Balyasny said to hire BNP Paribas veteran Moss for Asia ECM

Balyasny said to hire BNP Paribas veteran Moss for Asia ECM

Balyasny Expands Asia Macro Team Amid Industry Talent Shifts

Balyasny Asset Management has strengthened its Asia macro trading capabilities by adding four professionals to its team, led by veteran portfolio manager Ron Choy. The hires include Shumpei Kobayashi and Romain Vincent, both former colleagues of Choy at BlueCrest Capital Management in Singapore, as well as Tokyo-based Ryota Kawai (formerly of PIMCO) and Paul Schmidt (a former UBS trader)[https://www.hedgeweek.com/balyasny-expands-asia-macro-team/]. Kobayashi and Vincent will serve as associate portfolio manager and senior analyst, respectively, while Kawai and Schmidt will also hold associate portfolio manager roles according to reports.

Choy, a yen rates specialist with two decades of Japan market experience, joined Balyasny earlier this year with a reported $30 million compensation package. His team's expansion reflects the firm's strategic shift to broaden its macro footprint in Asia, a region where it has historically focused on equity strategies. Rising geopolitical tensions, inflationary pressures, and evolving monetary policies have created increased opportunities for macro traders operating across equities, fixed income, commodities, and currencies.

Separately, BNP Paribas has appointed Simon Moss as head of Asia equity capital markets (ECM), succeeding Gary Chan, who departed the firm in late 2024. Moss, based in Hong Kong, assumes leadership of the ECM syndicate amid ongoing competition for talent in Asia's capital markets. The French bank has also restructured its ECM technology team, promoting Ygal El Harrar to global head of ECM technology.

These moves highlight the dynamic nature of Asia's financial services sector, where firms are actively reshaping leadership and expanding capabilities to capitalize on shifting market conditions and demand for specialized expertise.