Leading global investment manager, Colonial First State Global Asset Management today announced the rebrand of its business to First Sentier Investors (First Sentier).

Leading global investment manager, Colonial First State Global Asset Management today announced the rebrand of its business to First Sentier Investors (First Sentier).\

The announcement follows the completion of its sale last month to Mitsubishi UFJ Trust and Banking Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Inc. (MUFG), from Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA).

First Sentier now operates as a standalone business governed by a Board of Directors, with assets under management of $222.7 billion (as at 30 June 2019), on behalf of an international client base that extends across Asia, Australasia, Europe and North America.

The rebrand process will begin in Australia where there is a more pressing need to distinguish the business from the remaining wealth assets under CBA ownership, and will take effect in regions outside of Australia, where the business is known as First State Investments, next year.

First Sentier Chief Executive Officer Mark Steinberg said the rebrand represents the business’ coming of age.

“We want to come together under one global brand name for the interests of our clients and our employees, and we want a name that allows the business to maintain a link to our origins, while also signalling our vision for the future. We are a global business and we require a global brand name.

“The word ‘First’ provides a link to our heritage, and ‘Sentier’ is a word of French origin meaning ‘path’. Our new brand name reflects our commitment to follow our own path, investing responsibly to create a better future for our clients, employees and the communities in which we invest,” he added.

Stewart Investors, FSSA Investment Managers and Realindex teams will continue to operate under their current brand names.

In Sydney, the rebrand coincides with the business’ physical separation from CBA’s Darling Park building as it relocates to Tower Three, International Towers in Barangaroo, a 5-star NABERS Energy Base Building with a 6-Star Green rating.

The office will be one of the first businesses in Australia to be accredited under WELL, the first international rating system to focus exclusively on the impact buildings have on human health and wellness. This aligns to First Sentier’s Responsible Investment and business principles.

“It has been a transformational couple of months for the business, and it was fantastic to coincide the timing of the relocation with the rebrand. 

“The new office at Barangaroo presents an opportunity for us to become a more connected, collaborative and flexible workplace that delivers better outcomes for our clients and our people, and we look forward to becoming part of Australia’s first large-scale carbon neutral community,” Mr Steinberg said.