Asset Management Awards: Marquee winners, explained part 2
In this series of detailed write-ups, we present the AsianInvestor Asset Management Awards Marquee winners.
These titles are regarded as the best of the best in institutional investment management.
Today, we outline the rationale for the next group of winners in this category.
The Marquee distinctions recognise firms that have demonstrated sustained excellence, strong institutional client partnerships and meaningful market impact across Asia Pacific.
To see the full announcement of our Marquee winners, click here.
Congratulations to all our recipients and a big thank you to our esteemed judging panel for their valuable insights and assessments.
Look out for the Individual Awards, coming tomorrow.
BEST FIXED INCOME MANAGER (LARGE-CAP): BNY Investments
BNY Investments achieved strong, client-driven growth across Asia Pacific during the award period, underpinned by expanding institutional relationships, innovative product development and enhanced investment capabilities.
Revenue from regional clients rose 10% in 2025, supported by new inflows and sustained engagement with a diversified client base of approximately 50 institutions, representing $64 billion in assets. The firm’s regional footprint – spanning Hong Kong, Singapore, Korea and Japan – along with a dedicated on-the-ground Insight team, ensured deep local coverage and connectivity to global expertise.
Client retention remained a key strength, with low outflows largely recycled into other Insight strategies, reflecting high client confidence.
In terms of expansion, BNY Investments secured multiple new mandates across Japan and broader Asia, particularly in global fixed income strategies, where its disciplined credit selection and robust risk management have delivered strong risk-adjusted returns. Notably, Asian investors now account for 28% of the BNY Global Credit Fund’s AUM, underscoring the region’s strategic importance.
Innovation was another important differentiator. The launch of the Asia-focused BNY Multi-Sector Credit Income Fund addressed demand for income and diversification. Enhanced net-zero measurement tools, improved carbon accounting and advanced buy-and-maintain analytics further demonstrated leadership in delivering transparent, outcome-oriented solutions.
BEST FIXED INCOME MANAGER (MID/SMALL-CAP): Eastspring Investments
Eastspring Investments in Indonesia delivered a stand-out performance during the awards period, reinforcing its position as a leading fixed income manager in the local market.
Mutual fund AUM surged over 58%, with fixed income driving around 95% of that growth, underscoring the strength of its investment capabilities, product innovation and cohesive sales strategy.
Central to this success was the transformation of the Reksa Dana Eastspring Investments IDR High Grade fund. A redesigned strategy focused on higher dividend payouts, enhanced total returns and resilient price performance, achieved through disciplined duration management and selective allocation to high-quality corporate bonds. This balance of yield enhancement and risk control strengthened investor confidence and drove sustained inflows.
Complementing the performance, Eastspring Investments also expanded its institutional footprint in Indonesia, adding new clients and securing tailored mandates within Capital Protected Funds, while deepening intermediary partnerships to accelerate distribution.
Innovation was also notable, such as creating Indonesia’s first bespoke Bond Forward Program for an insurance client – in turn demonstrating advanced advisory capabilities and leadership in integrating derivative solutions for liability management.
BEST FIXED INCOME MANAGER (MID/SMALL-CAP): Lion Global Investors (Highly commended)
Lion Global Investors earned recognition within fixed income for the combination of its scale, deep market access and expertise in delivering differentiated investment outcomes. During the award period, the firm saw notable momentum in net inflows into Singapore fixed income strategies. Institutional clients, representing over 74% of AUM, continued to drive growth, supported by strong client retention and new mandate wins.
Innovation remained central to Lion Global’s success. Key product launches included the Singapore Investment Grade Bond Fund, a Shariah-compliant enhanced liquidity fund and Singapore’s first active bond ETF, which achieved record fundraising and strong retail adoption.
BEST INSURANCE ASSET MANAGER (LARGE-CAP): Schroders
Schroders was a clear stand-out in insurance asset management during the award period. Its differentiated edge was underpinned by delivering tailored, insurance-specific investment solutions across both public and private markets, integrating regulatory, accounting, ESG and liability considerations into portfolio design.
The firm’s strong momentum in Asia Pacific saw 10% year-on-year growth to build a footprint across 12 markets and around 200 insurance clients.
Performance and delivery were equally compelling: 93% of insurance mandates globally outperforming benchmarks over a three-year-period, with Buy & Maintain strategies achieving minimal defaults. Innovation further differentiated Schroders, from advanced regulatory-aware portfolio tools to bespoke solutions such as cross-border par product launches, efficient US equity access for Taiwan ILPs, and FX-hedged impact portfolios for Japanese insurers.
A dedicated Solutions team – combining actuarial, structuring and investment expertise – partnered closely with clients to solve complex challenges, supported by continuously evolving proprietary tools for portfolio optimisation and reporting.
