November 15, 2022 | Stamford, CT — Asset managers who demonstrate a clear sense of purpose are more likely to win business from institutional investors. 

New data from Coalition Greenwich indicates that institutional investors are seeking asset managers whose values and purpose align with their own. Globally, approximately 90% of asset owners believe it is important for managers to articulate a clear sense of purpose and most are more likely to award mandates to a manager with a stated purpose aligned with their own. This finding is consistent among institutions across North America, Europe and Asia Pacific. 

“Brand purpose is an important element when institutional investors assess the fit with a potential manager,” says Todd Glickson, Head of Investment Management in North America at Coalition Greenwich. “To win business, asset managers will have to demonstrate a purpose that aligns with their clients’ mission and needs and work deliberately to convey a brand that investors see as congruent with their own beliefs and goals.” 

Emerging from the pandemic, changing market conditions, the increasingly crowded asset manager landscape and the desire for an elevated / bespoke client centric engagement have prompted investors to consider the role of brand and its impact in the manager selection process. Asia Pacific stands out as a region where brand impact is growing. Approximately 30% of institutional investors across Asia Pacific say asset managers’ brands have become more important over the past three years, while only about 10% see a diminished brand impact. 

Coalition Greenwich Study
A new study from Coalition Greenwich examines how asset managers can maximize the impact of their brands. Study participants shared the role brand plays in their manager selections, key differentiators among named managers and brands, channels through which they learn about asset managers, and the impact of thought leadership on their perceptions of asset management brands.