Scottish investment writing, copywriting and marketing communications company Copylab is to launch a new business in Asia with office openings in Hong Kong and Singapore.

Copylab Asia will be headed up by Paul Lees, who joined the firm in 2013 from Ignis Asset Management.

Lees will initially look to develop client relationships in these two new locations, with further plans to expand into China, Malaysia, Indonesia, Japan, Korea and Australia.

The new venture has been supported by Scottish Development International (SDI).

The move into Asia follows the launch of a Boston-based business announced by Copylab’s founder and chief executive Ross Hunter in March 2016, the firm’s first venture outside of the UK.

“Copylab is now operating in all three of the world’s major financial centres and is open for business 24 hours a day,” said Hunter.

“We have researched the Asian market closely for over a year now and believe now is the right time to take our proposition to the region.

“This is exciting in terms of new business opportunities but will also add significant value for our existing clients, more than half of which are large multi-nationals.

“We are now able to give their marketing functions a consistent approach globally and maximise content opportunities with their colleagues elsewhere in the world.

“We believe there is no equivalent company operating in Asia and, following the launch of our US business, it gives us a true global perspective and local presence to match our client base.”

Copylab is the UK’s largest specialist provider of investment writing services and its clients include BlackRock, Columbia Threadneedle and Standard Life Investments.