Sustainable and ESG-focused fund managers grew their representation in FE fundinfo’s Alpha Manager rating this year, as longer track records for the funds allowed managers to demonstrate consistency.
In 2025, 199 managers gained an Alpha Manager rating, with 42 awarded for the first time. Global managers continued to be the dominant sector, with 35 managers achieving FE Alpha Manager status. Sterling Strategic Bond and Europe ex UK managers tied for the second slot, with 11 each.
FE fundinfo highlighted new entrants including Man Group’s Rory Powe and Matthew’s Vivek Taneeru, who both run sustainable funds for their firms. Raheel Altaf, who manages the Artemis SmartGARP Global Emerging Markets Equity fund, received his first recognition as the five-year performance for the fund reached 54.87% compared to a sector average 16.75%.
Charles Younes, deputy chief investment officer at FE fundinfo, said: “The Alpha Manager Rating provides a clear measure of a fund manager’s ability to consistently deliver returns across several market cycles. Unlike short-term performance metrics, it reflects a manager’s entire career track record, marking out those with the expertise to navigate market shifts over the long-term.
“This year’s new entries are no different: among them, Raheel Altaf and Rory Powe stand out as exceptional performers. Raheel’s disciplined quantitative approach has been a key driver of success for his fund, while Rory’s fund, despite periods of underperformance, has ultimately delivered stronger returns over the long-term in comparison to many of his peers at other European equity funds.”
PIMCO currently holds the highest number of alpha managers at six, followed by Man Group and Schroders. Fidelity, which had the most FE Alpha managers in 2024, did not rank among the top 10 this year and JP Morgan, which had the second-most in 2024, also left the list.
This article first appeared on PA Future’s sister site Portfolio Adviser
