Team

Mr Nigauri joined Daiwa SB Investments in October 2002 and has over 30 years of investment experience. He originally joined Daiwa Institute of Research in 1991, beginning his career as a research analyst. Since 1995, Mr Nigauri has dedicated his research efforts to developing an expertise in small cap equities. He has met over 3,000 Japanese companies during his career as a result of his continuous work conducting 1-on-1 meetings with company management.
He obtained a BA degree in Economics (1990) from the University of Tokyo in Japan.

Award winning portfolio manager
Lipper Fund Awards Japan (2012, 2013),
J Money Fund Awards (2016), 
R&I Fund Contest (2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2023, 2024)

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Source: SMDAM as at 1 July 2024
CMA: Certified Member Analyst of The Securities Analyst Association of Japan         
Daiwa SB Investments Ltd. (DSBI) merged with Sumitomo Mitsui Asset Management Company, Limited (SMAM) on 1 April 2019

With an investment career of 27 years, Hideyuki Taniuchi started his financial career with Yamaichi Securities in 1996. 

He moved to Nikko Asset Management the following year as a trader to handle transactions in equities, convertible bonds and foreign exchange. In 1999, he started his career as a fund manager being heavily involved in and emphasizing bottom-up research for Japanese equities specializing in growth stocks. 

He joined Daiwa SB Investments (one of the SMDAM’s former entities) in June 2008 to manage the Fundamental Active Strategy, ect. and was promoted to the Unit Leader in 2020. 
Taniuchi is not only a Certified Member Analyst of the Security Analysts Association of Japan, but also obtained the right to use the CFA designation in 2005.

Taniuchi graduated from Tokyo University of Science in 1996, with a Bachelor of Engineering in Industrial Administration.

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Source: SMDAM as at 1 July 2024
CFA: Chartered Financial Analyst
CMA: Certified Member Analyst of The Securities Analyst Association of Japan         
Daiwa SB Investments Ltd. (DSBI) merged with Sumitomo Mitsui Asset Management Company, Limited (SMAM) on 1 April 2019

Mr Bena started his career in the Administration Management Department of Daiwa SB Investments in April 2006. He then worked as a sales assistant in the Corporate Pension Department and Institutional Marketing Department for one year. In October 2007, he became a strategist in the Market Analysis Group of the Equity Management Department. After two years, he was transferred to the Investment Strategy Department and became a Japan equity strategist. After gaining experience as a strategist, Mr Bena became a portfolio manager of the Value + Alpha Group in July 2011. He is now a senior portfolio manager of the group. 

Mr Bena graduated from Kansai University with BS/Informatics (2004) and Kansai University, Graduate School of Informatics with MS/Informatics (2006).

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Source: SMDAM as at 1 July 2023
CMA: Certified Member Analyst of The Securities Analyst Association of Japan     
Daiwa SB Investments Ltd. (DSBI) merged with Sumitomo Mitsui Asset Management Company, Limited (SMAM) on 1 April 2019

Mr Kamiishi joined Daiwa SB Investments in 2009, and covered US & European equities as a strategist from 2010 to 2013.  He moved to Hong Kong in 2013 as an analyst for the Auto & Industrials sector in Asia Pacific ex-Japan Equity.  In 2015, he returned to Japan and covered the IT & Services sector as a Japan equity analyst.  In 2016, he became a portfolio manager in the Value + Alpha group. 

In 2022, he was promoted to Lead Portfolio Manager for Engagement Value Strategy. 
Mr  Kamiishi obtained a BA degree in Economics form Keio University(2009) in Japan.

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Note: In 2022, Takuya Kamiishi was promoted to Lead Portfolio Manager for the Engagement Value Strategy 
As of 1st April 2022, Osamu Koide, who used to belong to the Value + Alpha investment team, stopped his double cap function between Senior Portfolio Manager and ESG analyst, and has started working solely for Responsible Investment Section where he continues to be in charge of the engagement activities for the Value + Alpha investment strategy.
Under the latest organization changes, integration of Investment Division and Responsible Investment Section is strengthened so that the cooperation of Portfolio Managers and ESG analysts on the engagement activities becomes more effectively and smoothly.

Source: SMDAM as at 1 July  2024
CMA: Certified Member Analyst of The Securities Analyst Association of Japan         
Daiwa SB Investments Ltd. (DSBI) merged with Sumitomo Mitsui Asset Management Company, Limited (SMAM) on 1 April 2019

After completing his post graduate course in Economics, Mr Shimonishinosono joined Daiwa International Capital Management (the former entity of Daiwa SB Investments) in 1998. He became a quant analyst in equities, convertible bonds and bonds before making a switch to become a Japanese equity research analyst in 2000, specialising in the retail sector.   

He has been a Japanese equity portfolio manager of the Value + Alpha Group since 2002, and was promoted to Group Head of the Value + Alpha Group in the Investment Department in 2019.

Mr Shimonishinosono graduated with a BA degree in Economics (1993) and a Masters in Economics (1998) from Gakushuin University in Japan.

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Source: SMDAM as at 1 July 2024
CMA: Certified Member Analyst of The Securities Analyst Association of Japan         
Daiwa SB Investments Ltd. (DSBI) merged with Sumitomo Mitsui Asset Management Company, Limited (SMAM) on 1 April 2019

Wei Sun, based in Shanghai, is responsible for research and portfolio planning  
Assumed current responsibilities in August 2016
18 years of investment experience
Shanghai based
Fluent Mandarin 
Graduated from Dalian University of Technology (MA, Applied Linguistics) in 2006 and is a CFA Charterholder (2012)

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Source: SMDAM as at 1 July 2024

CMA: Certified Member Analyst of The Securities Analyst Association of Japan     
CFA:  Chartered Financial Analyst
Daiwa SB Investments Ltd. (DSBI) merged with Sumitomo Mitsui Asset Management Company, Limited 
(SMAM) on 1 April 2019

Mr Akiyama has over 30 years of investment experience and is the Lead Portfolio Manager of the Asia REIT product. He started his career with Sumitomo Marine & Fire Insurance Co., Ltd. in 1985 and transferred to the Land Policy Department of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism in 1989. In 1991 he joined Sumitomo Marine & Fire Insurance Co., Ltd to take charge of real estate investment at the real estate division and engaged in valuation of securitised real estate. Later, in 2000, he moved to Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Co., Ltd., where he was in charge of private real estate funds and J-REITs investments, corporate investment fund and outsourced funds and venture fund.

In 2005 he joined Sumitomo Mitsui Asset Management Co., Ltd. (now Sumitomo Mitsui DS Asset Management Co., Ltd.), where his responsibilities include being in charge of J-REITs and Asian REITs investments, advising global REITs funds, global REITs and Real Estate Funds in the Asia Pacific region.

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Source: SMDAM, as at 1 April 2024

Mr Kanamori launched his career with Daiwa SB Investments in 2003. He has over 20 years of investment experience as an analyst and portfolio manager.

He became a portfolio manager specializing in large cap equities in April 2011.  He was promoted to Senior portfolio manager of the V+A Small Cap team in April 2015 and has been working with Mr Nigauri since then to manage the “Small Cap Absolute Value” strategy.

He graduated from Keio University with a BA degree in Policy Management (2003).

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Source: SMDAM as at 1 July 2024
CMA: Certified Member Analyst of The Securities Analyst Association of Japan         
Daiwa SB Investments Ltd. (DSBI) merged with Sumitomo Mitsui Asset Management Company, Limited (SMAM) on 1 April 2019