Categories and Criteria

The Private Asset Management Awards 2024 provide a platform for investment professionals, wealth advisors, legal firms, consultants, and other key service providers to showcase their incredible achievements amongst one of the most coveted programs in the industry.

In order to maintain the high-calibre of entries year on year, we work closely with leading firms to ensure they reflect the fast-moving nature of the sector. This year’s categories have been developed by esteemed industry peers who will sit amongst a panel of rigorous judging to honor the premier performers of the community. 

Categories & Criteria

Overall Category 

This award will go to a firm or individual that has done an exceptional job in running either a philanthropic or educational endeavor over the past 12 months (ending July 31, 2023) and can clearly demonstrate a positive impact on the sector.

Key criteria include:

  • Clear evidence of the positive impact of the initiative
  • Testimonials from industry leaders and/or those impacted positively by the initiative
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This award will go to the firm that has done the most to promote gender equality in the wealth management industry over the past 12 months (ending July 31, 2023). Evidence can include testimonials from senior industry professionals attesting to the positive influence created by this firm.

Key criteria include:

  • Clear evidence of support for gender balance in staffing
  • Clear evidence of support for gender balance in senior leadership positions
  • Creation and/or promotion of proactive policies and mentorship to combat gender bias in the workplace
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This award will go to the firm or individual that has done the most to promote the usage of ESG principals over the past 12 months (ending July 31, 2023). Evidence can include testimonials from senior industry professionals attesting to the positive influence created by this firm or person.

Some examples of ESG advocacy include:

  • Launching or growing a successful ESG themed investment strategy
  • Thought leadership around impact investing and ESG
  • ESG-related technological innovation
  • ESG-related investor education
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This award will go to the individual (entrants from all genders welcome) who has done the most to promote gender equality in the wealth management industry over the past 12 months (ending July 31, 2023). Evidence can include testimonials from senior industry professionals attesting to the positive influence created by individuals.

Key criteria include:

  • Creation and/or promotion of proactive policies and mentorship to combat gender bias in the workplace
  • Clear evidence of support for gender balance in staffing or senior leadership positions, if part of role
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Nominations for this category are accepted. The judging committee and PAM editorial team will award this prestigious honor to a person who has defined the spirit of the wealth management sector through their professional and charitable work over the course of their career.

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Family Office/ Wealth Manager Service Provider Awards 

This award is designed to honor firms that have excelled in the provision of trading solutions to family office clients over the past 12 months. This may include full outsourced trading infrastructure or a hosting platform to support family offices with a range of tasks. Success in this category depends on demonstrating client and revenue growth, as well as detailing examples of how services provided have benefitted family office clients in terms of improved communications, business development and security, all backed up by client testimonials.

Key criteria include:

  • Evidence of commercial success and business growth 
  • Demonstration of product innovation and differentiation from rival services 
  • Description of future development possibilities
  • Positive client feedback via submitted testimonials
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This award recognizes firms that have demonstrated consistently high standards in providing legal estate and trusts work to the HNW advisory/family office sector. Success in this category depends on a mixture of client and revenue growth, new products, tools or brand developments that demonstrate new thinking or have responded to regulatory and/or tax, and top-class client service standards.

Key criteria include:

  • Commercial success and business growth
  • Sales/market share figures
  • Demonstration of service innovation and description of how the market responded positively to the idea
  • Description of future development possibilities
  • Client feedback via submitted testimonial
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This award is designed to recognize firms providing family offices with lifestyle concierge services and support who have demonstrated business growth, expertise, innovation and top-quality client service over the past 12 months (ending July 31, 2023). Success in this category depends on a mixture of demonstrating customer and revenue growth, as well as detailing how new initiatives and tools/products have aided family offices to grow over the past year.

Key criteria include:

  • Commercial success and business growth
  • Sales/market share figures
  • Demonstration of product innovation and description of how the market responded positively to the idea
  • Description of future development possibilities
  • Positive client feedback via submitted testimonials
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This award is designed to honor firms that have excelled in the provision of technology solutions to family office clients over the past 12 months. This may include full outsourced IT infrastructure or a hosting platform to support family offices with a range of tasks. Success in this category depends on demonstrating client and revenue growth, as well as detailing examples of how services provided have benefitted family office clients in terms of improved communications, business development and security, all backed up by client testimonials.

