Privately owned boutique investment management firm Matthews International Capital Management, which focuses on Asia and emerging markets, has appointed Martin Dropkin as its president and chief operating officer ( COO ).

As president and COO at Matthews, Dropkin will work alongside Mark Headley, executive chairman and portfolio manager, and with the firm’s executive leadership team to advance strategic growth initiatives, strengthen investment and operating capabilities, enhance client outcomes and drive innovation across the organization.

Dropkin joins Matthews following a distinguished 25-year career spanning investment management, research, portfolio management, technology and business leadership across the US, Europe and Asia.

Most recently, he served as the head of equities for Asia-Pacific at Fidelity International, where he co-led investment teams responsible for approximately US$300 billion in global assets under management and oversaw more than 200 investment professionals across seven locations throughout the region.

During his 15-year tenure at Fidelity International, Dropkin held a series of senior leadership positions, including those of head of equities, Asia-Pacific; head of Asian fixed income; and global head of research for fixed income. In those roles, he led portfolio managers, analysts, traders, quantitative researchers and risk professionals across multiple regions, while helping drive fund performance, research excellence, product development and asset growth.

Prior to Fidelity International, Dropkin was the managing director at Grotevant Research Partners, where he conducted fundamental investment research and portfolio management for institutional investors focused on the telecommunications, media and technology sectors.

Earlier in his career, he covered the telecommunications services sector in global equity research at Credit Suisse First Boston/Merrill Lynch. He began his professional career as an engineer with AT&T, managing multinational teams responsible for the installation and testing of undersea fibre-optic cable systems.

“Dropkin is a highly respected global investment leader with an exceptional track record of building high-performing teams, delivering strong client service and fostering innovation,” Headley states. “His breadth of experience across global equities, research, technology and global operations makes him uniquely qualified to help guide the firm’s next evolution.”