(Singapore, 14 November 2012) – Threadneedle Investments, a leading international investment manager, today announces the Threadneedle Investment Award 2013 in partnership with Singapore Management University (SMU) and Cass Business School (Cass), part of City University London.  The Award issues a challenge to students to address economic dilemmas faced around the world, with a scholarship prize worth S$24,000 and an apprenticeship in Threadneedle’s London and Singapore offices going to one outstanding student from each university.

The Threadneedle Investment Award 2013 is a competition for investment and finance students studying at SMU and Cass.  Students are invited to write an essay addressing a specific economic question relevant to their region, with a focus on the challenges faced by investors.

A shortlist of three students from each university will be chosen and invited to present their ideas to a panel of judges from Threadneedle, SMU and Cass.  A winner from each university will receive S$24,000 towards their tuition fees, paid for by Threadneedle, and an apprenticeship at Threadneedle including time spent in the firm’s London and Singapore offices.  The scholarship competition is open to full time students currently enrolled in the SMU MSc Applied Finance full time track, MSc Wealth Management and MSc Quantitative Finance (a joint Master degree programme with Cass) and in the Cass MSc Investment Management and MSc Finance.

Raymundo Yu, Asia Pacific Chairman of Threadneedle, commented: “We’re delighted to support tomorrow’s leading investors with this award.  As an organisation we value idea generation and original thinking, and the Award seeks to encourage bright people with an interest in investing at the very start of their careers.”

“In today’s increasingly challenging investment markets, we believe investors need to out-think in order to out-perform. By partnering with SMU and Cass, we are bringing together organisations that are leaders in investment thinking. Our well-established investment philosophy, based on collaboration, exchange of ideas and active debate has been fundamental to achieving Threadneedle’s sustained out-performance for our clients.  Now in its second year, the Threadneedle Investment Award, and our partnership with SMU and Cass, marks our commitment to this philosophy.”

Professor Howard Thomas, Dean of the SMU Lee Kong Chian School of Business, said: “The Singapore Management University is grateful for Threadneedle’s generosity; we are also delighted to be part of this collaboration with Threadneedle and Cass Business School.  This Scholarship Award is undoubtedly a unique opportunity for students at both SMU and Cass to learn from one of the top asset management firms in the world and at the same time get invaluable exposure in two of the world’s top financial markets in Asia and Europe.”

Richard Gillingwater, Dean of Cass Business School, said: “The Threadneedle award is a wonderful example of business and education working together for mutual benefit. The award combines both generous financial support and valuable work experience.  We are delighted to be working with one of the City’s most highly-regarded investment management firms to help talented Cass students launch their finance careers.” 

This is the second year Threadneedle has offered the Investment Award, and is the first time Threadneedle has partnered with both Cass and SMU for the Award. In September 2011 German student Caroline Duong, who studied the MSc Investment Management at Cass, won a £20,000 scholarship for her essay on the debt crisis in Europe and the investment implications of a Eurozone break-up. Following completion of her internship, Caroline joined Threadneedle on a permanent basis as an analyst in the firm’s award-winning European Equities team.

Note to Editors

The Threadneedle Investment Award 2013

The Award will provide one student from SMU and one student from Cass with a scholarship prize of S$24,000 (or £12,000) towards their tuition fees and an apprenticeship with Threadneedle, including time in both the London and Singapore office.  To apply for this Award, students must answer the regionally focused essay question for their region, as outlined below (minimum 1,500 words and maximum 1,700 words). The entries will be short-listed and a winner from each university will be chosen by a judging panel made up of executives and academics from Threadneedle, SMU and Cass.  Closing date for submissions is 30 April 2013.  Threadneedle will announce the winners in June 2013.

The essay topics are:

Europe

The ECB’s Outright Market Transaction programme was a game-changer with meaningful implications for the solvency of Eurozone governments and asset prices. Discuss, with a focus on the challenges it presents investors.

Asia Pacific

Quantitative Easing (QE) activities in USA and Europe have investment implications for emerging markets. Discuss with respect to Asia ex Japan.

About Threadneedle

Threadneedle is a leading international investment manager with a strong track record of outperformance across asset classes. We actively manage US$123.6bn (as at 30 Sept 2012) of assets, investing on behalf of individuals, pension funds, insurers and corporations. We are the 4th largest UK retail fund manager¹ and the 8th largest UK fund manager¹ by AUM. In Europe we rank in the top 30². Established in 1994 in London, Threadneedle has a presence in 16 countries.

Threadneedle's distinctive investment approach is based on creative thinking, sharing of ideas and rigorous debate. Our c.135 investment professionals invest across developed and emerging market equities, fixed income, commodities and UK property. As at 30 Sept 2012, 72% of Threadneedle funds outperformed over 1 year, 75% over 3 years and 80% over 5 years³. In 2012, Threadneedle has won over 100 prestigious fund management industry awards globally⁴.

Threadneedle is owned by Ameriprise Financial (NYSE: AMP), a leading US diversified financial services company with over US$678bn in owned, managed and administered assets. As its international investment platform, Threadneedle provides Ameriprise and its retail and institutional clients with world class investment solutions.

About Cass Business School

Cass Business School, which is part of City University London, delivers innovative, relevant and forward-looking education, training, consultancy and research. Located in the heart of one of the world’s leading financial centres, Cass is the business school for the City of London.

Our MBA, specialist Masters and undergraduate degrees have a global reputation for excellence, and the School supports nearly 100 PhD students. 

Cass offers the widest portfolio of specialist Masters programmes in Europe.  It also has the largest faculties of Finance and Actuarial Science and Insurance in the region.  It is ranked in the top 10 UK business schools for business, management and finance research and 90% of the research output is internationally significant. Cass is a place where students, academics, industry experts, business leaders and policy makers can enrich each other's thinking. For further information visit: www.cass.city.ac.uk.

¹ UK IMA ranking, Aug 2012, see www.investmentfunds.org.uk

² Europe ranking, Morningstar Aug 2012

³ All funds managed by Threadneedle, including segregated accounts/portfolios. The data does not include funds sub-advised by third parties or guest funds on a Threadneedle platform. All figures are as at 30 Sept 2012, in GBP unless stated otherwise. Total value of funds outperforming their relevant benchmark expressed as a percentage of total assets under management. This information aims to demonstrate the overall performance capabilities of Threadneedle’s asset management team. It is not intended to indicate the performance of individual funds or products. Please refer to product specific documentation in relation to individual funds. The value of investments and any income is not guaranteed and can go down as well as up.

⁴ For details see: www.threadneedle.com/awards

Disclaimer:

This material is for information only and does not constitute an offer or solicitation of an order to buy or sell any securities or other financial instruments, or to provide investment advice or services. The value of investments and any income is not guaranteed and may fall as well as rise, and therefore an investor may not get back the amount invested.  Issued by Threadneedle Asset Management Limited. Registered in England and Wales, No. 573204, 60 St Mary Axe, London EC3A 8JQ. Authorised and regulated in the UK by the Financial Services Authority.  Threadneedle is a brand name, and both the Threadneedle name and logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of the Threadneedle group of companies.