Nikko Asset Management named NZ fund manager of the year

Nikko Asset Management has been named Morningstar's Fund Manager of the Year. Picture/NZ Herald.

Nikko Asset Management has been named Morningstar's New Zealand Fund Manager of the Year.

Morningstar said the winners in the Morningstar Awards have all shown themselves to be "first-class stewards of their investors' capital".

"Markets posted great returns in 2017, and the select list of fund managers nominated all demonstrated an ability to add value over the year and consistently reward over the long-term, too," said Chris Douglas, Morningstar's director of manager research ratings, Asia-Pacific.

Nikko Asset Management "richly deserves" Morningstar's overall award for excellence in funds management, Douglas said.

"The firm was a finalist in all our sector categories illustrating the impressive consistency of performance across all the major sectors," he said.

"Nikko has had a busy few years, investing into its investment teams and the local product line-up, which includes some strong global strategies."

Douglas said Nikko had focused on investor engagement and transparency.

"These traits led to a great experience for their investors, solidifying Nikko's case as the outstanding fund manager of 2017," he said.

Nikko Asset Management is one of Asia's largest asset managers. Morningstar is a leading provider of independent investment research.

Other award winners

• Fund Manager of the Year: Fixed Interest Category - Russell Investments Global Fixed Interest.

•Fund Manager of the Year: Domestic Equities Category – Harbour Australasian Equity

• Manager of the Year: International Equities Category - T. Rowe Price Global Equity Growth

• Fund Manager of the Year: KiwiSaver Category – Milford Asset Management.