UBS has been named as the largest asset manager in the world in a survey of the top 500 fund managers.
An annual survey by consultant Watson Wyatt found that the Swiss bank topped the table with 1,468 billion dollars (1,340 billion euro) in assets under management. Allianz followed in second place with 1,037 billion dollars (945 billion euro), and in third, fourth and fifth places were Fidelity Investments, Credit Suisse and Deutsche Bank.
The 2002 survey revealed global assets remained stable during the year. The managers that focused on diversity were the better performers. "Money managers that are achieving diversity in both the asset mix they offer and their client type and location are probably best positioned to succeed in the changing landscape," said Susan Douse, senior consultant and head of global investment manager services at Watson Wyatt.
Concentration of assets by the largest players remains high. According to the survey, at the end of 2002, the top 20 organisations ran 38% of the assets.
Despite greater focus on specialist asset management, the large index managers maintained their high positions among the top ten. This "confirms continued interest in passive management and demonstrates that the bigger firms have greater ability to diversify than smaller companies, reinforcing their competitive advantage," says Douse.
Watson Wyatt produced the research in conjunction with US investment paper P&I.
