For Section A Performance Awards, please upload the monthly performance returns (gross) for the award period and the monthly benchmark returns (if relevant).

For the two new ESG fund awards, they will recognise performance that incorporates ESG themes by applying negative/positive filters or scoring systems in their investment process. The fund’s performance benchmark should be ESG related.

For the Asia Absolute Return Fund, please briefly explain the strategy, the underlying assets and the investment process including the use of leverage, if any.

All performance data is for the period ending September 30, 2022. Please upload your monthly returns (gross) for the award period chosen and the benchmark returns in an excel file. For example if applying for the ASEAN three-year category, we require the monthly returns (gross) for 36 months to September 30, 2022 and the relevant benchmark returns. You may download the excel template here for guidance.

Please note that for Section A Performance Awards, the end period used is September 30, 2022.

For awards for Sections B, C and D, the performance and data is for the period to November 30, 2022.

1. Alternatives House of the Year. This will be awarded to an alternatives house that the judging panel believed has achieved an outstanding level of performance and client servicing capability in the region. The firm can be managing a variety of alternative strategies such as long/short equity, credit and bank loans, funds of hedge funds, funds of private equity funds, macro, and convertibles including property or real estate. Please provide supporting data on AUM and third party endorsements, if any.
2. Asian Asset Consultant of the Year. Given the issues and challenges of navigating global markets at a time of heightened uncertainties, the role of asset consultants is also coming under sharper focus. This award will recognise the role and contribution of an asset consultant to the funds and pensions industry in Asia; the incumbent has to demonstrate a solid track record in pensions advisory and a high level of strategic input for its clients. Please also explain new initiatives in the region in the past year.  
3. Asian Bond House of The Year. Against a backdrop of rising rates, Asian currencies are experiencing their worst period of volatility since the financial crisis of 1997/98. Please explain how your strategies are coping during this period and new initiatives undertaken in the past 12 months. 
4. Best Bond Trading Platform. This award will recognise how your institution is capturing new volumes in Asia from market participants based on your robust platform, its benefits and efficiency of execution whether for hard or local currency bonds. Please provide supporting data and third party endorsements, if any.
5. Asian Rising Star. This award will go to the market participant that has become the one to watch having already demonstrated great promise within the country’s asset management industry. The winning entry will have demonstrated significant financial achievement, enterprise, integrity, innovation and strategic development. Please explain how you have navigated the markets during the pandemic. Please provide supporting data on assets under management.
6. Best Application of ESG. Covid-19 has significantly heightened awareness of ESG issues and its long-term implications going forward. Please explain how your firm’s ESG policies and strategies have been adopted and integrated into your portfolios (whether firm wide or by specific asset classes) and the research methodology used.
7. Best Asset Management House. In the third year of the pandemic, global markets have been impacted by a host of issues, depressing portfolios.  In this difficult regime, please explain how your firm has managed during the past one year and initiatives undertaken to strengthen your regional franchise for the new opportunities ahead.
8. Best Asset Management House in Asia- 20 years (new). As part of AAM’s 20thanniversary of these awards, the judging panel will honour one institution for the progress that it has achieved in the past two decades. Progress is measured in terms of size of AUM over this period, expansion of franchise and regional presence  as well as introducing innovative products that have made an impact in the region.
9. Best ESG Manager in Asia. The pandemic has highlighted the importance of ESG and the associated long-term risks.  Please explain your firm’s overall ESG philosophy, the engagement process with companies and the impact that has been achieved as well as how that has led to better returns for your clients. Please indicate size of ESG coverage, footprint and assets under management.
10. Best Value Investing Manager (new). Value Investing is making a comeback and the  renewed focus on fundamentals (profits and cash flow) is opening up new opportunities. Please explain how your firm is set up, size of AUM, track record and new initiatives in the past one year.
11. Best Digital Wealth Management in Asia. This award will recognise how your firm has been able to harness new technology to enhance the distribution of innovative investment products and to provide a platform for investors to manage their savings and investments in a timely and cost efficient manner. Please provide supporting data to show investment range of investment offerings, size of franchise and amounts raised in the past two years.
12. Best Fund Administrator in Asia- Retail. This award will recognise how fund administrators are addressing the needs of clients in a more demanding regime not just in terms of the evolving regulatory requirements but also in the critical area of more innovative and cost effective solutions using the latest technologies and systems. It will also address the investments being made to improve the automation processes, service delivery of end-to-end solutions, and compliance monitoring. The judging panel would also like to see the staff resources and level of expertise within the group. Please provide a list of mandates won by types of clients and funds in the region in the last 12 months.
