Sovereign Wealth Fund Institute

According to the press release, “Norwegian finance minister Sigbjørn Johnsen and Norges Bank’s governor Svein Gjedrem were in attendance on Wednesday when Norges Bank Investment Management (NBIM), manager of the Government Pension Fund Global, opened a new office in Singapore. The office will help NBIM’s existing office in Shanghai to cover the increasingly important Asia region.

Various representatives of the Singapore authorities and local business community, including trade and industry minister Lim Hng Kiang, were also at the opening ceremony.

“An office in Singapore will strengthen our operations in Asia,” commented Gjedrem. “Having a presence in a region with strong economic growth is important for achieving good management results.”

As one of Asia’s foremost financial centres, Singapore offers good investment opportunities and has a well-developed financial infrastructure. Asset management is a major industry in the country, making it possible for NBIM to recruit and retain skilled workers.

“The new office will be a good supplement to the Shanghai office opened in 2007,” commented NBIM’s CEO Yngve Slyngstad.

Sigmund Kyrdalen has been appointed general manager in Singapore. He is a senior portfolio manager at NBIM and managed NBIM’s London office for two years.  The Government Pension Fund Global had a market value of almost 2 800 billion kroner at the end of June. Around 10 percent of the fund is invested in Asia, and around 15 percent of its equity investments are in Asian companies.

Besides Singapore, NBIM has offices in Oslo, London, New York and Shanghai.”

Press Release: NBIM

Bloomberg reports, “Norges Bank Investment Management, which oversees Europe’s largest sovereign wealth fund, named a new team of executives after record losses last year wiped out gains from 12 years of investing Norway’s oil and gas revenue.

The 2.47 trillion-krone ($410 billion) Government Pension Fund – Global promoted Bengt Enge to chief investment officer, Trond Grande to chief risk officer and Age Bakker to chief operating officer, the Oslo-based fund said today. Mark Clemens from Citigroup Inc. will be chief administrative officer and Jessica Irschick from UBS AG chief treasurer.

‘NBIM now has a management team with considerable international financial markets experience, Yngve Slyngstad, the chief executive officer of the fund, said in a statement. Deputy CEO Stephen Hirsh also remains in his position.”

read more: Bloomberg