Best of the Best
Country/Region Awards: Korea
Showcase your Leadership in Korea
The Best of the Best Country/Region Awards recognise exceptional organisations that have demonstrated outstanding performance and leadership within Korea. Showcase your firm’s regional expertise and be celebrated as a leader in Korea.
Categories
Submit entries for one or more of the following categories:
CEO of the Year
Honours the outstanding CEO of a Korean asset management firm.
Submission Guidelines
- Explain how your firm has navigated the challenging market conditions of the past year.
- Demonstrate your leadership in guiding the firm through these challenges, and discuss your firm’s performance, assets under management, and any new initiatives, if any, implemented.
CIO of the Year
Recognises the top chief investment officer in Korea.
Submission Guidelines
- Demonstrate your outstanding achievements as a chief investment officer at the country level for a pension fund or fund management company.
- Explain how you have successfully navigated market conditions, mitigated risks, and positioned your portfolios for future market cycles.
- Provide supporting data on the portfolios you manage, the size of your investment team, your investment performance, and new initiatives implemented, if any.
Pensions Leader of the Year - NEW
Recognises the individual demonstrating the most outstanding leadership and impact within Korea’s pensions industry.
Submission Guidelines
- Outline your significant achievements and contributions to the pensions market within Korea over the past 1-3 years.
- Highlight your strategic vision and successful implementation of key initiatives for your firm within the pensions sector.
- Describe your leadership approach, including team management and engagement with clients or stakeholders.
- Detail any innovative solutions, new initiatives, or significant contributions you have made to advance the country’s pensions landscape.
- Provide evidence of your influence and positive impact on the industry (e.g. policy contributions, thought leadership, successful business growth).
Best Alternatives Asset Manager
Honours the top-performing alternative investment manager in Korea.
Submission Guidelines
- Highlight your firm’s area of expertise within the alternative investment space and explain the particular strategy that your firm has excelled in.
- Explain your firm’s investment and research processes, performance record, size of client base, and relevant client endorsements, if any.
Best ESG Engagement Initiative
Celebrates the most effective ESG engagement activities undertaken by a Korean-based firm.
Submission Guidelines
- Given the growing adoption of ESG strategies and the importance of stewardship, institutional investors play a crucial role in enhancing corporate governance. Explain your firm’s stewardship and engagement practices, including reporting on voting activities and market impact at the country level.
- Detail the structure of your ESG team and the number of company engagements in the past 12 months at the country level and the outcomes.
- Provide information on the outcomes of these engagements up to November 30, 2025.
Best ESG Manager
Awards the leading ESG-focused asset manager in Korea.
Submission Guidelines
- Explain your firm’s approach to ESG investing.
- Detail your firm’s ESG setup at the country level where you are applying and provide specific examples of your ESG investment strategies.
- Indicate the size of your local ESG team, resources, products, and assets under management.
Best Equity Manager
Honours the most successful equity manager in Korea.
Submission Guidelines
- Given the ongoing global macro challenges, such as rising interest rates and inflation, explain how your domestic equity strategies have performed over the past year.
- Highlight your successes and achievements up to November 30, 2025.
- Provide the size of your equity assets under management for the last two years.
Fund Launch of the Year
Recognises the most successful new fund launch in Korea.
Submission Guidelines
- Explain how your firm successfully launched a new fund and its impact over the past year up to November 30, 2025.
- Highlight any innovative strategies employed during the launch period and provide supporting data on the amount of monies raised.
Best Institutional Asset Manager
Recognises the leading institutional asset manager in Korea.
Submission Guidelines
- Demonstrate your firm’s market share, client retention rate, and success in acquiring new business. Provide supporting data to substantiate your claims.
- Indicate stability of the senior management team, and new initiatives launched or planned.
Best Pension Fund Manager
Awards the top-performing pension fund manager in Korea.
Submission Guidelines
- Your firm will be evaluated on its performance in managing domestic pension mandates over the past three and five years.
- Provide supporting data, including the size of these mandates and your returns relative to relevant benchmarks.
Best Pension Plan Sponsor
Recognises the most effective pension plan sponsor in Korea.
Submission Guidelines
- Demonstrate your pension fund’s progress and achievements in Thailand or Korea over the past year.
- Highlight any significant accomplishments and new initiatives implemented up to November 30, 2025.
Best Retail Asset Manager
Celebrates the top-performing retail asset manager in Korea.
Submission Guidelines
- Your firm must demonstrate a strong market share in the retail market, as evidenced by net assets raised during the year, new fund launches, if any, new investor education initiatives, and successful new distribution arrangements.
- Explain your firm’s online presence and how technology is deployed to enhance the client experience.
Best Climate Change Strategy
Honours the most effective climate change strategy implemented by a Korean-based firm.
Submission Guidelines
- This award will recognise an institution (stock exchange, bank, asset manager, insurer, sovereign wealth fund, corporate) for its efforts in decarbonisation and contributing to the energy transition towards a net-zero emissions world.
- Explain your institution’s response to this challenge at the country level, including steps implemented to date and future plans.
Most Innovative Application of AI
Awards the most innovative use of AI in Korea’s asset management industry.
Submission Guidelines
- Given the growing adoption of AI in investment management, please explain how your firm is leveraging AI technologies, such as Generative AI and Large Language Models, to enhance your portfolio management processes.
- Discuss the impact of these technologies on your firm’s operations and clients’ outcomes in the region.
Eligibility Criteria
Eligibility Period
30 November 2024 – 30 November 2025
Eligible Funds
Must be available to Asian investors.
Minimum Track Record
1+ years (refer to individual award details for specific eligibility criteria).
Judging Criteria
Please see individual award details for specific judging criteria.
Submission Requirements
Deadline
December 17th, 2025 at close of business 6pm HKT. Late submissions will not be considered.
Payment
Ensure payment accompanies the submission.
How to Submit
1. Gather required documentation.
2. Complete the online form.
3. Submit application before the deadline.
Country/Region Awards: Korea
Contact Us
Check out our FAQs which answers the most common questions. If you have any further questions or have any issues with submitting your application, reach out to us at awards@asiaasset.com.