An exuberant communicator with an obvious passion for his work, Jia Hao Sng isn’t someone you might naturally expect to find extolling the virtues of emotional detachment. When it comes to managing wealth, however, Jia Hao knows very well that the ability to disconnect from the anxiety and stress that come with market fluctuations and macroeconomic trends can be crucial. “Investors often act impulsively when it’s their own money on the line, especially given today’s complex economic backdrop,” he says.

“During downturns in the market they tend to sell off investments too early. Then, without a rational approach to reinvesting, they fail to capitalise on the opportunistic strategies that emerge when things pick up again.”

Spikes of intense volatility have less impact on the passive investor. A turbulent month or even year doesn’t mean calamity to those who can hold their nerve – or to those who entrust their portfolio to dedicated professionals.

What does a portfolio manager do?

That’s where discretionary portfolio management comes in. A sophisticated approach to investing that combines asset allocation with professional stewardship, the essence of discretionary portfolio management lies in seasoned portfolio managers navigating the complexities of the markets on behalf of their clients. This professional guidance is based on a deep understanding of each client’s financial aspirations, ensuring that investment decisions are strategic and aligned with their long-term goals.

“My role is essentially to explain the value proposition of our discretionary solutions to clients and oversee their onboarding to these solutions,” says Jia Hao. He liaises between the Singapore booking centre’s clients and portfolio managers to ensure a transparent flow of information. “When conducting portfolio reviews with clients, I provide them with our Chief Investment Officer’s forward-looking views, as well as update them on the asset allocations that our portfolio managers make in line with their investment objectives and risk profile.”

Jia Hao believes there’s a place for discretionary management for every investor but says it’s essential for those who hold large amounts of wealth. “It’s almost impossible for ultra-high-net worth clients – even those who’re trading-oriented – to manage their wealth efficiently on their own. We have more than 150 investment management specialists and more than 50 in-house research specialists covering different investment styles and asset classes, as well as sophisticated systems and infrastructure to manage all these investments in a holistic manner. This may increase the client’s chances of good performance over the long term.”

How to ensure relationships with colleagues and clients remain on song

While Jia Hao’s role centres around explaining the benefits of taking a hands-off approach to investment, he’s clearly more ‘hands-on’ in other areas of his life. His eagerness to get involved extends to video gaming with his pre-teen children. While other parents might look to the gaming console for some downtime, Jia Hao picks up one of the family’s six controllers and plays along. “It’s a way to bond and unwind together. The whole family enjoys competing against one another.”

He and his wife also have a karaoke system installed at home and enjoy singing together – something which prompted Jia Hao to hit the high notes with work colleagues last year too. A self-described extrovert, he took to the stage during the Singapore office’s in-house ‘Talent Time’ event to perform a Chinese rap in front of over 1’,000 colleagues. Does a future career as a song and dance man lie in store? “I spent a long time rehearsing beforehand,” he laughs. “I’m not very talented but it was a great way to break down barriers and get into conversation with my colleagues.”

This same desire to get out and meet people prompted his decision to become a mandate advisor. “I used to be a portfolio manager, glued to the screen watching market updates and news feeds. I didn’t have much interaction with end clients,” says Jia Hao. “Now, the bulk of my time is spent talking to clients. I enjoy answering their questions about the markets and our solutions and giving them my suggestions about how they can optimise their wealth.”

Educating clients strengthens trust in the bank

Be it a microphone, games console or tennis racket, Jia Hao says he’s inspired above all by the chance to pick up something new. “I’m a solid believer in the need to develop an open ‘culture of failure’ that paves the way for learning and innovation.” This openness to learning has also been fundamental to his team’s success in growing the bank’s discretionary business in Asia – even if, as Jia Hao admits, it took them time to change mindsets.

“Many clients in Asia were reluctant to give us discretionary mandates at first because the culture of delegating your wealth management wasn’t well established in this part of the world,” he says. “Asian investors tended to believe they could manage their wealth just as well through their own activities.”

Jia Hao says that, ultimately, this is a reminder that banks like Julius Baer are also in the business of education. “As client advisors, we have to get out there every day and earn their trust – by convincing them of our value proposition.”

As Jia Hao and his team’s success in increasing the uptake of the bank’s discretionary solutions in Asia shows, when it comes to helping clients achieve their investment goals, some things are certainly worth making a song and dance about.