Head of Research

ABOUT THE ROLE
KIM Vietnam is seeking a Head of Research to lead and oversee the firm's entire research function, encompassing sector-specific equity and credit research, macroeconomic analysis, and investment strategy. This senior leadership role carries direct responsibility for shaping the research platform's direction, driving high-conviction investment ideas across asset classes, and playing a prominent role in fundraising and investor engagement activities. The Head of Research will serve as a key voice representing the firm's investment views to institutional clients and prospective investors.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Research Leadership & Investment Strategy
• Set the strategic direction of the research department, defining coverage priorities, thematic focus areas, and resource allocation across sectors and asset classes
• Lead the development of the firm's top-down macro and market strategy views - covering Vietnam's GDP growth outlook, monetary policy, FX dynamics, fiscal policy, and capital market trends - and integrate these into actionable portfolio-level recommendations
• Maintain direct coverage of key sectors (e.g., banking, real estate) while ensuring comprehensive research output across the full coverage universe through team coordination
• Synthesize bottom-up sector research with macro and thematic insights to produce firm-wide investment strategy notes, quarterly outlooks, and annual market forecasts
• Identify cross-sector investment themes and structural trends in the Vietnamese economy (urbanization, FDI diversification, infrastructure spending, digital transformation) and translate them into investable ideas
Fundraising & Investor Relations
• Serve as the primary research representative in fundraising activities - presenting investment strategy, market outlook, and portfolio rationale to prospective and existing institutional investors
• Lead the preparation of investor materials including fund pitch books, quarterly investor letters, market commentary, and due diligence responses
• Participate in investor roadshows, conferences, and one-on-one meetings alongside senior management and the sales/IR team
• Build and maintain relationships with institutional investors (Korean, regional, and global) through regular communication of research insights and market updates
• Collaborate with the fund management team to ensure research narratives are aligned with portfolio positioning and fund strategy for external communication
Macroeconomic & Market Strategy
• Develop and maintain a proprietary macro framework for Vietnam - tracking key indicators such as credit growth, real estate lending policy, public investment disbursement, trade balance, and inflation dynamics
• Monitor and interpret regulatory and policy developments (land law reforms, securities market regulations, banking sector directives) and assess their impact on investment thesis and portfolio positioning
• Produce regular macro strategy publications: monthly macro monitors, quarterly strategy updates, and ad-hoc policy impact assessments
• Benchmark Vietnam's macro positioning against ASEAN peers and communicate relative value arguments to support fundraising and allocation decisions
Corporate Bond & Credit Oversight
• Oversee credit research across the team, ensuring consistent frameworks for evaluating corporate bond issuances - credit quality, covenant analysis, yield-to-maturity, and refinancing risk
• Provide senior-level sign-off on credit recommendations and flag systemic credit risks emerging from macro or sector-level stress
• Coordinate with Portfolio Managers on fixed income positioning, particularly in real estate and banking-sector bonds
Portfolio & Investment Committee
• Serve as a senior member of the investment committee, presenting macro views, sector strategy, and high-conviction ideas with clear actionable recommendations
• Challenge and stress-test investment theses from the research team, ensuring intellectual rigor and risk awareness in all recommendations
• Provide strategic input on portfolio construction, sector allocation, and risk management at the fund level
Team Leadership & Development
• Lead, mentor, and develop a team of Research Managers and junior analysts - setting performance standards, conducting reviews, and building a culture of analytical excellence
• Drive research process improvements: model standardization, data infrastructure, coverage framework, and quality assurance protocols
• Recruit and retain top research talent; design career development paths within the research function
• Foster collaboration between research, portfolio management, and investor relations to ensure seamless information flow