☀️ Bright Spot #11
Australia’s Upbeat Consumers | Chinese Brokers’ Return | Singapore’s New Filmhouse | On the Move: Jessica Rowe, Dane Harris, Eloise Matsui, Gino Bello, Anna Bleazard, Vanessa Capdevielle
Acrostics Asia is kicking off 2026 with the 11th edition of Bright Spot, a curated collection of good news in Asian credit.
This week, Australian household spending beats expectations, China’s brokers rebuild their ranks after a few tough years, and Singapore indie cinema The Projector gets a second chance.
I’ve also expanded Bright Spot to include On the Move, which tracks recent appointments and other moves in the industry.
🦘 Australia’s Upbeat Consumers
Australia’s household spending rose at a faster-than-expected pace in November, indicating that consumers are feeling confident about their finances even as inflation and borrowing costs remain elevated.
💵 Chinese Brokers’ Return
China’s biggest securities firms are back on the offensive after taking a battering over the past few years. The investment banking divisions of major brokerages, including Citic Securities, Huatai Securities and CSC Financial, have recruited dozens of junior and mid-level bankers in recent months.
🎥 Singapore’s New Filmhouse
Independent cinema Filmhouse will take over the space at Singapore’s Golden Mile Tower that was formerly occupied by The Projector. Backed by a Chinese investor, Filmhouse will be run by The Projector’s former general manager, Sharon Tan, and some of her previous core team members.
⏩ On the Move
🔸 Citi Expands Australia Syndication Team
Citi has appointed Jessica Rowe as Director, Spread Products Syndication for Australia and APAC and Dane Harris as Vice President in the AUD Debt Syndicate team, The Digital Banker reported.
🔸 Eloise Matsui is IWIRC Chair for 2026
Eloise Matsui will serve as the Chair of the International Women’s Insolvency & Restructuring Confederation (IWIRC) this year. Matsui, an Investment Manager at Omni Bridgeway, is the first Asia-based member in this role.
Read IWIRC’s press release here.
🔸 Gino Bello and Anna Bleazard Join Secretariat
Gino Bello has joined Secretariat as a Managing Director based in Singapore and leads the firm’s Digital Forensics Investigations and eDiscovery practice in Asia Pacific.
Anna Bleazard was appointed as a Managing Director in Secretariat’s Global Investigations and Disputes practice. She leads the firm’s forensic accounting and investigations-related matters in Singapore and Southeast Asia.
🔸 Vanessa Capdevielle Sets Up Octopus Advisory
Vanessa Capdevielle has founded Singapore-based independent consultancy Octopus Advisory. Her new venture provides research and advisory services for pre-transaction due diligence, corporate investigations, asset traces and litigation support.