Boman Group appoints China expert to advisory board

Boman Group has appointed Professor Charles Qin OAM to its advisory board, adding expertise in Chinese culture and cross-cultural communication as the Australian investment firm expands its regional activity.

Professor Qin specialises in Australia-China engagement and has advised Australian prime ministers and other senior leaders on translation and communication in dealings with China. He will serve as an adviser to the firm and as a member of its Advisory Board.

The appointment comes as financial firms exposed to cross-border capital flows pay closer attention to language and cultural context in investor relations, partner negotiations and government engagement. Australia-China commercial ties also sit alongside periodic diplomatic tension and regulatory scrutiny, raising the stakes for communication and stakeholder management.

Boman Group describes itself as an investment house with more than AUD $840 million in funds under management. Background information provided by the firm puts assets under management at more than AUD $860 million. The group was founded in 2011 by Eric Gao and Julius Wei and rebranded from BMY Group to Boman Group in 2024.

Board make-up

The Advisory Board is chaired by Geoff Lloyd, the former chief executive officer of MLC Australia. Other members include Naseema Sparks AM, Peter McGregor and Paul Chin. The firm says the board brings together more than 140 years of combined experience across wealth management, investment, compliance, governance and cross-border markets.

Professor Qin joins as the board broadens its remit beyond investment governance and market access. Boman framed the appointment as adding strategic communication and cross-cultural engagement to the board's existing financial and capital markets focus.

Eric Gao, chief executive officer of Boman Group, highlighted the role of communication in cross-border business and investment. "We've long respected Professor Qin's ability to ensure smooth cross-cultural communication and navigate the many nuances that exist within both Australia and China. His perspective at the intersection of language, culture and business will be invaluable as we continue to deepen our relationships across the region," Gao said.

He also linked the appointment to execution risk in new markets. "His appointment builds on the significant business experience contained in our Advisory Board and adds yet another dimension to it. Even the most sophisticated business model or expansion plan can come undone with poor communication," he said.

Regional focus

The firm has highlighted its China-linked experience and networks as part of its regional approach. It has also described stakeholder coordination as a priority as it works across jurisdictions and with different classes of investors.

"Professor Qin's insights will help us refine how we communicate complex investment opportunities across jurisdictions, navigate sensitive cross-border discussions and continue to build trust with our clients and partners. As our business grows, having advisers who understand both the financial and cultural dimensions of international markets is critical," Gao said.

Professor Qin said he was joining at a time of growth for the firm. "I am honoured to join Boman Group's Advisory Board at such a pivotal time in its growth. Boman's ambition to build a truly global, values-driven investment platform strongly resonates with me," he said.

He added that the role would include engagement across investor and institutional relationships in multiple markets. "In this role, I look forward to supporting Eric and the team as they deepen relationships with investors, partners and institutions across borders. By bringing together financial expertise with cultural insights, we can help ensure Boman's expansion is not only commercially successful, but also grounded in trust, respect and long-term partnership," Qin said.

Recent activity

Boman Group has pointed to recent launches and investments as evidence of momentum. The firm recently launched a fund it says is aimed at Australia's housing crisis, in partnership with JPCX. It also cited investments in OpenAI and Anthropic through its Global Unicorn Fund.

The activity reflects a mix of domestic thematic investing and exposure to high-growth global technology companies. It also suggests a strategy combining Australian market opportunities with offshore investments, which can add complexity in disclosure, partner engagement and investor communications.

Gao signalled more announcements during the year and framed them in the context of international opportunity.

"We continue to leverage our experience and connections with China as a strategic advantage to address challenges both unique to Australia and shared across global markets. This is the first announcement in what will be another exciting year for Boman, as we hit key milestones and explore new opportunities around the world," Gao said.