Key criteria include:

  • Evidence of commercial success and business growth
  • Demonstration of product innovation and description of how the market responded to the idea
  • Description of future development possibilities
  • Positive client feedback via submitted testimonials
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This award is designed to recognize the top private banking firm over the judging period (the 12 months to July 31, 2023) across a range of client services, including investments, consultancy, philanthropy, tax support, and estate planning.

Key criteria include:

  • Clear evidence that client investment needs have been met through service and performance
  • Breadth of quality services provided to HNW/family office clients
  • Positive client feedback via testimonials
  • Commercial success and business growth
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This award is designed to recognize and reward excellence among service providers providing their family office clients with help and support in dealing with data aggregation and reporting requirements used for internal business purposes and/or external requirements. Success in this category depends on a mixture of demonstrating customer/revenue growth based on the reporting solution, as well as detailing how your product or service has aided clients through testimonials.

Key criteria include:

  • Commercial success and business growth
  • Sales/market share figures for reporting solution
  • Description of how the market responded positively to your product/service
  • Client feedback via submitted testimonials
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This award is designed to recognize and reward firms providing family office businesses with third-party fund administration services. Success in this category depends on a mixture of client and revenue growth, new products, tools or brand developments that demonstrate new thinking and have been well received by the family office sector and top-class client service standards.

Key criteria include:

  • Commercial success and business growth
  • Demonstration of service innovation and description of how the market responded positively to the idea
  • Description of future development possibilities
  • Client feedback via submitted testimonials
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This award is designed to reward insurance brokers specializing in the family office and HNW space that have delivered across the board through business/client growth, innovation, and client servicing over the past 12 months (ending July 31, 2023). Success in this category depends on a mixture of client and revenue growth, breadth of insurance solutions offered, new services or brand developments that demonstrate new thinking and have been well received by the sector, and top-notch service standards backed-up by client testimonials.

Key criteria include:

  • Commercial success and business growth
  • Sales/market share figures
  • Demonstration of innovation and a description of how the market responded positively to the idea
  • Description of future development possibilities
  • Client feedback via submitted testimonials
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This award is open to any firm servicing the family office sector. It is focused on rewarding a business that has shown true innovation in its provision of a product or service that has solved a problem, create efficiencies, or just generally made life easier for family office professionals. The judges will be focused on new products or services which have come to the market in the past year (to July 31 2023), and where the firm has demonstrated the usefulness of the innovation through client testimonials and business growth.

Key criteria include:

  • Demonstration of service innovation and description of how the market responded positively to the idea
  • Commercial success and business growth of the particular innovation
  • Description of future development possibilities
  • Positive client feedback via submitted testimonials
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This award is designed to recognize excellence among firms providing access to alternatives for private wealth clients. Credit will be given for the breadth of access and services across a range of alternatives including hedge funds, private equity, private debt, real estate and infrastructure. Judges will focus on business growth, innovation, infrastructure, service levels, access to top quality managers and useability for the private wealth firms and end clients utilizing the platform or other solution.

Key criteria include:

  • Demonstration of top-quality client servicing standards, including client testimonials
  • Access for private wealth firms to a broad range of alternatives and top-quality managers
  • Strong business growth and innovations that have supported this upward trajectory
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This award is designed to recognize the top private banking firm over the judging period when it comes to providing the family office space with consulting services around issues such as succession, family dynamics, and business evolution support. The submission should document how the consulting service and solutions have benefited family office firms, with client testimonials focused directly on the impact they have had on a number of clients.

Key criteria include :

  • Demonstration of the impact of consulting offering on business growth/client experience
  • Showing an innovative approach that recognizes evolving marketplace
  • Breadth of services provided to HNW/family clients
  • Commercial success and business growth
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This award is designed to reward insurance brokers specializing in the family office and HNW space that have delivered across the board through business/client growth, innovation, and client servicing over the past 12 months (ending July 31, 2023). Success in this category depends on a mixture of client and revenue growth, breadth of insurance solutions offered, new services or brand developments that demonstrate new thinking and have been well received by the sector, and top-notch service standards backed-up by client testimonials.

