UBS announced the launch of a new China research platform in yet another move to bolster its capabilities and presence in the onshore market.
The «China 360» platform will provide thematic research covering a range of key areas in the country including internet, TMT (technology, media and telecom), consumer, gaming, fintech, property, financials and macroeconomics.
«China 360 seeks to build on the unique position UBS has developed in China over the past two decades and will translate not only in to written product but also bespoke access in the form of high-touch expert access and bespoke tours,» said Damien Horth, global head of new business initiatives at UBS Global Research, in a statement.
360 Staff
The China 360 team is powered by UBS Evidence Lab – a unit made up of hundreds of sell-side experts worldwide focused on creating datasets and providing insights on over 4,000 companies.
The unit operates independently from UBS’s traditional research arm and will be led by Natalie Cade, former deputy head and research director of CLSA’s China Reality Research who joined the Swiss bank in September last year.
«Collectively, the team has in excess of 70 years of experience, deep industry knowledge and is supported by an on-the-ground network,» Cade said. «The team will use UBS Evidence Lab data on thousands of companies to help contextualize our perspective and provide clients evidence-based insight as we aim to help them make better investment decisions.»
Mainland Drive
UBS's ambitious expansion plan in mainland China is no surprise to the market. In addition to becoming the first foreign player to up its securities joint venture stake in late 2018, the Zurich-based bank recently doubled its China headcount early and unveiled hopes to secure a digital banking license.
Concurrently, there are new policy-driven opportunities ahead to be capitalized that will find good use of research on mainland China including the recently introduced cross-border wealth management scheme targeting the Greater Bay Area.
