Today AsianInvestor launches its annual awards programme designed to recognise excellence and best practice among institutional investors across Asia Pacific. This year we have added two award categories.

It is the second time AsianInvestor has launched an awards process dedicated to asset owners, a group encompassing many of the region’s biggest and most sophisticated investors. Last year's inaugural winners can be found here for Day 1 and here for Day 2. Photos from the inaugural awards dinner can be found here.

These awards are open to all institutional investors across Asia Pacific, including pension funds, sovereign wealth funds, central banks, insurance companies and other official institutions – large or small. In all there are 17 awards, as follows:

Institutional categories
Central bank; insurance company; corporate pension fund; endowment;
public pension fund; sovereign wealth fund

Market categories
Australia/New Zealand; China; Hong Kong/Taiwan; Japan; Southeast Asia; South Korea

Regional categories
Governance; Innovation; Investment capabilities; Contribution to capital market development (new); Social responsibility (new)

We have weighted four areas of qualitative judgement. The aim is to understand and compare tangible progress as an investing entity, rather than to pick winners based on arbitrary snapshots of fund performance.

The awards nomination process starts today and runs until Friday, September 25. There are several ways to apply and all submissions are treated in strict confidence.

All institutions listed in AsianInvestor’s annual ranking of the top 300 asset owners will be invited to nominate themselves, and smaller institutions are also encouraged to apply.

For self-nominations, send an email to [email protected] outlining why you think you deserve recognition. No self-nominations will be made public.

We also welcome nominations from third parties, including fund managers, consultants, custodians and other organisations. Again, please submit your nomination to [email protected].

AsianInvestor has designed a questionnaire around key qualitative factors to ensure a uniform approach to each asset owner. This explains the information we are looking for and details our weighting scheme.

Institutions and nominators are welcome to write to [email protected] to obtain a copy. Asset size is not a criteria.

Nominees may either fill in the questionnaire, as mentioned above, or we can schedule an interview by phone or in person. Requesting the questionnaire will at least let you know what information we require.

The interview process will be a brief, off-the-record discussion with nominees related to our awards criteria.

AsianInvestor’s editorial team may also shortlist asset owners at its own discretion.

AsianInvestor will invite a panel of experienced industry participants to provide feedback on responses we have gathered through nominations or our own research. They will act as a de facto judging panel and will remain anonymous.

The nomination process will run until September 25. Thereafter our journalists will shortlist asset owners and interview them. We will announce the winners in the week starting October 21.

All of the winners will be invited to attend our Institutional Excellence Awards dinner on Wednesday, December 2 in Singapore.

For sponsorship opportunities or to enquire about attendace, please contact AsianInvestor's commercial director Terry Rayner on +852 3175 1963 or by email [email protected].

Photos of the event and detailed explanations of the reasons for our choices will appear in the February 2016 edition of AsianInvestor magazine.