Wholesale market needs to stand up and celebrate success, says institute

Now in its eighth year, the INFINZ Awards are about recognising excellence in the wholesale marketplace, as distinct from the retail banking and broking space, executive director Paul Hocking says.

The awards are decided by a mixture of voting by the industry and judging panels made up of the likes of super fund head Adrian Orr, Fletcher Building's investor relations manager Philip King and CMS Capital CEO Catherine Savage.

Originally based on the model of the property industry awards, Hocking said it was decided the wholesale market needed to stand up and celebrate success within the industry.

"One of our objectives is to ensure that the New Zealand markets are relevant and effective and efficient. We think that recognising outstanding delivery and, dare I say it, excellence in business approach will actually serve New Zealand in good stead," said Hocking.

He rated the Bank of the Year award (last year's winner Westpac Institutional bank is in the running alongside ANZ and Bank of New Zealand), Sharebroker of the Year (First NZ Capital, Goldman Sachs JBWere and Macquarie Capital are in the running) and the two Fund Manager of the Year awards as the most hotly contested "glamour awards".