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Challenging market conditions, strong competition test fund managers and investors
The asset management industry faced challenging market conditions and strong competition in 2014, driving fund managers and investors to push the boundaries of their asset allocation, stock selection, and investment strategies, and making this year’s The Asset Triple A Investor and Fund Management Award all the more exciting
The Asset 7 May 2015

The asset management industry faced challenging market conditions and strong competition in 2014, driving fund managers and investors to push the boundaries of their asset allocation, stock selection, and investment strategies, and making this year’s The Asset Triple A Investor and Fund Management Award all the more exciting.

 
One thing that did remain was the continuing search for yield amid a flood of  liquidity that sloshed around markets last year. In some cases, extracting yield has become so challenging that some institutional investors underperformed even their own benchmarks.
 
The search for better yields amid challenging conditions also pushed fund managers to take on greater risk for higher returns, a trend that is expected to remain in the foreseeable future.
 
One change that can be considered a milestone for the industry is the greater access to the China A-share market, Asia’s best performing market in 2014, which was made possible through the Shanghai-Hong Kong stock connect, a pilot programme that links the stock markets of Shanghai and Hong Kong.
 
Anticipation of the Shanghai-Hong Kong stock connect and similar developments such as the much-awaited China-Hong Kong mutual recognition agreement for investment funds and the Shenzhen-Hong Kong stock connect, have resulted in a scramble among international fund managers to locate themselves in Hong Kong – at least for those who haven’t yet.
 
In the rest of Asia, a positive development for both retail and institutional investors is the continuing improvement in fund choices with more income-generating funds and active index-linked products coming to the market.
 
It is in this context that we announce the winners of The Asset Triple A Investor and Fund Management Awards 2015.
 
 
Investors of the year
 
Recognized as Investor of the Year is the National Pension Service (NPS) of Korea. NPS continued to grow its assets under management (AUM) by 9.1% to US$426 billion in 2014 as it put in place trend-setting practices for Asian institutional investors, among them: NPS’ new guidelines for exercising voting rights by shareholders; introducing environmental, social, and governance (ESG) considerations; and an emphasis on risk management.
 
The award for Insurance Company of the Year goes to Asia Capital Reinsurance Group as it continues to build on its strength in the Asian bond markets.
 
The Link Real Estate Investment Trust (Link REIT) takes home The Property Investor of the Year award in recognition of  its landmark transactions during the awards period including: acquisition of the Beijing EC Mall, its first expansion outside Hong Kong; and the shift in investment strategy to include property development and re-development.
 
Asset Management Company of the year, Asia
 
Nominees for Asset Management Company (AMC) of the year for Asia are: Allianz Global Investors, BlackRock, and J.P. Morgan Asset Management (JPMAM). The awardee will be announced during the awards dinner on June 23.
 
 
Fund Managers of the Year
 
Affin Hwang Asset Management’s Gan Eng Peng wins the award for Long-only Fund Manager of the Year – Small cap and Mid cap for the Affin Hwang Select Asia (ex-Japan) Quantum Fund.
 
Neeraj Seth of BlackRock wins the award for Long-only Fund Manager of the Year – Fixed Income for the BlackRock Asian Tiger Bond Fund.
 
J.P. Morgan Asset Management’s Jeffrey Roskel and his team including Julie Ho, Stephen Chang, and Shaw Yann Ho win the award for Long-only Mixed Asset Fund Manager of the Year for the JP Morgan Asia Pacific Income Fund.
 
William Ma of Gottex Penjing Asset Management wins the award for Fund of Hedge Funds Manager of the Year for the Penjing Asia Fund.
 
Doug Coulter of LGT Capital Partners wins the award for the Private Equity Fund of Funds Manager of the Year.
 
 
Fund Managers of the Year – Highly Commended
 
Commendations also are given to fund managers who exhibited distinction during the awards period. They are:
·         Dennis Lai of Allianz Global Investors, Long-only Equity Fund Manager of the Year – Highly Commended for the Emerging Asia for the Allianz Emerging Asia Equity Fund
·         Esther Teo of Affin Hwang Asset Management, Long-only Fixed Income Fund Manager of the Year – Highly Commended for the Affin Hwang Select Bond Fund
·         Stephen Chang of J.P. Morgan Asset Management, Long-only Fixed Income Fund Manager of the Year – Highly Commended for the JP Morgan Asia Total Return Bond Fund        
·         Khiem Do of Baring Asset Management (Asia) Limited, Long-only Mixed Asset Fund Manager of the Year – Highly Commended for the Barings Asia Balanced Fund
 
Asset Management Company of the Year, by country
 
Best Asset Management Company of the Year winners in individual markets are: China Asset Management – China; Tai Kang Asset Management Company – China enterprise annuity; Value Partners – Hong Kong; Manulife – Hong Kong MPF Provider; CSOP Asset Management – Hong Kong RQFII Manager; Franklin Templeton – India; BNP Investment Partners – Indonesia; Shinhan BNP Paribas Asset Management – Korea; CIMB Principal Asset Management – Malaysia; BPI Asset Management – Philippines; ATR KimEng Asset Management – Philippine Rising Star; J.P. Morgan Asset Management – Singapore; Yuanta SITC – Taiwan Onshore; J.P. Morgan Asset Management – Taiwan Offshore; Krungsri Asset Management – Thailand; SSI Asset Management – Vietnam Local; and  Dragon Capital Group – Vietnam Foreign.
 
For the complete list of winners, please click here:
 
 

 

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