Insurance Asset Risk has announced the winners of its annual UK & Europe awards for 2025, with both Legal & General (L&G) and M&G achieving double victories this year.
L&G won both the investment innovation of the year and the social investing initiative of the year awards. While M&G won the bulk purchase annuities solution of the year award, and M&G Investments was anointed fixed income manager of the year.
Elsewhere, the prizes were split between a further 17 insurers and asset managers, with Zurich retaining its crown won in 2024 as responsible investor of the year in the re/insurer category for 2025 and Swiss Life Asset Managers retaining its title as real estate manager of the year.
New winners for this year, which didn't feature in last year's list, included Fiera, which was appointed alternatives manager of the year, and MetLife Investment Management, which won private debt manager of the year.
This year's prestigious CIO of the Year award, which is adjudicated by Insurance Asset Risk's editorial team, was awarded to Phoenix Group's Mike Eakins, who was praised for his ability to embrace volatility in the marketplace and remain unfazed, while capitalizing on the BPA boom to strengthen the company's retirement solutions business and expand further into illiquid assets.
The whole of Insurance Asset Risk's team would like to thank the industry for its support, and the judges for their time and expertise.
List of winners:
- Alternatives manager of the year: Fiera
- Biodiversity/natural capital investment initiative of the year: Nuveen
- Bulk purchase annuities solution of the year: M&G
- Chief investment officer of the year: Michael Eakins (Phoenix Group)
- Emerging markets manager of the year: abrdn
- Equity manager of the year: Royal London Asset Management
- Fixed income manager of the Year: M&G Investments
- Infrastructure manager of the year: Mirova
- Investment innovation of the Year: Legal & General
- Investment team of the year - asset manager: Aviva Investors
- Multi-asset manager of the year: Schroders
- Passive manager of the year: Invesco
- Portfolio climate risk solution of the year: Conning
- Private debt manager of the year: MetLife Investment Management
- Private debt manager of the year: Blackstone
- Real estate manager of the year: Swiss Life Asset Managers
- Responsible investor of the year - asset manager: Schroders
- Responsible investor of the year - re/insurer: Zurich Insurance Company Ltd
- Social investing initiative of the year: Legal & General
- Investment strategy consultant of the year: EY LLP
How the awards were judged
Judges reviewed the submitted entry material and then voted in a secret ballot. Votes were counted and verified by Insurance Asset Risk's team.
All judges are senior industry experts from re/insurers across Europe and the UK, each chosen for their knowledge and objectivity.
The judges' decision is final and neither Insurance Asset Risk nor the judging panel will enter into any correspondence regarding individual entries and/or the award winners.