While the world’s largest asset managers are expanding into Asia, Nikko Asset Management is looking the other way. The Japanese company has ambitions not only to become Asia’s premium asset management company, but it is also looking at potential targets in the US and Europe.

Sitting in her office in Singapore, Eleanor Seet, president and director at Nikko Asset Management and member of the executive board, is clear about the group's strategy: "We're trying to build a brand that is Asia to Asia, and I think few firms are doing that. But we don't want to be defined by Asia."