Sandpiper launches new Financial division with senior leadership appointments

Sandpiper has announced the launch of Sandpiper Financial, supported by several senior appointments to lead the new division.

The new division will focus on financial communications and special situations advisory for its clients across Singapore, Hong Kong, China, India, Japan, Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand, and the Middle East.

Kainoa Blaisdell has been hired to lead Sandpiper Financial’s Asia Pacific business. He was previously at FTI Consulting where he was Managing Director in the Strategic Communications practice. Blaisdell has 15 years of experience working in communications and consulting, and has also held senior leadership roles in investment research, financial journalism, and private wealth management across Europe and Asia Pacific.

Justin Teh has been appointed as Deputy Lead of Sandpiper Financial for Asia. He also joins from FTI Consulting, where he was a Senior Director. Teh specialises in financial communications, advising on complex transactions across M&As, IPOs, and take-privates, including some of the region’s most high-profile deals in recent years. He also has a track record in supporting investor relations programmes for listed companies.

Angus Booth, who was recently announced as Managing Director for Australia and New Zealand, will support clients with special situations and financial communications advisory work across these markets. Most recently, Booth was Senior Managing Director at Sodali & Co, leading its M&A, activism, and corporate governance and shareholder engagement business in APAC and EMEA.

Booth has over 20 years of experience in corporate affairs and investor relations.

Also joining the Sandpiper team as a Senior Advisor is Richard Barton, a 30-year financial communications veteran with extensive experience advising on complex corporate, financial and crisis communications issues across Asia, the UK and Europe.

Throughout his career, he has acted for listed and private companies, financial and professional services firms, hedge funds and family offices, as well as private equity and venture capital funds and their portfolio companies. In addition, he has worked on IPOs, defaults and debt restructurings.

Supporting the growth and function of Sandpiper Financial is Kim Spear, who is an existing member of Sandpiper’s senior leadership team with over 20 years of in-depth market experience in Hong Kong, China, Singapore, Thailand, Australia and New Zealand. She has expertise in topics such as leadership transitions, corporate restructuring, and stakeholder engagement.

Commenting on the launch of Sandpiper Financial, company CEO Emma Smith said: “Each of these individuals has a proven track record of working on some of the most significant transactions across Asia Pacific and globally, and we are delighted to add this key capability to our existing services and sector specialisms in financial services, healthcare, technology, property, and energy.”