INFINZ has returned to index weights for its 2018 equity fund manager of the year awards to be dished out this Thursday.
The familiar funds management trio of Harbour, Milford and Nikko are in the frame this week for the INFINZ equity manager of the year compared to just two – Nikko and Devon – at the 2017 event.
At the time INFINZ executive director, Jim McElwain, said while three was traditional: “Having two finalists isn’t unprecedented – on a few rare occasions we’ve even had four finalists. And in some categories previously we’ve had no finalists – for example, last year there was no finalists in the merger and acquisitions category.”
To emphasise the point, the NZ finance industry body has selected four firms for the bond manager of the year category: AMP Capital; Fisher Funds; Milford; and, Nikko.
Last year Nikko took out the equities prize (sponsored by legal firm Chapman Tripp) while AMP Capital landed the bond gong, which came courtesy of Massey University Business School.
However, in 2018 Fitch Ratings has assumed sponsorship of the INFINZ bond manager of the year award. The industry organisation, which attracted over 600 to last year’s glitzy event at the Auckland hotel formerly known as The Langham, has also reshuffled sponsors on some of the other award categories.
Massey, for example, has taken over naming rights for the sharebroker of the year award previously filled by Milford. Meanwhile, law firm MinterEllisonRuddWatts now headlines the research analyst of the year category occupied last year by AUT Business School.
This year INFINZ, too, has added a new category – the Diversity and Inclusion Award – sponsored by recruitment firm Hunter Campbell.
According to the award blurb, the diversity award “seeks to recognise and acknowledge an inspirational role model from within the INFINZ membership who has proactively cultivated focus on encouraging and nurturing diversity, aiming to achieve equal gender and diverse representation at all levels”.
The diversity award is determined by a panel of judges comprising: Miranda Burdon, head of NZ Global Women; Sarah Trotman, AUT director of business relations; and, Ian Williamson, Victoria Business School dean.
INFINZ 2018 awards night kicks off at 6pm this Thursday at the Auckland hotel now known as The Cordis.