Aviva Investors stood out for InsuranceERM's judging panel because of its deep understanding of the technical investment challenges and regulatory constraints faced by insurers, plus its strong position on environmental, social and governance (ESG) aspects.

The judges also commended Aviva Investors for its credit capabilities, which include strategies that take a distinctive view of risk and optimise on volatility. For example, as we get closer to the end of the credit cycle, the asset manager is doing things differently to weather a potential downturn in credit, which could potentially prove challenging.

Aviva Investors also has its own scenario modelling and risk allocation process to analyse the best ideas in a spectrum of market environments.

As long-term asset holders, Aviva Investors deserves credit for its long heritage as responsible investors and for integrating ESG risks into investment decisions. It also uses its influence to promote good practice among the companies in which it invests, and to reduce ESG risks for clients.

With the regulatory environment shifting to explicitly encompass ESG concerns, the portfolio manager has been enhancing its risk assessment methodologies.

It has been looking to add value to the ESG scores compile by data supplier MSCI, to recognise companies with superior sustainability credentials, by combining MSCI data with knowledge created by its own ESG team.

Maintaining and improving client standards is vital for any insurance asset manager and in this regard, Aviva Investors has been developing a new portal to allow clients to access personalised portfolio information.

The dashboard provides daily visibility of public fixed income portfolios, including a variety of financial, risk and Solvency II based metrics, delivered via an interactive Qlik Sense dashboard.

Finally, with insurers intensifying the search for alternative income, the provider's real assets platform is helping deliver innovative financing transactions structured to
meet matching adjustment requirements.

Recent infrastructure debt transactions have included financing UK railway rolling stock, investments in Spanish telecoms, German energy services and Estonian district heating.

As of 30 September 2019, Aviva Investors managed £27bn ($35bn) across its real assets platform, encompassing infrastructure debt, real estate finance, private corporate debt and structured finance.