Combined with industry recognition, thought leadership and an active management approach, Schroders reinforced its excellence, innovation and sustained client value in this space.
BEST INSURANCE ASSET MANAGER (MID/SMALL-CAP): Lion Global Investors
Lion Global Investors impressed judges for its dedication to insurers in Southeast Asia, supported by its long-term investment philosophy and deep understanding of insurers’ unique needs – ultimately ensuring the firm has established itself as a trusted partner to insurance companies navigating complex regulatory and market environments.
A core differentiator was the firm’s fixed income strengths, benefiting from preferred market access, enabling superior deal sourcing and pricing advantages. Its stable team – averaging 27 years’ experience – continued to deliver integrated, multi-asset insights.
Lion Global’s innovations were evident in its tailored insurance solutions, including asset-liability matching strategies aligned with MAS RBC2 requirements, and proprietary IFRS 9/SPPI frameworks that enhanced compliance, reduced capital charges and improved audit transparency. These capabilities demonstrated deep technical expertise and client-centric execution.
The firm’s strong growth trajectory included multiple new insurance mandates and a 65% surge in liquidity solutions AUM. Product innovation further distinguished the firm, with Singapore’s first active bond ETF and a pioneering physical gold fund domiciled locally, both reflecting strong investor demand.
BEST PENSION ASSET MANAGER (LARGE-CAP): Manulife Investment Management
Manulife Investment Management established itself as a leader in Asia’s rapidly evolving pension landscape by combining global scale, technological innovation and forward-looking solutions centred on longevity and financial resilience.
Serving 9.5 million customers across seven markets, the firm continued to hold dominant positions in key regions – including being the top MPF provider in Hong Kong with sustained leadership in net flows – while also delivering strong financial performance, including record quarterly core earnings of $305 million and double-digit AUM growth.
A defining strength was Manulife’s ability to anticipate and shape market trends. Its integration of AI across investment and client experience set a new industry benchmark. Proprietary tools such as the AI Research Assistant and DORA significantly enhanced research efficiency and insight generation, while innovations like the iPension AI chatbot enabled personalised, seamless retirement planning at scale. These initiatives have delivered over $600 million in digital transformation benefits.
Investment excellence was reinforced by strong fund performance, with the majority of MPF offerings generating positive returns and top peer rankings. Manulife further stood out through ESG leadership, enhanced transparency and proactive index improvements.
BEST THEMATIC STRATEGY: Pictet Asset Management
Pictet Asset Management was notable as a pioneer and market leader in thematic investing. As the world’s largest actively managed thematic equities manager, with $72 billion in AUM, it continued to implement its consistent, long-term investment philosophy focused on structural megatrends.
Its flagship strategies – including Water, Robotics, and Biotech – demonstrate longevity, scale and sustained outperformance, highlighting its ability to identify transformative themes ahead of the market.
A key differentiator was Pictet’s deep, specialist platform: over 70 thematic experts supported by 14 advisory boards of scientists, academics and industry leaders. This expertise is combined with a rigorous, proprietary investment framework incorporating ESG integration, biodiversity modelling, and the Planetary Boundaries framework, ensuring both financial returns and sustainability outcomes.
Innovation was evident in the firm’s customised and multi-asset thematic solutions, including dynamic “Road to Megatrends” strategies that adapt asset allocation over time.
Strong performance, including Robotics outperforming global equities, and major institutional mandates – including multi-billion-dollar impact strategies – underscored its ability to deliver differentiated insights, scalable solutions and long-term value.
BEST INSTITUTIONAL STRATEGY: T. Rowe Price
The firm’s Global Government Bond High Quality (USD Hedged) strategy stood out as a best-in-class solution, combining benchmark awareness with exceptional flexibility to consistently outperform across diverse rate environments.
The Fund’s market leadership was evident via strong institutional adoption across Asia Pacific and globally, appealing to pension funds, insurers and sovereign investors seeking resilient, high-quality fixed income exposure.
Performance was a key differentiator – the Fund delivered +5.90% gross excess return over one year (7.87% vs 1.97% benchmark), driven primarily by dynamic duration management and tactical curve positioning. The strategy’s ability to actively rotate between underweight and overweight duration, combined with selective country and currency positioning, enabled it to capture opportunities while mitigating risks in volatile markets.
A defining strength was its restoration of sovereign bonds’ traditional defensive role. With a persistent negative correlation to equities (-0.15 vs +0.46 benchmark), it demonstrated superior diversification and downside protection, notably cushioning drawdowns during periods of equity stress.
In short, the disciplined, institutionally aligned design – focused exclusively on developed market sovereigns, supported by robust risk controls and advanced analytics – ensured liquidity, transparency and resilience. Complemented by strong client engagement and thought leadership, the strategy delivered improved portfolio outcomes.