Winners revealed: International Fund and Product Awards 2011

Skandia International and Fairbairn Private Bank were among the major winners at the Professional Adviser International Fund & Product Awards 2011.

Skandia took home three awards including Best International Life Group, while Fairbairn secured Best International Wealth Provider and Best International Service Initiative at a ceremony in London.

The awards, now in their 12th year, recognise the cream of the international investment sector and are judged by an independent panel of industry practitioners and experts.

Elsewhere, Axa Isle of Man won Best International Life Group selling into the UK and Standard Life won Best International Product for the UK market with its International Bond.

For the first time, the awards recognised the growing contribution of the Qualifying Recognised Overseas Pension Scheme (QROPS) sector with the introduction of Best QROPS Provider award. This inaugural award was won by Fairbairn Trust Company’s Overseas Pension.

Boal & Co was given a Special Award for Technical Innovation in the QROPS Sector. A further Special Award went to Canada Life International for Excellence in Service Standards in recognition of its longstanding, but ground-breaking no-quibble service charter with non-performance penalty system.

Deborah Benn, chair of the judging panel, said: “There is no doubt that standards have improved dramatically in transparency of products and education material on offer to those investing offshore.

“The judges were extremely impressed with the level of detail offered by entrants, which made it a tough decision in many categories.”

And the winner of the award is...

Best International Fund Group
Winner: Aberdeen Asset Managers (Lux)
Highly Commended: Schroder Investment Management (Lux)

Best International Life Group
Winner: Skandia International
Highly Commended: Royal London 360

Best International Life Group UK
Winner: AXA Isle of Man
Highly Commended: AEGON Scottish Equitable International

Best International Life Product
Winner: Skandia International Spanish Collective Investment Bond
Highly Commended: Zurich International Life Limited Protected Equity Plus

Best International Life Product UK
Winner: Standard Life International - International Bond
Highly Commended: AEGON Scottish Equitable – International WMP

Best International Bank
Winner: Standard Bank Offshore
Highly Commended: Fairbairn Private Bank

Best International Wealth Provider
Winner: Fairbairn Private Bank
Highly Commended: London & Capital

Best International Sales Team
Winner: Skandia International
Highly Commended: Zurich International Life Limited

Best International Structured Products Provider
Winner: Barclays Capital
Highly Commended: Standard Bank Offshore Group

Best QROPS Provider
Winner: Overseas Pension (Fairbairn Trust Company)
Highly Commended: Close Asset Management

Best International Private Healthcare Group
Winner: Allianz Worldwide Care
Highly Commended: Axa PPP International   

Best International Finance Centre
Winner: Jersey
Highly Commended: Guernsey

Best International Service Initiative
Winner: Fairbairn Private Bank segregated service for intermediaries
Highly Commended: Axa Isle of Man customer support telephone option system
Highly Commended: Skandia International One Stop Communication

Special Awards
Canada Life International: For Excellence in Service Standards for its no-quibble service charters with non-performance penalty system.

Boal & Co: For Technical Innovation in the QROPS Sector