Gary Coull
Encyclopedia
Gary Coull was a co-founder and chairman of CLSA
, a brokerage house specializing in Asia-Pacific
stock markets.
Born in Canada, Coull graduated in 1976 from the University of British Columbia
with a bachelor of arts. From 1977 to 1983, he working as a business journalist for the South China Morning Post
and the Far Eastern Economic Review
.
In 1983, Coull left journalism and started a small China investment and trading company. Several years later, he joined a Hong Kong
brokerage firm, Winfull Laing et Cruickshank. The French bank, Crédit Lyonnais
subsequently took over Laing, bought out Winfull, and created the platform for what became CLSA. In 2003, Crédit Lyonnais merged with Crédit Agricole
.
Coull and a fellow journalist, Australian Jim Walker (d. 2004), co-founded CLSA in 1986. Coull was influential in attracting international investors to Asia via, for example, CLSA's annual investors' forum in Hong Kong
. The annual forums in May, and since 2003 in September, included mid-week parties that featured well-known, but ageing pop stars (such as Elton John
, Duran Duran
or Mariah Carey
), as well as sessions by former and current heads of state.
In September 2006, the magazine FinanceAsia
named Coull as one of the top 50 most influential people in shaping Asia's financial landscape over the previous decade.
He mentored the careers of several prominent Asian analysts including Jing Ulrich
and Scottish economist Jim Walker (who is not the same person as the now deceased, other co-founder of CLSA).
Coull also chaired CLSA's asset-management group, CLSA Capital Partners, whose investors include General Electric Pension Trust, Sony Life, Verizon, the German insurance group Allianz
and Crédit Agricole
. He was also one of the governors of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong
and director of the Asian Corporate Governance Association.
of London published a detailed biography of Coull four days after his death. The 1,200-word obituary concludes with the following:
In an obituary of its online edition, FinanceAsia
magazine described Coull as "the charismatic 52-year-old head of Asia's only remaining true international brokerage firm".
The Financial Times
called Coull "a fixture of Hong Kong's financial and journalism communities for 30 years".
CLSA
'CLSA Asia-Pacific Markets' is one of the region’s largest and most highly rated independent equity brokers and financial-services groups, focused on providing broking, investment banking and asset management to corporate and institutional clients around the world.Founded in 1986, CLSA has its...
, a brokerage house specializing in Asia-Pacific
Asia-Pacific
Asia-Pacific or Asia Pacific is the part of the world in or near the Western Pacific Ocean...
stock markets.
Born in Canada, Coull graduated in 1976 from the University of British Columbia
University of British Columbia
The University of British Columbia is a public research university. UBC’s two main campuses are situated in Vancouver and in Kelowna in the Okanagan Valley...
with a bachelor of arts. From 1977 to 1983, he working as a business journalist for the South China Morning Post
South China Morning Post
The South China Morning Post , together with its Sunday edition, the Sunday Morning Post, is an English-language Hong Kong newspaper, published by the SCMP Group with a circulation of 104,000....
and the Far Eastern Economic Review
Far Eastern Economic Review
The Far Eastern Economic Review was an English language Asian news magazine started in 1946. It printed its final issue in December 2009. The Hong Kong-based business magazine was originally published weekly...
.
In 1983, Coull left journalism and started a small China investment and trading company. Several years later, he joined a Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
brokerage firm, Winfull Laing et Cruickshank. The French bank, Crédit Lyonnais
Crédit Lyonnais
Crédit Lyonnais is a historic French bank. In the early 1990s it was the largest French bank, majority state-owned at that point. Crédit Lyonnais was the subject of poor management during that period which almost led to its bankruptcy in 1993...
subsequently took over Laing, bought out Winfull, and created the platform for what became CLSA. In 2003, Crédit Lyonnais merged with Crédit Agricole
Crédit Agricole
Crédit Agricole S.A. is the largest retail banking group in France, second largest in Europe and the eighth largest in the world by Tier 1 capital according to The Banker magazine. It is also part of the CAC 40 stock market index....
.
Coull and a fellow journalist, Australian Jim Walker (d. 2004), co-founded CLSA in 1986. Coull was influential in attracting international investors to Asia via, for example, CLSA's annual investors' forum in Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
. The annual forums in May, and since 2003 in September, included mid-week parties that featured well-known, but ageing pop stars (such as Elton John
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
, Duran Duran
Duran Duran
Duran Duran are an English band, formed in Birmingham in 1978. They were one of the most successful bands of the 1980s and a leading band in the MTV-driven "Second British Invasion" of the United States...
or Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. She made her recording debut with the release of her eponymous studio album in 1990, under the guidance of Columbia Records executive Tommy Mottola, whom she later married in 1993...
), as well as sessions by former and current heads of state.
In September 2006, the magazine FinanceAsia
FinanceAsia
FinanceAsia is a Hong Kong-based publication reporting on Asia’s financial and capital markets through a daily website and monthly magazine. At the end of 2005, FinanceAsia was acquired by Haymarket Group, the largest privately owned publishing company in the UK, created in part by Lord Heseltine,...
named Coull as one of the top 50 most influential people in shaping Asia's financial landscape over the previous decade.
He mentored the careers of several prominent Asian analysts including Jing Ulrich
Jing Ulrich
Jing Ulrich is the managing director and chairman of global markets, China at JPMorgan. She is in charge of covering JPMorgan's most senior global clients across all asset classes and for maintaining relationships at the helm of China's leading enterprises and government entities...
and Scottish economist Jim Walker (who is not the same person as the now deceased, other co-founder of CLSA).
Coull also chaired CLSA's asset-management group, CLSA Capital Partners, whose investors include General Electric Pension Trust, Sony Life, Verizon, the German insurance group Allianz
Allianz
SE is a global financial services company headquartered in Munich, Germany. Its core business and focus is insurance. As of 2010, it was the world's 12th-largest financial services group and 23rd-largest company according to a composite measure by Forbes magazine.Its Allianz Global Investors...
and Crédit Agricole
Crédit Agricole
Crédit Agricole S.A. is the largest retail banking group in France, second largest in Europe and the eighth largest in the world by Tier 1 capital according to The Banker magazine. It is also part of the CAC 40 stock market index....
. He was also one of the governors of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
and director of the Asian Corporate Governance Association.
Obituaries
On October 30, 2006, the online edition of The TimesThe Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
of London published a detailed biography of Coull four days after his death. The 1,200-word obituary concludes with the following:
"From Wall Street to Hong Kong, there is no dearth of brokers and economists claiming to have foreseen the economic explosion of China decades ago. Coull was among a tiny handful of those with a document to prove it: a detailed prediction of Chinese economic success long before the mainstream political or financial community had envisioned it."
In an obituary of its online edition, FinanceAsia
FinanceAsia
FinanceAsia is a Hong Kong-based publication reporting on Asia’s financial and capital markets through a daily website and monthly magazine. At the end of 2005, FinanceAsia was acquired by Haymarket Group, the largest privately owned publishing company in the UK, created in part by Lord Heseltine,...
magazine described Coull as "the charismatic 52-year-old head of Asia's only remaining true international brokerage firm".
The Financial Times
Financial Times
The Financial Times is an international business newspaper. It is a morning daily newspaper published in London and printed in 24 cities around the world. Its primary rival is the Wall Street Journal, published in New York City....
called Coull "a fixture of Hong Kong's financial and journalism communities for 30 years".