| ENTRY RULES AND CRITERIA |
When entering the 2016 Awards, please read through the following criteria for your chosen category (ies), which explain what the judging panel will be looking for when they judge the entries and select the winners.
All entry forms should be submitted by Friday 26 February 2016.
The awards will be publicised internationally in the general and hedge fund media. All awards finalists will be honoured — and the winners announced at a lunch on Thursday 21 April 2016 at The Hurlingham Club, London.
All winners will also be invited to be interviewed by HFMWeek.
The deadline for inclusion is Friday 26 February 2016.
Criteria:
| Fund Administration | Advisory, Accountancy & Technology | Legal | Prime Broker |
Fund Administration Categories
Best administrator - under $30bn single manager
This award is designed to reward hedge fund administration firms, responsible for assets under administration of under $30bn, that have shown growth and innovation over the course of the last 12 months in serving the needs of single managers. Success in this category depends on a mixture of customer and revenue growth, as well as product/brand development that demonstrated new thinking and which displays significant success.
Criteria:
• Commercial success and business growth
• Sales/market share figures
• Demonstration of product innovation and description of how market responded to the idea
• Description of future development possibilities
• Positive customer feedback via submitted testimonials
Best administrator - under $30bn fund of hedge funds
This award is designed to reward hedge fund administration firms, responsible for assets under administration of under $30bn, that have shown growth and innovation over the course of the last 12 months in the funds of hedge funds space. Success in this category depends on a mixture of customer and revenue growth, as well as product/brand development that demonstrated new thinking and which can boast significant success.
Criteria:
• Commercial success and business growth
• Sales/market share figures
• Demonstration of product innovation for FoHFs
• Description of future development possibilities
• Positive customer feedback via submitted testimonials
Best administrator - under $30bn overall
This award is designed to reward hedge fund administration firms, responsible for hedge fund assets under administration of under $30bn, that have shown growth and innovation over the course of the last 12 months in both the single manager and fund of hedge funds space. Success depends on a mixture of customer and revenue growth, as well as product/brand development that demonstrated new thinking and which can boast significant success.
Criteria:
• Commercial success and business growth
• Sales/market share figures
• Demonstration of product innovation and description of how market responded to the idea
• Description of future development possibilities
• Positive customer feedback via submitted testimonials
Best administrator - over $30bn single manager
This award is designed to reward hedge fund administration firms, responsible for assets under administration of over $30bn, that have shown growth and innovation over the course of the last 12 months in serving the needs of single managers. Success in this category depends on a mixture of customer and revenue growth, as well as product/brand development that demonstrated new thinking and which can boast significant success.
Criteria:
• Commercial success and business growth
• Sales/market share figures
• Demonstration of product innovation and description of how market responded to the idea
• Description of future development possibilities
• Positive customer feedback via submitted testimonials
Best administrator - over $30bn fund of hedge funds
This award is designed to reward hedge fund administration firms, responsible for assets under administration of over $30bn, that have shown growth and innovation over the course of the last 12 months in the fund of hedge funds space. Success in this category depends on a mixture of customer and revenue growth, as well as product or brand development that demonstrated new thinking and which can boast significant success.
Criteria:
• Commercial success and business growth
• Sales/market share figures
• Demonstration of product innovation for FoHFs
• Description of future development possibilities
• Positive customer feedback via submitted testimonials
Best administrator - over $30bn overall
This award is designed to reward hedge fund administration firms, responsible for hedge fund assets under administration of over $30bn, that have shown growth and innovation over the course of the last 12 months in both the single manager and fund of hedge funds space. Success in this category depends on a mixture of customer and revenue growth, as well as new product or brand development that demonstrated new thinking and which can boast significant success.
