BIBD Asset Management (BIBD AM) was chosen as Islamic asset manager of the year for Brunei on the back of its focus on Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) with the launch of Global ESG Sukuk Strategy. ESG has been on top of the discussion across the industry and integrating ESG as part of the investment decision-making process provides comfort to investors, The Asset stated, as BIBD AM was recognised as ‘Asset Manager of the Year’ by the global awards publisher, recently.
“BIBD Asset Management also exemplified its commitment to ESG and to socially responsible investing (SRI) for being a signatory to the UN Principles for Responsible Investment – the first in Brunei to do so,” the award publisher added.
The Asset’s annual Triple A Awards, is a recognition that represents the industry’s most prestigious awards for banking, finance, treasury and the capital markets. The awards programmes are built upon a stringent methodology that is combined with a rigorous approach in selecting the best institutions and deals.
The awards are assessed by The Asset’s experienced board of editors whom collectively have several decades’ worth of evaluating industry awards.
The board’s decisions are supplemented by information generated from in-depth interviews and using data analytics produced by Asset Benchmark Research, the region’s leading research organisation evaluating client experience standards in the financial services industry.
The Asset also took note of BIBD AM initiatives to educate people about the industry through its online education programmes as well as through its financial literacy workshops.
“BIBD AM was also cited as the initiatives that it has undertaken speak well about the company, including expanding their footprint outside Brunei as part of the business growth strategy. It has also adopted digitalisation and is expanding its offerings both to retail and institutional investors,” The Asset stated.
Acting Managing Director of BIBD Securities (BIBDS) Jason Wong said, “We are humbled by this recognition and proud to showcase Brunei’s capabilities on the global stage.
“Winning this award demonstrates our ability to meet regional and global standards, and reaffirms our commitment to delivering Syariah-compliant products that meets our customer’s needs.
“Our immediate focus is becoming a leader in ESG and socially responsible investing in Brunei. ESG is a top priority for global institutional investors, and it aligns with BIBD’s commitment to support the UN Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) for more sustainable economic growth,” he added.
“We have also strengthened our regional offices in recent times to focus on client outreach and business development to focus on client outreach and business development, tapping into the global Islamic investor base. Additionally, we are committed to promoting financial literacy and inclusiveness in Brunei, prioritising retail investment growth and financial planning,” he added.
BIBD AM, Brunei’s first full-fledged Syariah asset manager which operates under the license of BIBD Securities, provides Islamic global equities solutions through the strategic partnerships achieved with a number of global investment firms which have long and successful track record of managing hundreds of billions of Asset Under Management.
In December 2021, BIBD Securities launched a new Syariah-compliant ESG fund suitable for investors seeking to invest in products that promote sustainable economic growth, in alignment with the global commitment towards the UN SDGs.
The ESG fund, launched in partnership with global asset management firm Arabesque, is the first Syariah-compliant ESG Fund available in Brunei which provides a solution for investors that seek a Syariah-compliant and sustainable strategy. The launch of the ESG Fund is one of the many initiatives that the BIBD group is embarking on as part of the Group’s Sustainability Framework, aiming to support a wider commitment to sustainability which will be adopted into an overall business strategy which emphasises Environmental Protection, Responsible Entrepreneurship and Inclusive Social Impact.
The recent award winning mirrors the bank’s commitment to support the Brunei Darussalam Central Bank Financial Blueprint and the Brunei Vision 2035 of fostering growth in Islamic finance and asset management industry.
