Most recently, Hepner worked with Standard Life Investments (now Standard Life Aberdeen), having joined the firm in 1997. Nicola comes from Aviva Investors in Singapore. She has also worked at Standard Chartered Bank in Dubai and Hong Kong, and BNP Paribas in New York. M&G Investments named two investment directors from its London headquarters to join the Asia team. Ajay Patel joined the Hong Kong office and continued his role as an investment director with the private funds investments team whose portfolio is currently invested across Europe, Asia, Australia and Latin America. Pierre Chartres joined the Singapore office as an investment director and will continue to work with M&G's Retail Fixed Interest team in London. Allfunds, a firm that provides intermediation and investment services to banks and other financial players, named a new team in Singapore, who are moving into new offices to handle expansion.