Criteria:
• Commercial success and business growth
• Sales/market share figures
• Demonstration of product innovation and description of how market responded to the idea
• Description of future development possibilities
• Positive customer feedback via submitted testimonials
Best administrator - middle-office services
This award is designed to reward hedge fund administration firms who have made advances in providing middle office services to hedge fund and fund of hedge funds clients. Success in this category depends on providing examples on how a middle-office service has grown in customers and revenue, innovated via product and ideas and helped to reduce operational risk.
Criteria:
• Commercial success and business growth
• Sales/market share figures
• Demonstrate how the service has made advance in one or several of the following areas:
• Trade capture and confirmation
• Reconciliation
• Risk reporting and analysis
• System of record maintenance
• Positive customer feedback via submitted testimonials
Best administrator – Ucits funds
This award is designed to reward hedge fund administration firms that have shown growth and innovation over the course of the last 12 months in serving the needs of managers operating Ucits-compliant products. Success in this category depends on a mixture of customer and revenue growth, as well as product/brand development that demonstrated new thinking and which displays significant success.
Criteria:
• Commercial success and business growth
• Sales/market share figures
• Demonstration of product innovation and description of how market responded to the idea
• Description of future development possibilities
• Positive customer feedback via submitted testimonials
Best administrator - small and start-up firms
This award is designed to reward hedge fund administration firms that have shown growth and innovation in providing bespoke services to small and recently launched HF management businesses.
Success in this category depends on a mix of customer and revenue growth, as well as new product or brand development that demonstrated new thinking and which can boast significant success.
Criteria:
• Commercial success and business growth
• Sales/market share figures
• Demonstration of product innovation specifically for small and start-up firms
• Description of future development possibilities
• Positive customer feedback via submitted testimonials
Best administrator - technology
This award is designed to reward hedge fund administration firms that have shown excellence and innovation in technology. Success in this category depends on providing examples of how new products or the use of technology internally have contributed to the growth of the firm and improved the customer experience.
Criteria:
• Commercial success and business growth
• Sales/market share figures
• Demonstration of product innovation
• Description of future development possibilities
• Positive customer feedback via submitted testimonials
Best administrator - reporting services
This award is designed to reward hedge fund administration firms that have shown excellence and innovation in reporting services. Success in this category depends on providing examples of how new products – like FormPF, investor transparency and Fatca reporting - and the improvement of existing reporting services have contributed to winning new business and improved the customer experience.
Criteria:
• Commercial success and business growth
• Demonstration of product innovation
• Description of future development possibilities
• Positive customer feedback via submitted testimonials
Most innovative fund administrator - under $30bn
This award is designed to reward hedge fund administration firms, with assets under administration of under $30bn, that have demonstrated consistent and recent innovation across their suite of products. Success in this category depends on providing examples of how new products and services, as well as the improvement of the core offering, has helped to meet client need and had a discernible impact on the growth of the business.
Criteria:
• Commercial success and business growth
• Demonstration of product innovation
• Description of new product and services
• Demonstration of improvement of existing services
• Description of future development possibilities
• Positive customer feedback via submitted testimonials
Most innovative fund administrator - over $30bn
This award is designed to reward hedge fund administration firms, with assets under administration of over $30bn, that have demonstrated consistent and recent innovation across their suite of products. Success in this category depends on providing examples of how new products and services, as well as the improvement of the core offering has helped to meet client need and had a discernible impact on the growth of the business.
Criteria:
• Commercial success and business growth
• Demonstration of product innovation
• Description of new product and services
• Demonstration of improvement of existing services
• Description of future development possibilities
• Positive customer feedback via submitted testimonials
Best administrator - under $30bn client service
This award is designed to reward hedge fund administration firms, with assets under administration of under $30bn, that have managed to consistently exceed the service expectation of their client base. Success in this category depends on providing key examples, backed up by customer testimonials, of how the firm has delivered a high level of customer service.
