ASEAN's growth story, as well Hong Kong's renewed strength as a leading global IPO market.

Strong Asset Management Team with Regional Expertise

CGS International's seasoned Asset Management team comprises:

• James Ong, Group Head of Asset Management, an industry veteran with 29 years of proven track record in asset management, strategic planning and governance.
• Phua Zhenghao, Group Head of Investments, with over 15 years of investment experience in leading multi-asset portfolios in global institutions, consistently delivering tactical outperformance.
• Grace Yan, Senior Portfolio Manager, has more than 17 years of expertise in Asia's (ex-Japan) small- and mid-cap equities, built on a career that spans portfolio management and fundamental equity research.

Together, the team brings institutional-grade discipline and regional insight to every allocation. It will leverage the research depth of CGS International's award-winning research teams in Asia and deep regional presence and connectivity to provide an end-to-end perspective few other firms can provide.

James said, "CGS International is expanding our regional investment capabilities to give our clients access to rising opportunities in both public and private spaces in Asia. Starting with the CGSI Ascend Access Strategy, we provide regional expertise to broaden public market access, and independent governance through the appointment of equities market veteran, Chew Sutat, as Chair of the Investment Committee. Our highly experienced team is well-placed to provide high-conviction deal participation, alpha from recently listed equities, disciplined risk management and dynamic capital preservation, as we introduce more products for our investors in the future."

About CGS International Securities

CGS International Securities Pte. Ltd. ("CGS International") is an award-winning and market leading integrated financial services provider, ranked among the top securities houses in Asia.

CGS International taps on our wealth of global and ASEAN insights to offer equities trading, leveraged products, wealth management, investment banking, equities research, Shariah-compliant financing, fixed income, currency and commodities, structured products and prime brokerage services in over 15 countries and regions.

Along with its parent organisation China Galaxy Securities, a leading securities house in China, CGS International is trusted by close to 18 million customers globally.

Find out more at www.cgsi.com.