After weeks of polling our audience of key investment industry players, the results of the inaugural Institutional Asset Manager Awards have been revealed.
The winners were announced at an exclusive virtual awards ceremony and industry networking event on Thursday, which included an illuminating ‘fireside chat’ Q&A with John Claisse, chief executive of investment consultancy firm Albourne Partners.
The Institutional Asset Manager Awards 2021 recognise excellence, innovation and industry leadership among asset management firms and service providers across a broad range of categories.
So who is rated as the best of the best? Which asset manager has distinguished themselves in environmental investing, and who has the industry recognised in emerging markets? Which risk management platform receives asset managers’ seal of approval, and who provides the best service for dealing with digital assets? Head to our website to read the full list of winners. Congratulations to all.
Last night’s ceremony saw the industry reflecting on a stand-out year for asset management. There has been a slew of new challenges, from the coronavirus pandemic to zero interest rate policies, facing asset managers and service providers. But, across the board, firms have adapted and thrived – and global AUM has soared to USD110 trillion and counting.
Signs of a recovery are continuing to pour in. Investor appetite for long-term mutual funds was positive in April 2021, according to Refinitiv Lipper team, with equity funds leading the pack by sizeable margin. Equity investors are waiting on a global dividend revival, which Janus Henderson now predicts will lead to 8.4 per cent higher dividends year-on-year in 2021. This comes as companies are beginning to resume pay-outs after a difficult year in 2020.
This rosy outlook has turned many investors’ thoughts to the pace of economic restart and a return to inflation. Nevertheless, BlackRock is warning against taking one’s eye off the geopolitical risks that could impact investment portfolios. The asset manager says that investors are currently at a “four-year low” in their attention on geopolitics, but the risk of technology decoupling between the US and China is still a major, and growing, concern.
Madeleine Taylor
Editor, Institutional Asset Manager
maddy.taylor@globalfundmedia.com