Criteria:
• Details of approach to customer service
• Examples of problem solving on complex issues
• Positive customer feedback via submitted testimonials
Best administrator - over $30bn client service
This award is designed to reward hedge fund administration firms, with assets under administration of over $30bn, that have managed to consistently exceed the service expectation of their client base. Success in this category depends on providing key examples, backed up by customer testimonials, of how the administration firm has delivered a high level of customer service.
Criteria:
• Details of approach to customer service
• Examples of problem solving on complex issues
• Positive customer feedback via submitted testimonials
Advisory, Accounting & Technology
Best advisory firm – regulation and compliance
This award is designed to reward compliance professionals that have demonstrated expertise and innovation in providing hedge fund clients with key regulatory advice. Success in this category depends on a mixture of demonstrating customer and revenue growth, as well as detailing how new initiatives and compliance products have aided the business over the past 12 months.
Criteria:
• Commercial success and business growth
• Demonstration of increase in hedge fund clients
• Demonstration of product innovation
• Detail specific examples of where advice has helped clients
• Positive customer feedback via submitted testimonials
Best Audit Services
This award is designed to reward hedge fund audit specialists that have shown growth and excellent customer service over the past 12 months. Success in this category depends on a mixture of customer and revenue growth, as well as product or brand development that demonstrated new thinking and which can boast success and positive customer feedback.
Criteria:
• Commercial success and business growth
• Sales/market share figures
• Demonstration of product innovation and description of how market responded to the idea
• Description of future development possibilities
• Positive customer feedback via submitted testimonials
Best cloud computing solution
This award is designed to honour a firm that has provided an excellent service as a vendor of remote storage and cloud technology solutions for the hedge fund sector. Success in this category depends on demonstrating both customer and revenue growth, as well as detailing examples of how service provision has been able to improve the data storage, back testing, disaster recovery and business continuity needs of the HF sector.
Criteria:
• Commercial success and business growth
• Demonstration of increase in hedge fund clients
• Demonstration of product innovation
• Positive customer feedback via submitted testimonials
Best AIFMD solution
This award is designed to honour a firm that has provided cutting edge advice and consultancy on how to deal with AIFMD . Success in this category depends on demonstrating both customer and revenue growth, as well as detailing examples of how service provision has been able to help hedge fund clients deal with ADV reporting, passporting/distribution and depositary rules.
Criteria:
• Commercial success and business growth
• Demonstration of increase in hedge fund clients
• Demonstration of product innovation
• Positive customer feedback via submitted testimonials
Best fund accounting and reporting software
This award is designed to honour a firm that has provided excellent service and innovative product development as a provider of outsourced accounting and reporting software solutions for the hedge fund sector. Success in this category depends on demonstrating both customer and revenue growth, as well as detailing examples of how the product has been able to significantly improve the effectiveness of the accounting and reporting systems of a client or clients.
Criteria:
• Commercial success and business growth
• Demonstration of increase in hedge fund clients
• Demonstration of product innovation
• Description of future development possibilities
• Positive customer feedback via submitted testimonials
Best independent platform
This award is designed to honour the fund distribution platform that has proved itself over the past 12 months via client growth and growing assets. Success in this category depends on demonstrating both customer and revenue growth, as well as detailing examples of innovation, diversification and solid performance.
Criteria:
• Commercial success and business growth
• Demonstration of increase in product and investment
Best information and data vendor
This award is designed to reward hedge fund information and data specialists that have shown growth and innovation over the course of the last 12 months in providing key sources of information to managers. Success in this category depends on a mixture of customer and revenue growth, as well as product/brand development that demonstrated new thinking and which can display significant success and innovation in an increasingly vital area.
Criteria:
• Commercial success and business growth
• Sales/market share figures
• Demonstration of product innovation in the information and data space
• Description of future development possibilities
• Positive customer feedback via submitted testimonials
Best insurance firm
Open to both insurers and insurance brokers, this award is designed to honour a company that has demonstrated a high standard in proving risk management advice and insurance solutions to the sector. Success depends on demonstrating both customer and revenue growth, as well as detailing examples of innovation and where the service has made a real difference to clients.
