The annual awards recognise excellence in funds management across major asset classes and disciplines and aim to raise the standard of funds management in the industry for the ultimate benefit of investors. Twenty-three winners were announced in a range of categories including Rising Star, two Sustainable and Responsible Investments categories and the new Index Fund of the Year category, culminating in the award for the Fund Manager of the Year.

The 2022 Fund Manager of the Year went to Perpetual Asset Management Australia for the second year running. With a presence in the finalist line-up in five award categories, Perpetual also won the Multi Asset Real Return category.

The Rising Star category went to Melior Investment Management for its differentiated investment approach, impressive excess performance since inception and market-leading responsible investment strategy within the Australian equities asset class.

The Distributor of the Year was awarded to Fidante Partners for the third consecutive year – a stellar achievement in a highly competitive category. The quality of Zenith’s ratings across Fidante’s product suite, expanding use of their products in models, easy access to their boutiques’ investment professionals, and the quality of their adviser support and sales team were again highlighted as the key drivers for this important award.

The 2022 Industry Contribution Award went to industry veteran and Portfolio Construction Forum founder and Managing Partner, Graham Rich.

The newest category, Index Fund Manager of the Year, went to iShares by BlackRock. The category was introduced this year to reflect the continued growth in the sector, which also saw Zenith introduce a new ratings process last year tailored specifically for index funds. BlackRock was singled out in this category for its strong, long-term track record in managing index funds that have produced outcomes (after fees) that are highly consistent with their underlying indices.

David Wright, Zenith CEO, congratulated all finalists and winners for their commitment to quality management and delivering for their clients during what’s proven to be a challenging and continually changing economic environment.

“We’re so pleased to be able to finally hold our awards in-person this year. Fund managers have worked hard to navigate uncertain times for their investors and it’s important that we take the opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate their achievements over the last year. The fact that they’ve been able to deliver competitive returns for their clients is a real testament to their teams and investment processes.

“Each finalist in the Zenith Fund Awards is a leader in their field and has displayed investment excellence across both qualitative and quantitative criteria over the past 12 months and beyond. The awards are informed by the group’s leading internal research team, which has been delivering quality research and insights to the industry for two decades,” said Wright.

Commenting on Graham Rich’s win, Bronwen Moncrieff, Zenith GM and head of research, said, “Graham’s contribution to the financial services industry over multiple decades has been exceptional. His commitment to the continuing education of the participants in this rich and varied sector and his efforts to grow and develop the research industry in Australia make him a fitting winner of this award.”

The full list of winners:

AREIT: Cromwell Funds Management/Phoenix Portfolios
Global REIT: Resolution Capital Limited
Real Assets: Charter Hall Group
Infrastructure: Maple-Brown Abbott Global Listed Infrastructure
Global & Diversified Fixed Interest: Macquarie Asset Management
Australian Fixed Interest: Metrics Credit Partners
Alternative Strategies: PIMCO
Multi Asset – Diversified: BlackRock
Multi Asset – Real Return: Perpetual Asset Management Australia
International Equities – Emerging Markets & Regional: Fidelity International
International Equities – Alternative Strategies: Talaria Asset Management
International Equities – Global: GQG Partners
International Equities – Global Small Cap: Bell Asset Management Ltd
Australian Equities – Alternative Strategies: L1 Capital
Australian Equities – Small Cap: Prime Value Asset Management
Australian Equities – Large Cap: Alphinity Investment Management
Sustainable and Responsible Investments – Income: Pendal
Sustainable and Responsible Investments – Growth: Perennial Partners
Index Fund Manager of the Year: iShares by BlackRock
Rising Star: Melior Investment Management
Industry Contribution Award: Graham Rich
Distributor of the Year: Fidante Partners
Fund Manager of the Year: Perpetual Asset Management Australia

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