Barclays has appointed Dr Jongghun Lee as managing director of its Barclays Natural Resource Investments (BNRI) in Qatar.

Dr Lee, who also serves on the BNRI Investment Committee, is responsible for identifying global investment opportunities for BNRI across various industries ranging from steel and metals to utility, oil and gas.

He is also responsible for driving the Asia Pacific strategy in general with a specific focus on developing opportunities for BNRI to work with Korean strategic investors.

John Vitalo, chief executive officer for Mena, Barclays, said: “This is a significant appointment as it reflects our commitment to the state of Qatar in developing and expanding our on-ground pool of talent and contributes to our capacity building efforts across the region.”

“We are positive that Dr Lee’s vast experience in both the public and private sector in Korea will be a great asset to the team in delivering the goals for BNRI globally as well as the Asia Pacific region.”

Mark Brown, managing director and head of Barclays Natural Resource Investments, added: “Dr. Lee’s experience, expertise and enthusiasm are invaluable as we take the franchise forward. It is an exciting time for growth and I am pleased to have him on board as we seek to source, evaluate and manage further investment opportunities globally.”

Dr Lee graduated from Vanderbilt University Law School in the US with a degree of J.D. (Doctor of Jurisprudence) and holds an undergraduate degree from Hankuk University of Foreign Studies in Korea. – TradeArabia News Service