Société Générale CIB has relocated Gavin Munro to its Hong Kong office to head the infrastructure project finance business for the Asia Pacific region.

In the role, Munro is tasked with leading the newly-created Asia Pacific team to build the bank’s franchise, focusing on public private partnership (PPP) and private finance initiative (PFI) transactions in the region.

Australia’s well-established and mature market is a particular target for the business.

“With [my] appointment, the bank has enhanced the infrastructure project finance business and consolidated its Asian Pacific business activities, including Australia, in its regional hub in Hong Kong. While at the moment the main opportunities are in the mature Australian market, we see enormous future opportunities in infrastructure development and PPP in the region, especially in China, India, Indonesia and the Philippines,” Munro explains to GTR.

“Asia is a growing market with strong demand for infrastructure developments. There is also a trend for governments to privatise public utilities and core infrastructure assets,” the bank says in a statement.

Munro moves to the role from London, where he led the infrastructure project finance team.

Before joining the London team in 1999, Munro was head of project finance for the French bank in Johannesburg.

Munro explains to GTR where his priorities will lie over the coming months: “There is a great need for infrastructure development in Asia, and the advantages of PPP developments where governments are able to mobilise private sector capital and expertise should become apparent from a number of pilot projects being sponsored by the World Bank. With our proven expertise and established relations with construction and facility management companies, we will be able to play a leading role in the development of this market.”