Register For Our Mailing List

Register to receive our free weekly newsletter including editorials.

Register

14 November 2026

Home / 347

2020 Morningstar Fund Manager of the Year awards

A global investment manager known for its high-quality portfolio managers, in-depth research and impressive line-up of strategies has been awarded Morningstar's Fund Manager of the Year.

Fidelity International (pictured), which invests $482.8 billion on behalf of investors globally, took home the top honour at an award ceremony on Friday surrounded by Sydney's investment management community.

Fidelity International director of research Viral Patel thanked his team and clients for their ongoing support and trust.

"On behalf of the Johnson family, who for fifty years steadfastly made sure that their support for making money for our clients has been absolute. On behalf of Paul Taylor, who founded our Australian office and is a legendary investor. On behalf of a good global collaborative investment platform that helps hat-trick winners like James. And on behalf of all employees. In the presence of great fund managers, we humbly and gratefully accept this award," he said.

Fidelity was a stand-out choice for this years' award due to its impressive line-up of strategies that consistently outperform peers and indices across multiple asset classes, said Aman Ramrakha, Morningstar director of manager research ratings, Asia Pacific.

"Harnessing the scale of a manager this size can be challenging, but Fidelity has proven to be a reliable choice for Australian investors in 2019," he said.

Fidelity Future Leader portfolio manager James Abela also nabbed the award for Fund Manager of the Year: Domestic Equities - Small Cap for the third year in a row, owing to outstanding long-term outperformance.

"We wouldn't do this if we didn't love it," Abela said in the acceptance of the award. "For what we do for our clients, what we do for the industry. It is our life's work. It's decades of work. May we always love it and continue to do it for many years to come."

Fidelity International is known by Australian investors for its wide range of funds including the Australian Equities fund, overseen by Paul Taylor, and Kate Howitt's Australian Opportunities Fund.

Fidelity has also joined a growing list of Australian asset managers launching active ETF strategies, having listed an ASX-listed clone of the Fidelity Global Emerging Markets fund (FEMX) in 2018, overseen by Alex Duffy.

The award for Global Equities went to Franklin Global Growth, while Hyperion Asset Management was named top of the class in the Domestic Equities - Large Cap category. Silver-rated Hyperion Australian Growth Companies was the top returning large-cap Aussie equity fund (under coverage) in 2019, returning 33.66 per cent.

Award finalists and winners are determined by a combination of qualitative research by Morningstar's manager research analysts; risk-adjusted medium- to long-term performance track records; and performance in the 2019 calendar year.

To receive the overall Fund Manager of the Year award, a fund manager must have offered products in multiple award categories or delivered an outstanding outcome for investors.

The event, which coincided with the end of half-year reporting season, was well attended by over 150 investment managers.

Morningstar Australia Awards winners by category

Overall Fund Manager of the Year

  • Fidelity International - Winner
  • Hyperion Asset Management
  • Western Asset Management

Fund Manager of the Year: Undiscovered Manager

  • GAM Systematic Alternative Risk Premia - Winner
  • GQG Partners
  • Legg Mason Western Asset Global Bond

Fund Manager of the Year: Domestic Equities - Large Cap

  • Hyperion Asset Management - Winner
  • Greencape Capital
  • Platypus Asset Management

Fund Manager of the Year: Domestic Equities - Small Caps

  • Fidelity International - Winner
  • First Sentier Investors
  • Hyperion Asset Management

Fund Manager of the Year: Fixed Interest

  • Legg Mason Western Asset – Winner
  • Colonial First State FirstChoice Investments
  • PIMCO Australia

Fund Manager of the Year: Global Equities

  • Franklin Global Growth - Winner
  • VanEck Vectors QUAL
  • Zurich Global Growth (American Century Investments)

Fund Manager of the Year: Listed Property & Infrastructure

  • Pendal Group - Winner
  • Cromwell Property Group
  • Magellan Global Infrastructure

Fund Manager of the Year: Multisector

  • Vanguard Investments Australia - Winner
  • Advance Asset Management
  • AustralianSuper

 

Emma Rapaport is the editor of Morningstar.com.au

Try Morningstar Investor for free

 

  •   4 March 2020
  •      
  •   

 

Leave a Comment:

RELATED ARTICLES

The time for bonds has come

Does Barrenjoey hold the key to Magellan's fortunes?

