Insurance Asset Risk has announced the winners of its inaugural North America awards highlighting a diversity of talent and skill across the region.
Insurers and asset managers have been working to hold back the slow grind of lower interest rates for the best part of a decade now. And the last year brought with it its own challenges in the form of COVID-19.
That the industry was able to bounce back from the ravages of March 2020 in such a spectacular fashion attest to the good work done by investment teams across the Americas. Conning and Barings scooped two awards each based on their sterling work in helping insurers find non-traditional investment areas to tap.
On the theme of diversity, CIO of the year Todd Hedtke has shown a particular championing of the causes that have been prevalent in society these past 18 months—whilst at the same time making a strong case on the investment side.
The award that saw most interest and entries was climate risk—judges struggled to decide on a winner. However, Moody's was particularly praised for its clear and focused approach and edged it in the final count. Meanwhile, Pomona Capital got its award by dint of its long and successful history working in the niche secondaries markets.
We look forward to next year's competition.
Winners:
CIO of the year - Todd Hedtke, Allianz Life
Climate risk initiative of the year - Moody's Analytics
Emerging markets manager of the year- Barings
Fixed income manager of the year - Conning
Private debt manager of the year - Barings
Private equity manager of the year - Pomona Capital
Real asset manager of the year - DWS
Structured debt manager of the year - Wellington Management
Technology provider of the year - Conning