The independent investment research and fund rating firm RSMR has presented its annual fund manager awards this week – recognising some of the top funds and fund firms in the UK.

The winners of the annual ‘R’ awards were revealed at a gala evening this week as part of RSMR’s annual Investment Conference for financial advisers in Harrogate.

The awards are designed to highlight the best Investment Association funds and fund groups from the perspective of advice businesses and their clients.

Winners of the awards this year included: T. Rowe Price Global Focused Growth Equity, Invesco Tactical Bond, Jupiter Gold & Silver, Janus Henderson Global Sustainable Equity and Goldman Sachs India Equity Portfolio. Royal London Asset Management was among the group winners as Best Multi-Asset Group.

Two of the Award Winners:

Akanksha Ganju, Client Portfolio Manager, Goldman Sachs Asset Management - winner of Best Regional Equity Fund

Mike Fox, Head of Sustainable Investments, Royal London Asset Management - winner of Best Multi Asset Group

RSMR’s investment team used their collective knowledge to select the nine winning and nine highly commended funds and fund groups. They reviewed a mixture of qualitative and quantitative factors including:

• performance vs peers
• alpha generation vs sector
• risk adjusted returns
• team/resource
• investment process

Source: RSMR 'R' Awards

RSMR has been researching and rating funds since 2004 and typically rates 8 to 10% of the 4,500 IA funds at any one time.

RSMR CEO and co-founder Ken Rayner said: “We’re delighted to shine a light on excellence in fund management. Tough markets like this year’s add even greater pressure on advisers to justify their fund recommendations.”

More than 15,000 financial professionals across the UK use RSMR ratings. RSMR’s qualitative fund research covers approximately 4,500 IA funds and the firm conducts about 600 fund manager meetings each year.