A different approach to equity income investing

Firstlinks is sponsored by:
banner

Most viewed in recent weeks

Division 296: the initial moves to make before the windows close

What if the best superannuation strategy isn't about earning more, but acting before your options disappear? Several overlooked planning windows are narrowing, with consequences that can last for decades.

The retirement scorecard: how many of these questions can you answer?

From the maths of retirement, estimating spending and picking the right asset allocation to survive a poor decade, here are the questions every retiree – current or future – should be able to answer for themselves.

Testamentary trusts: Treasury has picked the wrong reading

A decades-old estate planning tool has survived one tax crackdown only to be caught by another. The surprise isn't who the reform is targeting, but who could end up paying the price for drafting choices made years ago.

Superannuation’s structural failings

Politicians are fighting over access to super, but they may be arguing about the wrong thing. The system’s three fundamental flaws have been hiding in plain sight for decades, costing Australians far more than they realise.

Avoid unnecessary CGT with this estate planning clause

A simple estate plan can create a ticking time bomb. One overlooked clause can pit spouses against children, delay inheritances, and potentially leave a family facing an unexpected tax bill worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Higher yields are creating opportunities in global bonds

Bond markets are adjusting to a new reality, but not in the ways investors expect. With markets repricing and capital competing for attention, investors may need to rethink where resilience and opportunity lie. 

Latest Updates

Retirement

The retirement account that Australia should have

Our retirement system asks one account to do two very different jobs. A dedicated "rainy day" account separating income from emergency savings could deliver better outcomes and greater peace of mind for retirees.

Investing

What the US midterm results mean for investors

Democrats have regained control of Congress, changing the equation in Washington. Whether that proves positive for investors will depend less on the result itself and more on what happens next for growth and markets.

Taxation

Should the capital gains tax reward risk?

A reader query on the recent CGT reforms has revealed a bigger issue. One overlooked feature of the old system may have done more than compensate for inflation. As we move to indexation, are we forgetting to reward risk?

Investment strategies

Bonds: The income and diversification trade-off

Rising yields have made bonds attractive again, but that does not mean they will behave as expected. As inflation, fiscal pressures and geopolitical risks reshape markets, the role of bonds may be more complicated than it appears.

Investment strategies

Why high-dividend investing deserves another look

Income investors have endured several lean years, but signs of a recovery are emerging. As opportunities improve, investors face an important choice between chasing headline yields and building a reliable source of income.

Investment strategies

Why 'overvalued' has been such an expensive word

Investors love simple rules, especially when markets appear stretched. Yet some of the strongest returns have arrived when the outlook seemed least attractive. This leaves an important question that history struggles to answer.

Investment strategies

AI – A good kind of bubble or just a bubble?

Investor obsession with AI is attracting unprecedented amounts of capital and confidence. But beneath the excitement lies uncertainties about returns, funding and risks that enthusiasts may not be paying enough attention to.

Sponsors

Alliances

  • ASA-Logo-RGB-ActiveGreen-web.png

Site Map

About Firstlinks

© 2026 Morningstar, Inc. All rights reserved.

Disclaimer
The data, research and opinions provided here are for information purposes; are not an offer to buy or sell a security; and are not warranted to be correct, complete or accurate. Morningstar, its affiliates, and third-party content providers are not responsible for any investment decisions, damages or losses resulting from, or related to, the data and analyses or their use. To the extent any content is general advice, it has been prepared for clients of Morningstar Australasia Pty Ltd (ABN: 95 090 665 544, AFSL: 240892), without reference to your financial objectives, situation or needs. For more information refer to our Financial Services Guide. You should consider the advice in light of these matters and if applicable, the relevant Product Disclosure Statement before making any decision to invest. Past performance does not necessarily indicate a financial product’s future performance. To obtain advice tailored to your situation, contact a professional financial adviser. Articles are current as at date of publication.
This website contains information and opinions provided by third parties. Inclusion of this information does not necessarily represent Morningstar’s positions, strategies or opinions and should not be considered an endorsement by Morningstar.