Key criteria include:

  • Commercial success and business growth
  • Sales/market share figures
  • Demonstration of innovation and a description of how the market responded positively to the idea
  • Description of future development possibilities
  • Client feedback via submitted testimonials
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This award is designed to reward firms providing outsourced investment services to the family office space. Success in this category depends on the demonstration of a first-class investment proposition that meets the demands of a diverse range of family office clients, from wealth preservation to providing strong growth potential. Firms should also demonstrate the way they have used technology and/or other tools to enhance the client experience and mention any other developments that have been well received by the sector, as well as evidencing top-class client service standards, shown by client testimonials.

Key criteria include:

  • Commercial success and business growth
  • Demonstrating investment performance through the judging period
  • Demonstration of product innovation
  • Description of future development possibilities
  • Customer feedback via submitted testimonials
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This award is designed to reward firms displaying excellence in the provision of cyber-security and other data protection services to HNW/family office clients over the past 12 months (ending July 31, 2023). The award is aimed at recognizing vendors specializing in holistic solutions to protect family offices from a host of business threats, including cyber-attacks, data-breaches, and internal bad actors. Success in this category depends on a mixture of client and revenue growth, as well as innovations and product development that demonstrates new thinking, alongside positive customer feedback through client testimonials.

Key criteria include:

  • Commercial success and business growth
  • Sales/market share figures
  • Demonstration of product innovation and description of how the market responded positively to the idea
  • Description of future development possibilities
  • Client feedback via submitted testimonials
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This award is designed to recognize and reward firms providing outsourced general bookkeeping and accounting support services to family office firms. Success in this category depends on a mixture of client and revenue growth, new products, tools, or brand developments that demonstrate new thinking and have been well received by the family office sector. Top-class client service standards are also a must.

Key criteria include :

  • Commercial success and business growth
  • Demonstration of service innovation and description of how the market responded positively to the idea
  • Description of future development possibilities
  • Client feedback via submitted testimonials
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This category is designed to recognize and reward firms providing family office professionals with an integrated aggregation, reconciliation accounting, and performance system across multiple asset classes. Success in this category depends on a mixture of client and revenue growth, new products, tools or brand developments that demonstrate new thinking and have been well received by the family office sector, plus top-class client service standards.

Key criteria include:

  • Commercial success and business growth
  • Demonstration of service innovation and description of how the market responded positively to the idea
  • Description of future development possibilities
  • Client feedback via submitted testimonials
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This award is designed to recognize asset managers selling to the HNW/family office space that have demonstrated huge success with the take-up and sales of their products into the segment over the past 12 months (ending July 31, 2023). Success in this category depends on a mixture of top-notch performance alongside net asset growth during the judging period from the family office and HNW advisory space. Submissions should include up to five years of performance if available.

Key criteria include:

  • Evidence of commercial success and business growth
  • Top performance figures through the judging period
  • Description of how the market responded to your product/service Positive client feedback via submitted testimonials
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This award is designed to recognize innovation in the private banking space for the year to July 31 2023. Entrants should clearly demonstrate how such innovations have benefitted both the firm through business and revenue growth and the experience of its HNW advisory/family office clients. The submission should document how new products, services or solutions have benefited clients, with credit given for client testimonials focused directly on the innovations.

Key criteria include :

  • Demonstration of innovation and its impact on business growth/client experience
  • Positive client feedback via testimonials
  • Breadth of services provided to HNW/family clients
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This award is designed to reward consultancy firms serving the family office space that have demonstrated business growth, expertise and innovation in providing clients with first-class advice and service over the past 12 months (ending July 31, 2023). Success in this category depends on a mixture of demonstrating customer and revenue growth, as well as detailing how new initiatives and tools/products have aided family offices to grow over the past year.

Key criteria include:

  • Commercial success and business growth Sales/market share figures
  • Demonstration of service innovation and description of how the market responded positively to your changes
  • Description of future development possibilities
  • Client feedback via submitted testimonials
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This award is designed to recognize and reward excellence among the range of firms providing the family office sector with custodial services, with judges looking at factors including the breadth of offering, security and fraud prevention measures, and the ability to allow clients to operate as efficiently as possible across a range of asset classes. Success in this category depends on a mixture of client and revenue growth, new products, tools, or brand developments that demonstrate new thinking and have been well received by the family office sector and top-class client service standards.