Criteria:
• Commercial success and business growth
• Specific examples of advice helping clients
• Demonstration of product innovation
• Positive customer feedback via submitted testimonials
Best managed account platform
This award is designed to honour a managed account platform that has proved itself over the past 12 months via client growth and growing assets. Success in this category depends on demonstrating both customer and revenue growth, as well as detailing examples of innovation, diversification and solid performance.
Criteria:
• Commercial success and business growth
• Demonstration of increase in product and investment
• Demonstration of product innovation
• Positive customer feedback via submitted testimonials
Best outsourced technology infrastructure provider
This award is designed to honour a firm that has provided an excellent service as a provider of outsourced IT infrastructure solutions for the hedge fund sector. Success in this category depends on demonstrating both customer and revenue growth, as well as detailing examples of how service provision has been able to improve the communication, IT and business development of a client or clients.
Criteria:
• Commercial success and business growth
• Demonstration of increase in hedge fund clients
• Demonstration of product innovation
• Detail specific examples of how advice has helped clients
• Positive customer feedback via submitted testimonials
Best overall advisory firm
This award is open to entrants across all categories of advisory firm and is designed to honour a firm that has demonstrated the highest level of innovation and customer service. Success in this category depends on demonstrating customer and revenue growth, as well detailing how a new product/initiative, or a particularly excellent example of client consultancy, has aided the business needs of the hedge fund sector.
Criteria:
• Demonstration of product innovation
• Examples of going above and beyond in providing the best advice to clients
• Detail specific examples of how advice has helped clients
• Positive customer feedback via submitted testimonials
Best executive search
Criteria:
• Industry perception
• Track record of placements and appointments over the course of the 12 month judging period
• Growth of the recruitment business in revenue and clients
• Service innovation
Best portfolio management software provider
This award is designed to reward hedge fund PMS providers that have shown growth and innovation in providing hedge fund traders, portfolio and risk managers with the ability to manage their portfolio
and make real time decisions. Success in this category depends on a mixture of customer and revenue growth, as well as product or brand development that demonstrates new thinking and which can boast significant success and positive customer feedback.
Criteria:
• Commercial success and business growth
• Demonstration of increase in hedge fund clients
• Demonstration of product innovation
• Description of future development possibilities
• Positive customer feedback via submitted testimonials
Best risk management technology provider
This award is designed to reward hedge fund risk management providers that have shown growth and innovation in providing hedge fund traders, portfolio and risk managers with superior risk, scenarios and portfolio analytics across complex and multi-asset investment portfolios. Success in this category depends on a mixture of customer and revenue growth, as well as product or brand development that demonstrates new thinking and which can boast significant success and positive customer feedback.
Criteria:
• Commercial success and business growth
• Demonstration of increase in hedge fund clients
• Demonstration of product innovation (e.g. support for new asset classes)
• Description of future development possibilities
• Positive customer feedback via submitted testimonials
Best tax advisory
This award is designed to reward the best tax advisory practitioners (from both audit and legal backgrounds), that have shown growth and innovation over the course of the last 12 months in serving the needs of manager. Success in this category depends on a mixture of customer and revenue growth. The winner should demonstrate genuine expertise and demonstrate new thinking and successful client outcomes.
Criteria:
• Commercial success and business growth
• Sales/market share figures
• Demonstration of product innovation and description of how market responded to the idea
• Description of future development possibilities
• Positive customer feedback via submitted testimonials
Best technology for small and startup firms
This award is designed to honour a firm that has demonstrated the highest level of innovation and customer service. Success in this category depends on demonstrating customer and revenue growth, as well detailing how a new product/initiative or a particularly excellent example of client consultancy has aided the business needs of small and start-up hedge fund managers.
