Of the 32 Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) life company executives surveyed by Insight Discovery, 56% valued asset management company links at least eight out of 10 for importance.
Almost all respondents valued the links at least five out of ten.
Not surprisingly, life companies said investment performance is the most important asset management company feature overall, with seven respondents putting it highest and nine putting it second from a list of 11 criteria.
A local presence of the asset management company was the second highest feature, while investment education came third.
Fidelity was voted the most respected international asset management company, followed by Franklin Templeton. Fidelity was rated best by 14 respondents while Franklin Templeton received nine votes.
Other well respected companies included Baring Asset Management, Schroders, Amundi, Invesco aNd JP Morgan.
Insight Discovery said this was broadly in line with the opinions of the representatives on the investment-related conferences and events that the international asset management companies have organised in the last year or so.
The research added that, while the sample size is small, there are only 88 international life company executives in total giving the survey a 36% response rate. Insight Discovery call this “far above the norm for a study of this nature”.
Nigel Sillitoe, chief executive, Insight Discovery, said: “Normally, we look at the advisers use of the offerings of international asset management companies and international life companies.
"This report looks at the distribution of investment funds from the point of view of the international life companies.
“In early 2014, we interviewed executives from eight international life companies which, between them, account for all life premiums written in the GCC countries."