Key criteria include:

  • Commercial success and business growth
  • Demonstration of service innovation and description of how the market responded positively to the idea
  • Description of future development possibilities
  • Positive client feedback via submitted testimonials
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This award is designed to recognize and reward firms providing outsourced partnership accounting support services to family office firms. Success in this category depends on a mixture of client and revenue growth, new products, tools or brand developments that demonstrate new thinking and have been well received by the family office sector, and top-class client service standards.

Key criteria include:

  • Commercial success and business growth
  • Demonstration of service innovation and description of how the market responded positively to the idea
  • Description of future development possibilities
  • Client feedback via submitted testimonials
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This award is designed to recognize and reward excellence among the range of firms providing family office businesses with fiduciary services and a range of trustee structures. Success in this category depends on a mixture of client and revenue growth, new products, tools or brand developments that demonstrate new thinking and have been well received by the family office sector and top-class client service standards.

Key criteria include:

  • Commercial success and business growth
  • Demonstration of service innovation and description of how the market responded positively to the idea
  • Description of future development possibilities
  • Positive client feedback via submitted testimonials
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Family Office/Private Wealth Manager Awards 

This award is designed to reward the multi-family office or wealth management firm that has excelled in specialist estate planning services provided to high-net worth clients. Firms should provide evidence of the depth and breadth of their service offering and client testimonials to support the entry.

Key criteria include:

  • Demonstration of a strong specialist estate planning service offering
  • Evidence of business growth in the estate planning segment
  • High client service standards evidenced by client testimonials
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This award is designed to reward the large ($10bn plus) wealth management firm or family office that has led the way in terms of creating an inclusive and positive working environment for its staff, while also having a well-developed succession/business continuation structure in place for the future.

Firms should provide evidence of the steps taken to achieve a positive working environment, positive testimonials from staff, and any staff feedback research and turnover statistics that would support their submission.

Key criteria include:

  • Demonstration of the steps taken to achieve an inclusive and positive working environment for all staff
  • Evidence of how such programs have contributed to the commercial success of the firm
  • Positive testimonials from employees and staff feedback research to support the submission
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This award is designed to reward the family office (of any size) that has stood out from the crowd in terms of its long-term risk adjusted performance. Family offices should provide long-term return statistics, alongside an explanation of how the family office’s investment philosophy has driven this performance.

Key criteria include:

  • Positive long-term performance statistics (minimum three years - credit given for five years plus).
  • Can be based on internal model portfolio(s) or anonymized client portfolio(s).
  • Explanation of how the firm’s investment philosophy has led to such outcomes.
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This award is designed to reward the sub-$5bn wealth management firm or family office that has led the way in terms of creating an inclusive and positive working environment for its staff, while also having a well-developed succession/business continuation structure in place for the future.

Firms should provide evidence of the steps taken to achieve a positive working environment, positive testimonials from staff, and any staff feedback research and turnover statistics that would support their submission.

Key criteria include:

  • Demonstration of the steps taken to achieve an inclusive and positive working environment for all staff
  • Evidence of how such programs have contributed to the commercial success of the firm
  • Positive testimonials from employees and staff feedback research to support the submission
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This award is open to any family office or multi-family office that has shown true innovation in their provision of a product or service that has solved a problem, created efficiencies, or just generally made life easier for their clients. The judges will be focused on new capabilities which have been launched in the past year, and where the firm has demonstrated the utility of the innovation through usage, business growth, and client testimonials.

Key criteria include:

  • Demonstration of service innovation and description of how clients responded positively
  • Clear evidence that innovation has driven commercial success
  • Description of future development possibilities Positive client feedback via submitted testimonials
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This award is designed to recognize excellence among firms providing curated investment product platforms to the high-net-worth segment. Credit will be given for both positive client investment outcomes and positive client service outcomes.

For the performance component, firms should provide statistical evidence for how their platform has added investment value over a range of asset classes, both over the past year (to July 31, 2023) and the long-term. Details on how platform assets have grown should also be provided.

