PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Sato is the Director, Chief Executive Officer and Chief Investment officer of APFM. Sato is responsible for formulating and facilitating the AAM’s strategic initiatives and future goals and guiding the AAM through the planning processes.

Sato has over 30 years of industry experience globally in investment and asset management as well as finance and investment banking with roles in Hong Kong, New York, Tokyo and Singapore. He has been involved in a variety of investing businesses across numerous asset classes throughout his career.

Prior to joining AAM, Sato served as the Chief Investment Officer in Asset Management One Singapore. He was responsible for creating the firm’s platform in Asia Pacific Region and overseeing the equity, fixed income and credit investments and the research practice including REITs. In addition, he oversaw business development for central banks, government-related funds including sovereign wealth funds, financial institutions and pension funds across the South-East Asia region by identifying strategic solutions for inclusion in client portfolios.

Between 2004 and 2017, Sato was posted to Tokyo and was the Head of Investment of REITs of Asset Management One Tokyo from 2016 to 2017, and DIAM Tokyo from 2004 to 2016. He was responsible for overseeing property-related investment and research team to manage the discretionary funds and segregated portfolios for pension funds and institutional investors as well as retail investors. His funds’ AUM grew to over US$11 billion under his management.

For his efforts and expertise, Sato has won multiple awards for the funds under his management:

• Morning Star Award, Fund of the Year (4 times : Year of 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010)
• R&I Award (Twice : Year of 2010, 2014 - Year Best Fund)
• Lipper Awards (Year of 2015 - Year Best Fund)

Sato began his investment career in 1989 in the Industrial Bank of Japan where he spent 13 years. He had been engaged in investment-related duties involving bonds, credit, money market, equity-related, debt-securitised products, and leading-edge numerous derivatives methods associated with the Asset/Liability Management to manage investment portfolios. In addition, he was involved in the Bank of Japan’s open market operation into the capital market as the IBJ’s counterpart to the BOJ’s Monetary Policy Team during the period in Tokyo. He was posted outside Japan for 10 of those years, between 1993 and 2002, in Hong Kong and New York.

In 2002, Sato returned to Japan and joined DIAM Co. Ltd, Tokyo where he was involved in Equity Investment, as a portfolio manager, as well as a equity analyst covering several sectors including financial, materials and property.