Asiya Investments (Asiya), the Asia specialist investment firm, has announced the launch of Asiya Investments Hong Kong Limited.

The firm’s Emerging Asia investment activities will be managed from here.

The company’s establishment of a permanent, on-the-ground, presence is in response to growing demand from GCC investors for more direct access to Emerging Asia’s growth opportunities.

Asiya Investments’ proximity to these markets is expected to further deepen its relationships with local institutions and businesses and enhance its ability to source more investments in Emerging Asia, which today accounts for over 20 percent of the world’s GDP and 35 percent of the growth in the global economy.

Asiya Hong Kong is managed by its two executive directors, Sulaiman Alireza and Dan Xystus.

With a 20-strong team of investment professionals in place in Hong Kong, they will focus on further building Asiya’s investments in public markets as well as direct investments across Emerging Asia.

Alireza spearheaded the establishment of the Hong Kong entity, having previously worked at HSBC’s Capital Markets division and spent over 8 years in Hong Kong.

He now leads the Direct Investments and Joint Ventures practice.

Xystus in turn leads the firm’s Public Equity investments and enjoys over 20 years experience in the financial markets.

Having been a managing director at Chicago Equity Partners, he joined the group in 2008 when he led the establishment and then management of Asiya’s public equity investments and hedge fund strategies.

The hedge funds now have a strong track record over the last three years.

Ahmad Al-Hamad, group managing director of Asiya Investments, said: “Since 2005, we have steadily built a strong presence in Asia through our partners and the investments we’ve made, which total over $ 500 million.”

In May 2012, Asiya Investments Dubai was launched as its Investment Advisory arm based in the Dubai International Financial Center (DIFC), as a wholly owned subsidiary of the group’s corporate office in Kuwait.