The Hong kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC) has opened a window right in Brunei through which Bruneian clients can access the world of investment opportunities, The Brunei Times reported on Thursday.

The bank Wednesday announced the opening of its Global Asset Management office in Bandar Seri Begawan, capital of Brunei.

"Around the world we've got quite a wide range of investment funds," said HSBC Brunei CEO Tareq Muhmood.

"The focus of this office is bringing that world to Brunei, so that Brunei investors have a chance to access it," he said.

The office, which provides an extension to its office in Singapore to serve the Southeast Asian market, will be taking advantage of HSBC's already extensive infrastructure in Brunei to provide client servicing as well as a marketing office for its investment products and solutions for its local customer base, said Mah Yeok Fun, CEO of HSBC Global Asset Management (Singapore).

Having started operations in January this year, the office in Brunei is currently focused more on the institutional market but will add resources to cover the retail market over time, Mah said.

"As the appetite for investment products increases here over time, we will have people based on the ground here to do the training and support the bank in marketing investment products to retail customers," said Mah.

Despite having a larger business in neighboring Indonesia, HSBC's overall market in Indonesia is smaller compared to Brunei, said Tareq.

Source: Xinhua