The Pan Asia Securities Lending Association (PASLA) has appointed Jason Wells as chair of its executive committee with immediate effect.
Wells will replace former chair Ben Burns, who recently resigned from his position following his departure from BlackRock — where he had spent 13 years. Burns had held the post of chair since August 2022.
Wells is the Asia Pacific head of agency trading at State Street Bank and Trust and is based in Hong Kong. He previously served as PASLA treasurer and is an active stakeholder in PASLA working groups.
In his new capacity as chair, Wells will focus on promoting open, transparent and efficient securities lending markets across the region.
Under the leadership of Burns — who spent four years as director of PASLA — the Association launched a regular podcast series, the “Asia Securities Finance Monthly” and resumed its annual conference calendar with record attendance and interest from around the globe, according to PASLA.
During this time, the Association collaborated with the Global Alliance of Securities Lending Associations (GASLA) to update the Global Framework for ESG and Securities Lending (GFESL). The Association thanks Burns for his contributions.
Commenting on the announcement, Wells says: “Securities financing in Asia Pacific still presents a lot of opportunities for development. I look forward to working closely with the PASLA community, our regional regulators and key market stakeholders in my new capacity to build on the solid foundations of the Association supporting and enhancing the development of securities lending in Asia.”
