Funds Experience Europe 2026: Meet the Finalists of the RankiaPro Europe Awards VI edition
18 JUN, 2026
By Sofía Vargas from RankiaPro Europe
On May 4, we opened a survey with the nominees for the VI Edition of the RankiaPro Awards Europe 2026, where asset management professionals help us choose, from all the interviews conducted between July 2025 and April 2026, the “Sales Manager of the Year”, “Fund Manager of the Year”, “Advisor of the Year” and “Fund Selector of the Year”.
The voting period closed on June 4, and more than 2,000 professionals from Europe cast their votes to determine the winners in each category. In addition, in order to make the selection of awardees more objective, we applied a weighting based on the number of views received by the different interviews one month after their publication, as well as their impact on our social media channels.
Four categories in the RankiaPro Europe Awards VI:
- Sales Manager of the Year 2026
- Fund Manager of the Year 2026
- Advisor of the Year 2026
- Fund Selector of the Year 2026
The awards were presented on Thursday, June 18, during the gastronomic dinner at Veles e Vents in Valencia, where excellence across the investment industry was celebrated and the winners were revealed across four prestigious categories: Sales Manager of the Year, Fund Manager of the Year, Advisor of the Year, and Fund Selector of the Year. Below, you can find the three finalists in each category this year, as well as revisit their interviews.
Congratulations to all twelve finalists!
Finalists for the Best Sales Manager of the Year 2026
In a profession where client relationships and personal interaction are at the heart of success, sales managers play a pivotal role in building trust, understanding investors’ needs, and serving as a vital link between asset managers and their clients. Their ability to foster long-term partnerships, deliver strategic solutions, and provide consistent support has become increasingly important in an ever-evolving industry.
The three finalists in this category were Isabel Ortega, Head of Sales at Alken Asset Management, Romain Lippe, Partner at IVO Capital Partners and Andrea Bertocchini, Head of Benelux & Nordics at La Française.
Finalists for the Best Fund Manager of the Year 2026
A good fund manager must anticipate market volatility and construct resilient portfolios with a consistent strategy, always keeping a long-term perspective. Their role goes beyond selecting assets: they analyze risk, identify opportunities across market cycles, and make disciplined investment decisions to achieve sustainable performance over time.
The finalists in this category were Frederik Fischer, Director, Senior Portfolio Manager Multi Asset, Commodities at Allianz Global Investors, Kristofer Barrett, Head of Global Equities at Carmignac and Marc Blanc, High Yield Portfolio Manager at OFI Invest Asset Management.
Finalists for the Best Advisor of the Year 2026
Deep knowledge of financial markets and strong empathy are among the most highly valued qualities clients look for when choosing a financial advisor. Beyond technical expertise, financial advisors play a key role in understanding each client’s personal and financial goals, providing tailored guidance, and building long-term trust through close and continuous relationships.
From a shortlist of 9 nominees for Best Financial Advisor, the finalists were: Bryan Elbaz, Partner at Alpha Advisory, Baptiste Langle, Portfolio Manager at Dubly Transatlantique Gestion and Emilie Fleury-Caduc, Chief Investments Officer at Justae - Gestion Privée.
Finalists for the Best Fund Selector of the Year 2026
A fund selector combines quantitative and qualitative analysis to identify the best investment funds within a vast and diverse universe of options. Their role goes beyond screening performance: they conduct in-depth due diligence, assess fund managers, evaluate risk-adjusted returns, and ensure that each selected product aligns with the overall portfolio strategy and client objectives.
The selection process is highly demanding, and choosing finalists has not been easy. The three finalists in this category were: François Gazier, Head of Asset Allocation and Fund Selection at Haussmann Patrimoine, Christophe Jaubert, Chief Investment Officer at Mediolanum International Funds and Barbara Katzdobler, Fund Selector at Wiener Stadtwerke.
Thank you very much for participating in the voting for the sixth edition of the RankiaPro Europe Awards!