13. Best Fund Administrator in Asia- Alternatives. This award will recognise how your institution has adapted to the complex and challenging world of administering alternative products in the region, providing top notch end-to-end solutions and compliance monitoring. Please provide supporting data on scale of franchise, mandates won by number and types of clients in the past 12 months. Client endorsements will be helpful too.
14. Fintech Innovation in Securities Servicing. Please explain how your institution is embracing Fintech for the buy side in Asia to enhance your value proposition and how your clients are benefiting from these innovative solutions at a time of heightened competition. Please explain how your firm is addressing the critical challenges in cyber security.
15. Best Middle and Back Office Services Provider. This award will recognise a provider with best-in-class solutions for the buy side for their middle and back office requirements. Please explain how your team has coped during the pandemic, ensuring timely reporting, client monitoring and client interactions.
16. Best Global Custodian in Asia-Pacific. Please explain how your institution has fared in the region in the past 12 months in terms of assets growth, significant mandates won, new markets developed, etc. in light of the issues affecting global markets not the least of which is the ongoing pandemic. How are global custodians responding to client demands in the region across the broad range of services and markets that they operate in especially in terms of outsourcing and coping with new demands? How are global custodians meeting the heightened requirements of risk and compliance and the increasing move to provide the full range of front, middle to back office services? How are global custodians addressing developments shaping digital currencies and assets? Please provide supporting data of your franchise in Asia-Pacific.
17. Best Global Custodian in Asia-Pacific - 20 years (new). In recognition of the 20^th Anniversary of the Best of the Best Awards this year, the judging panel is looking to honour one global institution that has significantly expanded its regional franchise in terms of growth of assets under administration, network and resources in the past 20 years. Please provide supporting data.
18. Best QFII Global Custodian - 20 years. The Qualified Foreign Institutional Investor program celebrates its 20^th anniversary in 2022. During the past two decades, China’s market opening has underpinned a slew of new opportunities for a wide range of institutions. Please explain how your institution has been at the forefront from the very beginning of this program and your track record since then.
19. Best Digital Assets Custodian for Institutional Investors. The digital asset universe is gathering momentum with the growth of cryptocurrencies, tokenisation of traditional assets and rollout of central bank digital currencies in the pipeline in several jurisdiction. While the crypto shakeout this year has derailed the market, new opportunities are emerging. Please explain how your firm  is making its presence felt to serve the growing pool of  institutional clients, your technology and the platform that has been established.
20. Best Local Custodian in Asia-Pacific (new). This newly-created award recognises contributions by local banks in the region which offer custody and related services in their home market. Please explain how your institution has fared in the market in the past 12 months in terms of assets growth, significant mandates won, new product/services introduced, market advocacy, etc. in light of the issues affecting the market not the least of which is the ongoing pandemic. How are you responding to client demands in competition with other foreign or local custodians in your market? How are you meeting the heightened requirements of risk and compliance? How are you addressing developments shaping digital assets and currencies? Please provide supporting data in your submission.
21. Best Impacting Investing Manager. Impact Investing is still a relatively new theme in Asia and assets under management are still relatively low. At its core, impact investing combines financial returns and societal returns for a specific mandate or cause. Please explain how your firm is making a difference in deploying this strategy in either public markets or private markets, the research and investment process, and assets under management.
22. Best Insurance Asset Manager. The winning asset manager will have demonstrated the ability to deliver service, performance, and innovative solutions to its insurance clients in Asia. Please also explain how the firm has embraced new technology to improve the services that it provides and to bolster its digital profile, and the components the company has put in place to commit to responsible investing.
23. Best Multi-Asset House. This award will go to the applicant that has put forward the best case for building a multi-asset portfolio while proving significant capital market and risk management expertise. The judges will be looking for evidence of how thoughtful portfolio diversification is an investment strategy and proof that by combining multiple asset classes with low or negative correlations, an investor may achieve a higher portfolio return and a significant reduction in risk.
24. Best Real Assets House. The winner in this category will have enhanced the reputation of their real assets investment strategy during the 12-month period to November 30, 2022. Evidence of success will include growth in AUM, pattern of net inflows, stability of performance, product development and innovation, increased acceptability and uptake in target markets.
25. Best Securities Financing House. Please explain how your institution has strengthened your franchise in the Asia-Pacific region in the past 12 months and new initiatives undertaken.
26. Best Smart Beta Strategy. This award will go to the asset management house or pension fund that has demonstrated the best “smart beta” approaches; in doing so they will have combined both passive and active elements to deliver the best of both worlds: transparent construction, the promise of diversification, and all at low cost. Please explain how such strategies are put together and how they have performed over the past three years.
