Hong Kong Buy Side Hiring Trends: How Risk, Finance & Operations Teams Are Evolving in 2026

Hiring across buy side firms in Hong Kong and North Asia is entering a new phase. After several years of caution, 2026 is showing early but meaningful signs of recovery, particularly across operations, risk management, and finance oversight roles. Rather than broad team builds, firms are prioritizing small numbers of high-impact hires that directly support portfolio performance, operational resilience, and investor confidence.

This market update outlines the key hiring trends shaping buy-side risk, finance, and operations teams in 2026, based on live mandates and ongoing client conversations across hedge funds, asset managers, and private equity firms in the region.

 

Highlights

• Buy side hiring remains selective, not volume-driven
• Operations is the most active hiring function in 2026
• Risk hiring is targeted toward hands-on, investment-facing profiles
• Finance hiring is governance-led rather than production-led
• Office, HR, and business support hiring is returning as confidence improves

 

 

Risk Management Hiring Trends in 2026

Risk management hiring in Hong Kong has become highly targeted and intentional. Most firms are not building out large risk teams. Instead, they are hiring one senior, commercially minded risk professional who can partner closely with portfolio managers from day one.

Demand is focused on individuals who combine technical depth with practical judgment, particularly where strategies involve leverage, derivatives, or increased investor scrutiny.

Most in-demand risk capabilities include:

• Investment and portfolio risk roles, often equities-focused
• Hands-on monitoring of exposures, drawdowns, and stress scenarios
• Direct engagement with portfolio managers rather than purely reporting roles
• Hiring triggered by leverage, derivatives usage, or tougher investor questions

Risk hiring is increasingly viewed as a strategic enabler, not a control function.

 

Operations: The Most Active Hiring Area on the Buy Side

Operations continues to be the most active hiring area across buy side firms in Hong Kong and North Asia. As trading volumes increase and platforms scale, operational pressure is felt quickly, often making additional coverage non-negotiable.

Common drivers of operations hiring include:

• Increased trading activity and strategy complexity
• Growth in asset classes, counterparties, or geographies
• Tighter operational and reporting expectations from investors

High-demand operations roles include:

• Equities middle office and trade support
• Generalist operations covering the full trade lifecycle
• Prime broker, custodian, and fund administrator oversight
• Client onboarding and account lifecycle management

Operational hiring is increasingly treated as infrastructure investment rather than overhead, particularly for firms planning to scale.

 

Finance and Accounting Hiring Remains Lean but Critical

Finance hiring remains selective and oversight-focused. Most buy side firms continue to rely on fund administrators for production, while building internal capability to strengthen governance, transparency, and investor readiness.

Typical finance hires include:

• Fund finance and finance manager-level professionals
• NAV review and sign-off
• Audit and administrator coordination
• Investor reporting and due diligence support

These hires are designed to improve control, credibility, and efficiency, not expand headcount unnecessarily.

 

The Return of HR, Office & Business Support Hiring

A notable trend in 2026 has been the return of hiring across HR, office management, and business support. These roles are typically added once firms feel confident in performance and longer-term stability.

Common hires include:

• First internal HR hire
• Office managers
• PA or EA support for founders and CIOs
• General administration and business support

Their return signals a shift from defensive structures toward sustainable operating models.

 

How Hiring Mandates Are Shifting Compared to Previous Years 

This analysis is based on live hiring mandates engaged by Selby Jennings across buy-side clients, providing a direct view into where firms are actively investing in talent rather than exploratory or speculative hiring. 

Hiring volumes across risk, finance, and operations remain below 2022 levels, following consecutive declines through 2023, 2024, and 2025. 

What makes 2026 different is momentum. Year to date, it is the first year since the downturn where mandate activity has improved year on year, rather than continuing to fall. Compared to 2025, received mandate volumes have shifted as follows: 

 

What This Means for Buy Side Firms in Hong Kong 

Hiring decisions across risk, finance, and operations are now closely tied to investment strategy and operational resilience. Firms are prioritizing professionals who can operate independently, reduce execution risk, and support investor confidence from day one. 

Rather than signaling a return to aggressive hiring, 2026 reflects a more disciplined market, one where precision hiring is becoming a competitive advantage.

For more hiring and market insights explore our APAC Financial Services Hiring Outlook for 2026.

 

Speak to our Hong Kong team

Our Hong Kong team partners with buy side firms across the region on risk, finance and operations mandates. Whether you are planning a hire in the near term or want an informed view of candidate availability, salary benchmarks and search timelines before committing to a process, we are well placed to have that conversation. Request a call back to speak with one of our consultants.

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