Since 1986, UOB Asset Management (UOBAM) has built a strong heritage as a trusted steward of investments in Asia. With nearly four decades of experience, UOBAM has grown from serving investors in Singapore to becoming a regional leader with deep roots across the region. Today, UOBAM combines its long-standing expertise with innovation and a strong commitment to sustainability, operating across nine markets, including China, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Brunei, Vietnam, Taiwan and Thailand.
This year saw UOBAM take home six accolades in Asia Asset Management’s 2025 Best of the Best Awards, namely Best Regional Asset Management Company, Most Innovative Application of Artificial Intelligence (ASEAN), Best ESG Engagement Initiative (Thailand), Best Investor Education (Vietnam), and Best ESG Manager (Indonesia). UOBAM (Brunei) took home the award for Best Institutional Asset Management Company (Brunei Darussalam).
Thio Boon Kiat, group chief executive officer of UOBAM, says the firm’s success in the region is largely driven by its ability to balance local market insights with a scalable regional framework. “Managing these differences efficiently requires a strategic blend of local expertise, regional oversight, and digital innovation,” Thio says.
Indeed, there are no shortcuts when it comes to achieving success in the region, and UOBAM boasts a number of success drivers. These include on-the-ground expertise, customised and bespoke insight-driven strategies that integrate regional perspectives, and AI-driven investment strategies that leverage AI-augmented models and quantitative tools to enhance portfolio decisions. The firm also harnesses robo-advisory technology to deliver scalable, cost-efficient solutions that meet the evolving needs of institutional and retail investors.
Equally critical to UOBAM’s success is its strong governance structure, which ensures consistent and rigorous risk management and regulatory compliance across all jurisdictions. This disciplined framework reinforces UOBAM’s ability to operate seamlessly across diverse markets.
“On top of that, it is important to build strong partnerships and institutional trust. Our long-standing presence and strategic alliances with local banks, insurers, and distribution partners have been fundamental in expanding our reach and delivering investment solutions at scale,” he adds.
Regional expertise with local relevance
The asset management industry in Asia is highly dynamic and competitive, with evolving investor preferences, regulatory landscapes, and technological advancements. UOBAM continues to strengthen its position as a regional asset manager by scaling core capabilities – such as ESG and AI-driven investing, while localising solutions to suit investor needs. This region-to-local model enables the firm to deliver relevant and timely products. Its growing recognition, including accolades from international institutions reflect UOBAM’s ability to turn its expertise into regionally respected outcomes.
Market success across Asia
In Taiwan for example, UOBAM pioneered the region’s first high dividend recovery stock ETF, ranking second in performance in just over two years. In Malaysia it launched the first India-focused fixed income fund aligned with the China +1 strategy, quickly gaining a substantial assets under management within nine months of its launch. In Thailand, while the CIO Funds more than doubled in size within ten months, Fixed Maturity Plan (FMP) funds have been the largest contributors to AUM growth in 2024, reflecting UOBAM’s ability to deliver income-focused solutions that align with investor demand for stability and predictable returns. In Indonesia last year, the firm captured a significant share of the fixed income and index market.
Meanwhile in Vietnam, the United Vietnam ESG Equity Fund recorded a notable growth in AUM reflecting UOBAM’s commitment to its ESG goals.
Innovation and sustainability
UOBAM has also been at the forefront of innovation, thanks to its top management’s foresight to prepare for any disruptions or changes in the investment landscape. In 2019, before AI became a buzzword, UOBAM began developing its AI-augmented framework.
“This was underpinned by our philosophy of leveraging investment-related technologies to help deliver the best-possible outcomes for our customers. The framework is based on an integration of analyst research and views with artificial intelligence and machine learning (AIML)-driven tools and techniques,” Thio says.
Using AI-Augmentation@UOBAM, Thio and his team were able to use AI and machine learning models to expand its coverage of the entire investment universe, cover human blind spots, overcome any human biases, and produce a risk optimised portfolio.
By leveraging AI, Thio says UOBAM is able to shortlist Asia’s investment universe of more than 25,000 stocks efficiently. The shortlist is then rigorously assessed by its team of analysts, and the investment team uses a unique optimisation model to assign weights to the stocks. The result is the building of a portfolio that is robust, customisable, and aligned with other investment mandates.
Above all, sustainability-related principles have been integrated into UOBAM’s investment strategies.
UOBAM sets itself apart with ESG solutions that are not only award-winning but also tailored to regional contexts. By providing thematic ESG funds aligned with sustainability trends and actively engaging companies to improve ESG practices, UOBAM advocates for responsible investing while adapting solutions to meet the evolving expectations of local investors.
