Mr Chris Ryan
Mr Chris Ryan is a Monash University alumnus with more than four decades of leadership experience in investment management, financial services and corporate governance across Australia and the Asia-Pacific region. A graduate of Monash with a Bachelor of Business, Mr Ryan has built a career distinguished by senior executive roles with some of the world’s leading financial institutions.
His career has been particularly focused on Asia, where he has led substantial businesses through periods of growth, transformation and market development. From 2000 to 2007, Mr Ryan served as Chief Executive Officer of ING Investment Management Asia Pacific. At the time of his departure, the business managed more than US$150 billion across 13 locations, with approximately 1,100 employees. During this period, he also helped establish China Merchants Fund Company, the first joint-venture fund management company in China.
Mr Ryan subsequently became Managing Director for Asia at Fidelity International, overseeing its businesses across Asian markets outside Japan. He later returned to Australia as CEO and Managing Director of Perpetual Limited, where he led a significant restructuring and transformation of the company. From 2012 to 2017, he returned to Hong Kong and was Managing Director and Head of Asia Pacific for MSCI, responsible for driving growth across its diverse investment, risk, analytics, index and ESG-related businesses throughout the region
Today, Mr Ryan is Chairman of First Harbour Capital Partners, a Hong Kong-based investment management and advisory business focused on Asia-Pacific investments. He has also served as Vice Chairman of AXA China Region, Chairman of its Board Audit Committee and a member of its Board Risk Committee. His board experience spans several AXA businesses in Hong Kong and the region.
Alongside his corporate career, Mr Ryan has maintained a connection with Monash University through service on the Advisory Board of the Monash Sustainable Development Institute. His career offers Monash students and alumni a valuable perspective on leadership, navigating international markets, managing organisations through change, and building a career across cultures and economies.