Criteria:
• Demonstration of product innovation
• Examples of going above and beyond in providing the best advice to clients
• Detail specific examples of how advice has helped clients
• Positive customer feedback via submitted testimonials
Best Ucits platform
This award is designed to honour a Ucits platform that has proved itself over the past 12 months via client growth and growing assets. Success in this category depends on demonstrating both customer and revenue growth, as well as detailing examples of innovation, diversification and solid performance.
Criteria:
• Commercial success and business growth
• Demonstration of increase in product and investment
• Demonstration of product innovation
• Positive customer feedback via submitted testimonials
Best hedge fund platform
This award is designed to honour the fund hosting platform that has proved itself over the past 12 months via client growth. Success in this category depends on demonstrating both customer and revenue growth, as well as detailing examples of innovation, diversification and solid performance.
Criteria:
• Commercial success and business growth
• Demonstration of increase in product and investment
Legal Categories
Best offshore law firm
This award honours a firm that has demonstrated a consistently high standard in providing legal services to the hedge fund sector. Success in this category depends on showing both customer and revenue growth, as well as detailing examples of innovation and where the service has made a real difference to clients.
Criteria:
• Commercial success and business growth
• Demonstration of product innovation
• Examples of key areas of recent advice and where this has made a difference
• Positive customer feedback via submitted testimonials
Best offshore law firm - client service
This award is designed to honour the law firm that firm that has shown genuine commitment to customer service. Success in this category depends on providing examples of how the firm has been particularly responsive and innovative in meeting customer need, as well as detailing examples of where client advice has made a real difference to the business development of a hedge fund management firm.
Criteria:
• Commercial success and business growth
• Description of high-level of client service
• Examples of key areas of recent advice and where this has made a difference
• Positive customer feedback via submitted testimonials
Best onshore law firm
This award is designed to honour the firm that has demonstrated a consistently high standard in providing legal services to the sector. Success in this category depends on demonstrating both customer and revenue growth, as well as detailing examples of innovation and where the service has made a real difference to clients.
Criteria:
• Commercial success and business growth
• Demonstration of product innovation
• Examples of key areas of recent advice and where this has made a difference
• Positive customer feedback via submitted testimonials
Best onshore law firm - client service
This award is designed to honour the law firm that firm that has shown genuine commitment to customer service. Success in this category depends on providing examples of how the firm has been particularly responsive and innovative in meeting customer need, as well as detailing examples of where client advice has made a real difference to the business development of a hedge fund management firm.
Criteria:
• Commercial success and business growth
• Description of high-level of client service
• Examples of key areas of recent advice and where this has made a difference
• Positive customer feedback via submitted testimonials
Best onshore law firm - hedge fund start-ups
This award is designed to honour the firm that has developed a suite of effective services particularly aimed at hedge fund start-up businesses. Success in this category depends on demonstrating both customer and revenue growth, as well as detailing examples of where client advice has made a real difference to the direction of a new fund or hedge fund management firm.
Criteria:
• Commercial success and business growth
• Demonstration of increase in product and service
• Demonstration of product innovation
• Examples of key areas of recent advice and where this has made a difference
• Positive customer feedback via submitted testimonials
Prime Broker Categories
Best boutique prime broker
This award is designed to honour the best boutique prime broker. Success in this category depends on demonstrating how technical expertise and excellent customer service have benefited clients and enabled the prime broker to effectively compete against larger players in this field.
Criteria:
• Commercial success and business growth
• Description of high-level of client service
• Examples of how a new or existing service has added to user experience of clients
• Positive customer feedback via submitted testimonials
Best overall prime broker
This award is designed to honour the prime broker that has demonstrated consistency and skill across the whole of its organisation. Success depends on demonstrating a wide skill-set that illustrates strength across all of prime brokerage’s core areas of service, as well as a commitment to innovation and customer service.
