Global asset management firm TCW Group has announced the establishment of a new office in Tokyo to serve as a resource for TCW’s clients in Japan as the firm continues to grow the firm’s longstanding relationships with Japanese investors.

TCW has hired three experienced professionals for the Tokyo office: Hakusei Ko, Senior Vice President of Product Development; Tomohisa Yamaguchi, Senior Vice President of Retail Sales; and Manabu Kawamura, Director of Institutional Sales.

“For over 20 years, TCW has been providing a number of income-oriented investment products to a variety of Japanese investors, and establishing a permanent presence in Japan is a significant step as we work to better serve the needs of investors in the region,” said Stanislas L. Debreu, Executive Vice President, Head of International Marketing.  “We are very pleased to have such a high-caliber team and look forward to working with Manabu, Hakusei and Tomohisa as we work to further grow our business in Japan.”

Prior to joining TCW, Kawamura served as a Director and Head of the Financial Institution Business for BlackRock Japan, where he was responsible for selling and marketing investment strategies to Japanese institutional investors.  Before BlackRock, he was a Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Goldman Sachs Asset Management Japan, and he held a variety of senior-level positions with firms including State Street Global Advisors Japan and Shinkin Central Bank.

Ko joins TCW after working at BNP Paribas Investment Partners and Sompo Japan Nipponkoa Asset Management, where he developed investment products for both retail and institutional clients. He previously worked as an analyst in the Investment Banking Division at Daiwa Securities SMBC. He started his career at Mizuho Securities where he was involved in mutual fund operations.

Yamaguchi comes to TCW from UBS Global Asset Management and Sompo Japan Nipponkoa Asset Management, where he served as a manager on the retail marketing team.  Prior to Sompo Japan Nipponkoa Asset Management, Yamaguchi worked for Shinko Securities (now Mizuho Securities).

“TCW has a strong brand in the U.S. based on its long history and solid performance, and I am very pleased to work to deliver its leading products to Japanese institutions,” said Kawamura.  “We look forward to continuing to deliver TCW’s high quality investment solutions to the Japanese market.”

TCW’s new Tokyo office is located in the Shin-Marunouchi Building.