27. CEO of the Year in Asia. 2022 is proving to be one of the most challenging periods for the industry in recent years; with the lingering effects of Covid-19 alongside of global market uncertainties in a new era of  geo-politics, the operating realities are never starker. As a leader of your firm, please explain how you have fared, managed client expectations and retained and if not strengthened your franchise for the next market cycle.
28. CIO of the Year in Asia.  Please explain how you have navigated the markets during the difficult conditions in the last 12 months, mitigate risks and position your portfolios for the next market cycle. Please provide supporting data on the portfolios that you are responsible for, size of investment team, investment performance, and new initiatives, if any.
29. ETF Index Provider of the Year in Asia. The winning applicant will have been at the forefront of developing accurate, objective and superior indices in the region. They will demonstrate how they have developed sophisticated index concepts in response to continuous growth of the ETF market and expanded their index offering on a regional level and across all asset classes.
30. ETF Manager of the Year. This award addresses the key achievements of the ETF provider in the last 12 months, new products launched across the region, scale of existing franchise, number of funds listed in the region, and efforts to promote investor education, and enhance usage of ETFs in the institutional and retail marketplace.
31. Fintech Innovation in Asian Asset Management. This award recognises a firm’s product or service offering that has made a significant difference for your clients. Please explain how your firm is deploying or has deployed cutting edge technology or technologies to offer better outcomes for your clients at the retail, wholesale or institutional level. Please explain your online presence and use of apps.
32. Index Provider of the Year. This recognition will be awarded to the index provider that has done the most to improve investor outcomes through index introductions, research, and adviser support during the pandemic. Please also provide information on size of assets and number of funds that track your indices in the region.
33. ESG Index Provider of the Year. Allocations to ESG strategies are growing across the region including from a host of asset owners and pension funds. Please explain how your institution is meeting client demands by structuring innovative indexes based on your proprietary research methodology; please provide supporting data on take-up and size of client assets that track these indices.
34. Most Innovative Index. Your organisation has developed and launched an index (or a series of indices) that are leading edge and captures the new opportunities that are presenting themselves; these are indices that  track new sectors or industries in the New Economy such as in the clean energy universe, technology, transportation, healthcare and infrastructure.
35. Plan Sponsor of the Year. The award recognises the progress and achievements of a pension fund in Asia. Please explain how your pension fund has coped in the past one year especially on managing investments and operations; please also explain how the use of technology was deployed for member communications, reporting and engaging key stakeholders.
36. Most Resilient Fund. This award recognises how your fund has outperformed  in the last one year, marked by market volatility, rising rates and heightened geo-political risks. Please explain what strategies were in place to capture the emerging opportunities while retaining the risks parameters that your fund has in place. Please provide performance data and size of fund.
37. Best Digital Assets Index (new). The digital assets universe is expanding and your index (or indices) tracks the performance of the largest assets by market capitalisation. Please explain the methodology and provide supporting data.
38. Best Application of Artificial Intelligence (new). AI strategies are gaining traction as firms incorporate these technologies into their investment process in managing portfolios. Please explain your process, its impact and market acceptance for your retail or institutional clients in the region.
39. Best Climate Change Strategy (new). As fiduciaries of capital, asset managers play a critical role in the ongoing energy transition as part of the journey to achieve a Net Zero emission world. Please explain how your institution is responding to this challenge and steps implemented to date in managing client portfolios.
40. Best Digital Assets Manager (new).The crypto winter that has set in on the industry has left lingering scars this year;  a number of regulators meanwhile have scrambled to address the fallout. Please explain your firm’s strategy in managing these assets including tokenized assets, your specific focus and achievements and new initiatives in the past 12 months.
41. Best Institution for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (new). Much work remains to be done in the DEI sphere in Asia-Pacific and among one metric, the representation of women in senior management remains relatively low. Please explain how your institution is positioned within DEI, achievements to date and plans for the future.
42. Best Investment Management Technology Provider (new). Technology is playing an increasingly critical role in the investment process, from optimising workflows, managing trade execution, collecting and analysing data, managing risk and compliance, to service delivery and digital transformation. The winner of this award enables investment firms and organisations in Asia Pacific to harness its outstanding platform to meet fast-evolving client and market needs, handle multiple asset classes, and achieve competitive advantages. Please provide data on take-up, aggregate AUM of your client base in the region, growth over the past 12 months, and also client endorsements.

