Jersey Finance names China business development director

Jersey Finance, the marketing arm of Jersey’s financial services industry, has named An Kelles as it business development director for greater China, it said in a statement.

Kelles’ main responsibility is to manage the firm’s strategy in China, including identifying opportunities and expanding Jersey’s activities in the region.

She replaces Yumei Zhang, who has been hired by the Bank of New York Mellon as its wealth director for global fiduciary services, according to Zhang’s LinkedIn profile.

Before joining Jersey Finance, Kelles was a business unit director for the European and private equity teams of the Intertrust Group’s Hong Kong office. Earlier in her career, she was a corporate lawyer and business unit manager at ATC Corporate Services in Luxembourg, before its merger with the Intertrust Group.

“We see the greater China region as an area of growth and opportunity for the future prospects of Jersey’s finance industry,” Richard Corrigan, deputy chief executive officer at Jersey Finance, said.

“We are continuing to expand our range of promotional and business development activities, and embed Jersey’s reputation as a high quality jurisdiction in the region.”

Jersey Finance is a Jersey-based non-profit organisation that promotes opportunities for the island’s finance industry. It has offices in Jersey, Dubai, Mumbai and New Delhi, along with representation in London and a CBBC Launchpad in Shanghai. It launched its Hong Kong office in 2009 to kick-start fund management and advisory services in the region.

A third of the Chinese companies that have listed in London have done so through Jersey. According to Jersey Finance, the net asset value of private equity funds under administration in Jersey stands at £46 billion ($61 billion; €55 billion).