For the client service component, credit will be given for client testimonials and other evidence demonstrating outstanding client service standards.

Key criteria include:

  • Delivery of client objectives through risk-adjusted performance across a range of investment solutions
  • Demonstration of top-quality client servicing standards, including client testimonials
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This award is designed to reward a family office that has demonstrated exceptional policies and procedures when it comes to its investment due diligence procedures. Submissions should demonstrate the due diligence steps taken to review a range of different asset classes and new investment opportunities, including funds and direct deals. Details of technological innovation that has helped deliver positive outcomes should be evidenced in the submission.

Key criteria include:

  • Demonstration of high quality investment due diligence processes at a family office
  • Evidence of DD procedures contributing positively to long-term risk-adjusted performance
  • Evidence that a positive DD culture exists across the family office
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Designed to recognize excellence among multi-family offices at different size points, by rewarding firms that have delivered exceptional risk-adjusted returns and client service.

For the performance component, firms should provide return statistics for a range of anonymized client portfolios. Judges will credit both performance over the past year and longer-term performance.

Evidence or examples of excellent client service beyond investment management will also be given credit. Details of programs and how they successfully delivered for clients, and client testimonials, will both be given credit.

Key criteria include:

  • Clear evidence that client objectives were met through risk-adjusted performance
  • Quality of tax, estate, and other services to meet the needs of HNW/UHNW clients
  • Top quality client service demonstrated through client testimonials
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This award is designed to recognize investment excellence among wealth managers at different size points, who do not classify themselves as a family office or multi-family office. Private wealth firms that provide family office-style services may still enter for the relevant portion of their business.

Firms should provide statistical evidence of risk-adjusted returns delivered through a model portfolio, and/or range of anonymized bespoke client portfolios. Credit will be given for returns over the 12 months to July 31, 2023, but the judging process will also factor in long-term performance.

Key criteria include:

  • Delivery of client objectives through risk-adjusted performance
  • Commercial success and asset/client growth
This item is not available

Designed to recognize excellence among multi-family offices at different size points, by rewarding firms that have delivered exceptional risk-adjusted returns and client service.

For the performance component, firms should provide return statistics for a range of anonymized client portfolios. Judges will credit both performance over the past year and longer-term performance.

Evidence or examples of excellent client service beyond investment management will also be given credit. Details of programs and how they successfully delivered for clients, and client testimonials, will both be given credit.

Key criteria include:

  • Clear evidence that client objectives were met through risk-adjusted performance
  • Quality of tax, estate, and other services to meet the needs of HNW/UHNW clients
  • Top quality client service demonstrated through client testimonials
This item is not available

Designed to recognize client service excellence among wealth managers at different size points, who do not class themselves as a family office or multi-family office. Private wealth firms that provide family office-style services may still enter for the relevant portion of their business.

Entrants should provide evidence of the positive client outcomes they have delivered through services beyond investments, such as financial, tax and estate planning, or other value-adds.

Credit will be given for client testimonials.

Key criteria include:

  • Delivery of client planning and lifestyle objectives
  • High quality tax and estate services to meet the needs of HNW clients
  • Top flight client service demonstrate through client testimonials
This item is not available

Designed to recognize client service excellence among wealth managers at different size points, who do not class themselves as a family office or multi-family office. Private wealth firms that provide family office-style services may still enter for the relevant portion of their business.

Entrants should provide evidence of the positive client outcomes they have delivered through services beyond investments, such as financial, tax and estate planning, or other value-adds.

Credit will be given for client testimonials.

Key criteria include:

  • Delivery of client planning and lifestyle objectives
  • High quality tax and estate services to meet the needs of HNW clients
  • Top flight client service demonstrate through client testimonials
This item is not available

Designed to recognize excellence among multi-family offices at different size points, by rewarding firms that have delivered exceptional risk-adjusted returns and client service.

For the performance component, firms should provide return statistics for a range of anonymized client portfolios. Judges will credit both performance over the past year and longer-term performance.

Evidence or examples of excellent client service beyond investment management will also be given credit. Details of programs and how they successfully delivered for clients, and client testimonials, will both be given credit.