Criteria:
• Commercial success and business growth
• Description of high-level of client service and innovation
• Positive customer feedback via submitted testimonials
Best prime broker - capital introduction
This award is designed to honour the prime broker that has shown the greatest commitment and aptitude in the forum of cap intro. Success in this category depends on demonstrating how, via investor contacts and cap intro events, the prime broker has been able to aid client attempts to meet relevant and active investors.
Criteria:
• Commercial success and business growth
• Description of high-level of client service and innovation in the field of cap intro
• Examples of portfolio of capital introduction events
• Demonstrate breadth and quality of investor contacts
• Positive customer feedback via submitted testimonials
Best prime broker – consulting services
This award is designed to honour the prime broker that has demonstrated the most insightful, relevant and useful consulting service. Success in this category depends on demonstrating a wide skill-set that illustrates strength and depth of expertise and the ability to advise clients on a wide variety of issues.
Criteria:
• Description of high-level of client service and innovation
• Demonstration of diversity of consulting service
• Examples of key areas of focus over the past 12 months
• Positive customer feedback via submitted testimonials
Best prime broker - custodial solution
This award is designed to honour the prime broker that has demonstrated the most advanced and reliable custodial solution. Success in this category depends on demonstrating both the uptake from clients (via assets in custody), as well as the use of innovative and segregated custodial solutions.
Criteria:
• Commercial success and business growth
• Description of high-level of client service and innovation
• Demonstration of a fully integrated service across all asset classes
• Positive customer feedback via submitted testimonials
Best Prime Broker – emerging markets
This award is designed to honour the prime broker that has demonstrated the best service for clients both based in, and trading in, emerging markets. Success in this category depends on demonstrating both scale in key markets, innovation and positive client feedback.
Criteria
• Commercial success and business growth
• Description of high-level of client service and innovation
• Demonstration of key market presence
• Positive customer feedback via submitted testimonials
Best prime broker – innovation
This award is designed to honour the prime broker that has been able to show real excellence in improving its offering over the last 12 months. Success in this category depends on demonstrating how significant improvements to a core service or the launch of a new service/product have improved operational or asset raising conditions for clients.
Criteria:
• Commercial success and business growth
• Description of high-level of client service
• Examples of how a new or existing service has added to user experience of clients
• Positive customer
Best prime broker - technology
This award is designed to honor the prime broker that has been able to show excellence in providing technology services and advice for clients. Success in this category depends on a mixture of demonstrating
how proprietary tech services have furthered the needs of clients; as well as how consultancy services have helped clients developed their own solutions.
Criteria:
• Commercial success and business growth
• Description of high-level of client service
• Examples of key areas of recent advice and where this has made a difference
• Positive customer feedback via submitted testimonials
Judging Decisions:
The judging panel will comprise representatives from HFMWeek, leading institutional and private investors and industry experts.
Each member of the judging panel will have an equal vote in choosing the winners in each category. Decisions should be unanimous, but a majority will suffice.
Judging process
A list of judges will be displayed on the 2016 Awards website and promoted to the HFMWeek database prior to the judging taking place, along with confirmation of the date(s) when the judging will take place
All judges will comply with a confidentiality agreement to ensure no information is disclosed or discussed outside of the judging process.
A shortlist of finalists for each category will be announced in February with the winners revealed on 21 April at The Hurlingham Club, London. Please mark this important date on your calendar.
Contact Us:
General enquiries about the HFMWeek European Services Awards 2016 and the judging for the awards can be directed to the individuals listed below.
Sponsorship
For information about HFMWeek Award sponsorship opportunities, please contact Tara Nolan at t.nolan@hfmweek.com or telephone +1 (646) 891 2114.
Awards Dinner
To purchase tables for the awards dinner, please contact Indira Peters-DiDio at i.peters@hfmweek.com or telephone +1 (646) 891 2119.
Entries and General queries
For general event queries, please contact Harriet Spence at h.spence@hfmweek.com or telephone: +44 (0) 20 7832 6576.