For awards for Sections B, C and D, the performance and data is for the period to November 30, 2022.

1. ASEAN Asset Consultant of the Year. This award will recognise the role and contribution of an asset consultant to the funds and pensions industry in ASEAN; the incumbent has to demonstrate a solid track record in pensions advisory and a high level of strategic input for its clients as well as a commitment to the region. Client references will be an added advantage. 
2. Best Application of ESG. COVID-19 has significantly heightened awareness of ESG issues and its long-term implications going forward. Please explain how your firm’s ESG policies and strategies have been adopted and integrated into your portfolios (whether firm wide or by specific asset classes) and the research methodology used. Please provide supporting data on assets and third party endorsements, if any.
3. Best ESG Manager in ASEAN. The pandemic has highlighted the importance of ESG and the associated long-term risks that have come front and centre during the crisis. Please explain how your institution has negotiated this once-in-a century pandemic and how your ESG strategies and mandates have coped during the period. Please indicate size of ESG coverage, footprint and assets under management.
4. Best Impacting Investing Manager. Impact Investing is still a relatively new theme in ASEAN and assets under management are still relatively low. At its core, impact investing combines financial returns and societal returns for a specific mandate or cause. Please explain how your firm is making a difference in deploying this strategy in either public markets or private markets, the research and investment process, and assets under management.
5. Best ESG Strategy – Pension Fund. Now more than ever, the momentum is growing in Asia for asset owners and pension funds to apply ESG strategies across their spectrum of investments. Please explain how your pension fund has incorporated ESG best practices into your portfolios and to ensure the long-term sustainability of these investments.
6. Best Pension Fund for Member Communications. It is incumbent upon members of pension funds to equip themselves with sufficient knowledge to make informed choices about their savings and investments in both the accumulation phase before retirement and in the decumulation phase post retirement. Please explain steps that your pension fund has undertaken  to improve the engagement process, new initiatives, raising investor education programmes, and the tools and technologies that have been used to convey the key messages.
7. ETF Index Provider of the Year in ASEAN. The winning applicant will have been at the forefront of developing accurate, objective and superior indices in the region. They will demonstrate how they have developed sophisticated index concepts in response to continuous growth of the ETF market and expanded their index offering on a regional level and across all asset classes.
8. ESG Index Provider of the Year in ASEAN. Allocations to ESG strategies are growing across the region including from a host of asset owners and pension funds. Please explain how your institution is meeting client demands by structuring innovative indexes based on your proprietary research methodology; please provide supporting data on take-up and size of client assets that track these indices.
9. Fintech Innovation in Asset Management. This new award recognises a firm’s product or service offering that has made a significant difference for your clients. Please explain how your firm is deploying or has deployed cutting edge technology or technologies to offer better outcomes for your clients at the retail, wholesale or institutional level. Please explain your online presence and use of apps, if any.
10. Index Provider of the Year in ASEAN. This recognition will be awarded to the index provider that has done the most to improve investor outcomes through index introductions, research, adviser support and more. Also provide information on innovatory practices and investments in new technology or support infrastructure used to support the provision of indexes the firm provides and give details of the company’s online presence; provide evidence of having benefitted from smoother operations and/or new value added services; and list significant contributions to the investment management industry.
11. Best Application of Artificial Intelligence (new). AI strategies are gaining traction as firms incorporate these technologies into their investment process in managing portfolios. Please explain your process, its impact and market acceptance for your retail or institutional clients in the region.
12. Best Climate Change Strategy (new). As fiduciaries of capital, asset managers play a critical role in the ongoing energy transition as part of the journey to achieve a Net Zero emission world. Please explain how your institution is responding to this challenge and steps implemented to date in managing client portfolios.
13. Best Digital Assets Manager (new). The crypto winter that has set in on the industry has left lingering scars this year;  a number of regulators meanwhile have scrambled to address the fallout. Please explain your firm’s strategy in managing these assets including tokenized assets, your specific focus and achievements and new initiatives in the past 12 months.
14. Best Institution for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (new). Much work remains to be done in the DEI sphere in Asia-Pacific and among one metric, the representation of women in senior management remains relatively low. Please explain how your institution is positioned within DEI, achievements to date.
15. Best Local Custodian in ASEAN (new). This newly-created award recognises contributions by local banks in ASEAN which offer custody and related services in their home market. Please explain how your institution has fared in the market in the past 12 months in terms of assets growth, significant mandates won, new product/services introduced, market advocacy, etc. in light of the issues affecting the market not the least of which is the ongoing pandemic. How are you responding to client demands in competition with other foreign or local custodians in your market? How are you meeting the heightened requirements of risk and compliance? How are you addressing developments shaping digital assets and currencies? Please provide supporting data in your submission.