This marquee award is open to all investment-management companies (not individuals). AsianInvestor invites you to submit an essay of no more than 1,500 words in length arguing why you deserve it.

Send submissions to editors@asianinvestor.net no later than Tuesday, 12 April.

This award is by nature hard to define. So the best way to tell you what we're looking for is to give examples.

In 2008, we named Pimco manager of the year, for going against the grain when other bond managers were chasing yield. This prudence protected Pimco from the worst of the financial crisis in the US, and allowed it to outperform when others suffered.

In 2009, we named BlackRock manager of the year. It was lauded for a commitment to placing risk management at the core of its investment culture, and using this to not only defend against the downturn, but find unique alpha-generating opportunities for its clients.

In 2010, we named India’s IDFC manager of the year, for its work in private equity, mutual funds and sustainable investments in emerging markets. It was the first time we recognized an indigenous Asian firm. IDFC has been an innovator in India’s retail mutual funds market, as well as in infrastructure and socially responsible investing region-wide.

We would like to hear from you about what your firm has done for investors in the past calendar year, and why you deserve to be known in Asia as ‘asset manager of the year’.