What we do

While retaining distinct investment philosophies and processes, both Standard Life Investments and Aberdeen Asset Management share a set of common investment beliefs. These are the foundations for our investment approach:

Active investing can generate robust long-term performance
A team-based ethos is central
ESG should be embedded within the investment approach
Managers should leverage their expertise across investment capabilities.

These core beliefs run through all our investment teams and across all our investment capabilities. Shared values allow investment managers to work in a collegiate manner with other managers in different teams. Investment professionals throughout our company exchange ideas and perspectives with colleagues across the globe, enhancing their investment decision-making as they seek to generate robust returns.

Aberdeen Standard Investments has the depth and scale of investment capabilities to meet the current and future needs of clients. A full suite of actively managed strategies is complemented by quantitative, rules-based approaches that systematically look to capture or enhance market return.

By maintaining this breadth of expertise, we aim to lead the way with innovative investment approaches that can target investors’ specific needs for income, return, risk control or liability management – as well as seeking to provide sources of performance across different market cycles.

Investment approach

Aberdeen Standard Investments embrace an active management approach. Focus is placed on undertaking primary, internal research and consideration of the fundamentals underlying any prospective investment.

This emphasis is supported by close collaboration between different asset-class teams. As a result, investment professionals make better-informed decisions, leveraging the full spectrum of available insights.

These common components allow us to harness the combined talents and capabilities from across both firms. With 1,000 investment professionals located across 24 offices around the world, the ability to share these insights widely is a key competitive advantage.

Fundamentals Driven
Micro & Macro Reseach
Long-Term Investors
Team-Based Ethos
Fully Embedded ESG
Shared Asset-Class Insights

Our investment capabilities

Equities

Aberdeen Standard Investments manages a full range of equity strategies that span the risk/return spectrum and seek to meet specific client outcomes. While distinct in their risk tolerances and return objectives, our equity portfolios share a common approach: to consistently add value through fundamental stock selection and active management. Our equities assets under management are £157.6 billion* managed by investment managers located across the world.

* Source: Standard Life Investments/Aberdeen Asset Management, 31 December 2017

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Fixed Income

With significant global fixed income assets under management and a diverse client base, we are one of the largest fixed income managers in Europe. Having grown and diversified over the years, we are in a strong position to offer clients a wide range of global fixed income capabilities to suit differing client needs.

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Real estate

Real estate can provide a wide variety of investment solutions for our clients. The asset class has a track record of delivering robust, risk-adjusted returns over the long term, and can act as an effective portfolio diversifier.

See more about real estate

Multi-Asset

In today’s complex and uncertain investment environment, investors are increasingly seeking solutions that meet specific investment objectives. Aberdeen Standard Investments is at the forefront of multi-asset investing, developing effective and innovative products – we are responding to investors’ need for positive returns and a smoother, more predictable investment journey.

See more about multi-asset

Private markets

Interest in private markets has grown rapidly among investors, particularly within an environment of low interest rates and market volatility. This is an investment category offering investors access to a spread of strategies, some of which may be relatively illiquid, but bring the potential for sustainable and enhanced returns, reduced volatility and tail-risk protection.

See more about private markets

Quantitative

Formed in 2005, the team manages a diverse range of products across the risk-return spectrum including passive, smart beta, and active quant strategies. Using proprietary, systematic (rules-based) approaches to investing, our team manages equity, fixed income, and derivative portfolios across all markets to provide clients with cost-effective, risk-controlled, and transparent customised solutions.

Our investment process is grounded in academic research and proven investment theory. We identify sources of excess risk-adjusted returns, test them throughout the business cycle, and implement them in a systematic, cost-effective, and risk-controlled manner. By having a deep understanding of the individual sources of returns, we are well placed to optimally combine them to create solutions in line with our clients’ requirements, which could encompass pure index tracking, enhanced indexation; smart beta; or derivative overlays such as call options overwriting.

See more about quantitative investments

Stewardship & ESG

While the consideration of environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors is embedded across our overall investment process, we also offer bespoke ESG client solutions to meet specific investment needs. There are several core principles which underpin our engagement process.

See more about stewardship and ESG

Equities

Aberdeen Standard Investments manages a full range of equity strategies that span the risk/return spectrum and seek to meet specific client outcomes. While distinct in their risk tolerances and return objectives, our equity portfolios share a common approach: to consistently add value through fundamental stock selection and active management. Our equities assets under management are £157.6 billion* managed by investment managers located across the world.

* Source: Standard Life Investments/Aberdeen Asset Management, 31 December 2017
Fixed Income

With significant global fixed income assets under management and a diverse client base, we are one of the largest fixed income managers in Europe. Having grown and diversified over the years, we are in a strong position to offer clients a wide range of global fixed income capabilities to suit differing client needs.
Real estate

Real estate can provide a wide variety of investment solutions for our clients. The asset class has a track record of delivering robust, risk-adjusted returns over the long term, and can act as an effective portfolio diversifier.
Multi-Asset

In today’s complex and uncertain investment environment, investors are increasingly seeking solutions that meet specific investment objectives. Aberdeen Standard Investments is at the forefront of multi-asset investing, developing effective and innovative products – we are responding to investors’ need for positive returns and a smoother, more predictable investment journey.
Private markets

Interest in private markets has grown rapidly among investors, particularly within an environment of low interest rates and market volatility. This is an investment category offering investors access to a spread of strategies, some of which may be relatively illiquid, but bring the potential for sustainable and enhanced returns, reduced volatility and tail-risk protection.
Quantitative

Formed in 2005, the team manages a diverse range of products across the risk-return spectrum including passive, smart beta, and active quant strategies. Using proprietary, systematic (rules-based) approaches to investing, our team manages equity, fixed income, and derivative portfolios across all markets to provide clients with cost-effective, risk-controlled, and transparent customised solutions.

Our investment process is grounded in academic research and proven investment theory. We identify sources of excess risk-adjusted returns, test them throughout the business cycle, and implement them in a systematic, cost-effective, and risk-controlled manner. By having a deep understanding of the individual sources of returns, we are well placed to optimally combine them to create solutions in line with our clients’ requirements, which could encompass pure index tracking, enhanced indexation; smart beta; or derivative overlays such as call options overwriting.
Stewardship & ESG

While the consideration of environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors is embedded across our overall investment process, we also offer bespoke ESG client solutions to meet specific investment needs. There are several core principles which underpin our engagement process.