U.S. asset manager Franklin Templeton will strengthen its alternatives capabilities with the hire of an agri-food specialist for Asia Pacific.
Patrick Vizzone joins Franklin Templeton as a managing director and head of agri-food for its APAC alternatives group, according to a statement.
Based in Hong Kong, Vizzone reports to Jing Su Vivatrat, president and chief operating officer of the APAC alternatives group.
Vizzone has more than 25 years of experience with a focus on finance and the agri-food industry. He was previously international head of food, beverage and agribusiness and head of Hong Kong Coverage at ANZ Banking Group. In addition to other leadership roles at Rabobank and GE Capital Asia Pacific, Vizzone also served as a senior advisor to agri-food tech insights and venture capital manager Agfunder Inc, and an independent non-executive director at a Hong Kong-listed unit of Chinese agri-food giant COFCO Group for 13 years.
«Food security is increasingly a central economic and geo-political concern which will re-orient the global economy with long-lasting investment implications,» said Franklin Templeton APAC chairman Dr. Ben Meng.
