FE fundinfo reveals winners of 2026 Alpha Manager of the Year Awards

FE fundinfo have announced that George Cheveley of Ninety One has won the title of Alpha Manager of the Year. Now in their 11th year, the Alpha Manager Awards are widely respected as a significant benchmark of fund performance, recognising the top 10% of fund managers based on long-term outperformance and risk-adjusted returns.

Cheveley’s win reflects more than three decades of industry experience and a long-term track record of delivering alpha across natural resources strategies. In 2025, against a backdrop of geopolitical tension and heightened uncertainty across global markets, the strategies he runs delivered notable performance, with relative returns of 10% to 20%. These include the Ninety One Global Gold Fund, which he manages, and the Ninety One Global Natural Resources Fund, which he co-manages with David Heyl and Paul Gooden.

Mirabaud’s Hywel Franklin was recognised as this year’s Best New Alpha Manager, in acknowledgement of his specialist expertise in European small and mid-cap equities. Franklin, who co-manages the Mirabaud Discovery Europe and Discovery Europe ex-UK strategies with Trevor Fitzgerald, outperformed their benchmark in 2025, with the win reflecting the team’s stock-picking and research strengths built over more than two decades.

Artemis’s Philip Wolstencroft was a standout performer across multiple categories, taking home awards in both European Equities and UK Equities. Raheel Altaf, also of Artemis, secured two category wins of his own, in Asia Pacific (ex-Japan) and Global Emerging Markets Equities and in Global Developed Equities, underlining Artemis’s strength in depth across the active management landscape. In addition, Patrick Kelly & Ankur Crawford of Alger continued their high performance in US equities, winning the category for the second year in a row.

Rob Gleeson, Chief Investment Officer FE Investments at FE fundinfo, said:

“This year’s winners have demonstrated exceptional skill and conviction in navigating one of the more challenging market environments in recent years. Geopolitical tension, macroeconomic uncertainty and shifting rate dynamics have tested active managers across every asset class and those recognised today have risen to that challenge with consistency and discipline.”

Zachary Ryan, Senior Fund Analyst at FE fundinfo, added:

“George Cheveley’s recognition as Alpha Manager of the Year is richly deserved. His long-term track record in natural resources is exceptional and his 2025 performance across both gold and broader natural resources strategies, delivering relative returns of 10% to 20% over 2025, shows the enduring value of rigorous, research-driven active management. The breadth of talent recognised across all twelve categories this year reflects the strength of the active management community and the continued importance of genuine stock selection in generating returns for investors.”

Twelve fund managers won awards across twelve categories, recognising excellence across a range of investment disciplines.

The full list of the 2026 Alpha Manager Awards nominees and winners can be seen here: Alpha Manager of the Year Awards 2026 – Winners 

The Alpha Manager Ratings are one of FE fundinfo’s key investment rating metrics, including the Crown Fund Ratings and FE AdviserAsset Platinum Ratings, providing a range of well-established and impartial benchmarks to empower the financial ecosystem in making informed decisions.