Key criteria include:

  • Clear evidence that client objectives were met through risk-adjusted performance
  • Quality of tax, estate, and other services to meet the needs of HNW/UHNW clients
  • Top quality client service demonstrated through client testimonials
This item is not available

This award is designed to reward the private bank, multi-family office or wealth management firm which has undertaken the most impressive and transformative acquisition over the past 12 months (ending July 31, 2023).

Firms should provide evidence of the positive impact of the deal, how they are maintaining top client servicing standards, and the opportunities for growth that are likely to result.

Key criteria include:

  • Announcement of an impactful and transformative acquisition during the past 12 months
  • Clear demonstration of the commercial success expected
  • Evidence of how client service standards will be maintained
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This award aims to recognize the most outstanding newly-launched family office or multi-family office, rewarding an entity that has established an exceptional investment team, philosophy and approach to client servicing. This category is open to all new launches who commenced operations on or after January 1, 2023. Details of the firm’s establishing principles, vision, client testimonials and portfolio management team’s credentials will be assessed.

Key criteria include:

  • Top quality client service demonstrated through client testimonials
  • Quality of tax, estate, investment and other services to meet the needs of the family or range of families
  • Evidence of a successful launch and sustainable and well-thought through growth plan
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This award recognizes the manager or investment research professional who made the biggest difference to their clients over the 12 months to July 31, 2023 through their research prowess, due diligence skills and/or leadership.

Candidates should provide evidence of the value they delivered to clients, such as exceptional investment results, examples of how due diligence skill led to a positive client outcome or leadership decisions that benefited clients.

Key criteria include:

  • Manager or investment research professional at a wealth manager, private bank, or family office who was active in the 12 months to July 31, 2022.
  • Demonstrable positive impact on client outcomes.
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This award will go to the wealth manager, family office/multi-family office, or private bank that has run the most effective initiative to promote and enable DE&I internally or in the wealth management industry at large.

Key criteria include:

  • Clear evidence that the initiative has significantly progressed DE&I internally, and/or made a meaningful impact on the wider industry.
  • Clear evidence that the initiative used company resources effectively to progress DE&I.
  • Clear evidence that the initiative itself was run in an inclusive and equitable manner, with diverse owners/voices included in the process.
  • Testimonials from industry leaders and/or those positively impacted by the initiative preferred.
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DE&I advocate of the year

This award will go to the wealth manager, family office/multi-family office, or private bank that has run the most effective initiative to promote and advance DE&I internally and / or within the wealth management industry at large.

Key criteria include

  • Clear evidence that the initiative has significantly progressed DE&I internally, and/or made a meaningful impact on the wider industry.
  • Clear evidence that the initiative used company resources effectively to progress DE&I. 
  • Clear evidence that the initiative itself was run in an inclusive and equitable manner, with diverse owners/voices included in the process.
  • Testimonials from industry leaders and/or those positively impacted by the initiative preferred
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Manager or investment research rising star

This award recognizes emerging investment talent within private banks, family offices or the wealth management industry, who have made the biggest difference to their clients over the 12 months to July 31, 2023 through their research prowess, due diligence skills and/or leadership. This category is open to people aged under 35, or those with up to 10 years’ experience within the industry. Candidates should provide evidence of the value they delivered to clients, such as exceptional investment results, examples of how due diligence skill led to a positive client outcome or leadership decisions that benefited clients.

Key criteria include:

  • Manager or investment research professional at a wealth manager, private bank, or family office who was active in the 12 months to July 31, 2023.
  • Demonstrable positive impact on client outcomes.
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This award recognizes the private bank, wealth manager or family office that has delivered the most impressive ESG investment solution for clients in the year to July 31, 2023. This could include specific portfolios or other client solutions targeting carbon reduction or climate action, gender and/or ethnic equality, clean water, justice-related causes or other ESG-related themes.

Key criteria include :

  • Investment program, solution or deal(s) with a measurable and demonstrable impact
  • Clear evidence of how the initiative helped clients to express their personal views with their wealth
  • Initiative delivered a positive investment outcome for the client(s), or is on track to do so – with performance data to back that up.
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Get in Touch

Entry Inquiries

Sean Dal Molin-McEvoy
+16402243803