Winners Rationale

“The BlackRock Systematic Asia Pacific Equity Absolute Return Fund has consistently achieved its objective by delivering high risk-adjusted returns while maintaining a neutral position, avoiding any large exposure to specific investment styles or broad equity market beta,” said Stanley Li, senior reporter at Asian Private Banker.

“By utilising unstructured data and machine learning, the team avoids relying on generic, well-known market trades. Instead, it achieves consistency and reduces cyclicality by combining a multitude of smaller arbitrage opportunities found across its entire stock universe.

“The fund’s key competitive edge also stems from the team’s unified research model. By avoiding restrictive country or sector silos, the team is not susceptible to cyclical market swings. This setup allows the entire team to pool its intellectual resources for the benefit of every investment strategy.

“Recognising private banks as a strategic growth priority, BlackRock has also significantly expanded its capabilities in Asia, delivering exceptional service and a full spectrum of active and index strategies tailored to the region’s evolving wealth needs. With these in mind, Asian Private Banker is thrilled to present to BlackRock the award for Best Fund Provider – Quantitative equity.”