Barclays Global Investors, the $1.6 trillion (€1.2 trillion) fund manager owned by UK-based Barclays Bank, has strengthened its foothold in Asia by tapping Mark Talbot to replace Bob Haber as chief executive of Asia excluding Japan.

Haber will continue with the firm as vice chairman and remain based in San Francisco. For his new position, Talbot is moving to Hong Kong from San Francisco, where he was chief investment officer in BGI's Asia fixed income business for the last three years.