The quasi-monopoly of Chinese banks is starting to crumble as foreign banks and independent financial advisers are seeking approval to sell mutual funds to the public. Stefanie Eschenbacher takes a closer look at the country’s clogged fund distribution channels following the once-in-a-decade leadership change.

Various cross-border schemes provide Chinese asset managers and their Hong Kong subsidiaries with opportunities. Stefanie Eschenbacher talks to Chen Ding of CSOP Asset Management about Hong Kong’s Capital Investment Entrant Scheme, renminbi qualified foreign institutional investor products and Ucits.

China’s second renminbi qualified foreign institutional investor programme involving exchange traded funds is growing – quotas are being increased and more asset managers are lining up to participate. Stefanie Eschenbacher investigates.

A new Malaysia-based Islamic finance body – the Association of Shariah Advisors in Islamic Finance – has recently proposed to develop a global code of ethics and a professional development programme for scholars to address a lack of standardisation in the industry. Shahrin Shaikh Mohd of Hwang Investment Management discusses the implications.

The lack of standardisation has created a situation where one sharia adviser can claim its fund is ‘holier’ than others, say the participants of the Funds Global Asia roundtable held in Kuala Lumpur. They also discuss the challenges of reaching a critical mass and marketing to non-Muslim investors.Chaired by Stefanie Eschenbacher.

The decisions sharia boards make can be powerful. Murat Ünal of Funds at Work tells Stefanie Eschenbacher that there is a need for a more transparent and objective system.