Krungsri Asset Management Co., Ltd. (Krungsri Asset) is one of the leading asset management companies in Thailand, offering a wide range of products and services that cater to the diverse needs of individual and institutional investors. Originally founded in 1996 as Ayudhya Jardine Fleming Co., Ltd. (AJF), the company is now fully rebranded as Krungsri Asset Management, pursuing a more extensive perspective in line with its parent organization, Bank of Ayudhya (Krungsri), which is part of the Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG). Having strived to provide constant returns to its investors, novel products, and high-quality services, Krungsri Asset has expanded to operate assets valued at 540,691 million Baht as of December 31, 2022.
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History and Evolution
The Krungsri Asset Management is a result of establishing operations when Thailand was facing the hard economic situation of the 1997 financial crisis. The company was established originally as Ayudhya Jardine Fleming Co., Ltd., and it has become resilient enough to introduce its first fund of the AJF Star Capital Fund, during such turbulent times. This aggressive step expressed its determination to avail itself of any form of investment even in unfavorable times.
The years went by, and with time, the company focused on the following of its business strategies and increased its product line, finally rebranding it to Krungsri Asset Management in 2011. The name change indicated its amalgamation with Bank of Ayudhya and that it became part of MUFG, and its experience in financial activities across the globe on a global level, and strengthening its credibility and operations in its field.
Investment Products and Services
Krungsri Asset Management was established during a turbulent economic situation, which was the 1997 Thai financial crisis. The company was first established under the name of Ayudhya Jardine Fleming Co., Ltd., and showed resilience in introducing its very first fund, the AJF Star Capital Fund, when those times were stormy times. It is this act of boldness that indicates its dedication to offering investment opportunities even under negative circumstances.
The company had grown over the years and sharpened its strategies to the point of rebranding to Krungsri Asset Management in the year 2011. These changes were captured in the name changing exercise to reflect the merger with Bank of Ayudhya, as well as the ability to tap into global financial expertise offered by MUFG, which has boosted its credibility and operational ability.
Technological Advancements
In its vision of working towards operational efficiency and client experience, Krungsri Asset Management has adopted technological innovation. The company has been using Charles River Investment Management Solution (Charles River IMS) since 2005 in all assets in portfolio management, trading, and compliance, such as cash management, currency hedging, and foreign exchange. In 2018, Krungsri Asset then optimised its operations by also implementing Charles River IMS to complete its capabilities to reduce the use of legacy workflows and spreadsheets by automating front-office operations. This update enhanced communication and cooperation between the portfolio managers, the traders, and the compliance groups, so that they could make more informed decisions faster.
Towards the end of 2023, Krungsri Asset shifted onto Charles River’s cloud-based platform, an action that modernized its operating model and gave portfolio management teams state-of-the-art tools. Prasert Impornrugee, Chief Technology Officer at Krungsri Asset, said that with this shift, the company was able to put the emphasis on the business priorities and manage its expenses flexibly. The cloud-based point solution facilitates mutual, private, provident, and property funds dealing with equities, fixed income, and derivatives to eliminate the possibility of scalability and adaptability of dynamic businesses in a volatile market landscape.
Investment Philosophy and Market Insights
The investment philosophy of Krungsri Asset Management focuses on giving out unrivalled products, best services, and consistent returns to its clients. The company’s vision is to transform into a lifelong asset management company for its clients, with a focus on maintaining long-term relations and trust. The philosophies of this school are showing through its aggressive strategy to commercially evaluate and adjust its portfolios.
Its market reports and investment advice are regularly issued by the company so as to lead its clients through turbulent economic times. As an example, when global inflationary pressure and increasing interest rates affected investors in 2022, Krungsri Asset suggested that investors monitor their portfolios by replenishing them with a fixed-income fund to incur less volatility in the market. In the same manner, towards 2025, the firm emphasized best-performing funds in categories such as fixed income, mixed asset classes, and Thai equities, which offered viable investment recommendations to clients.
Commitment to Sustainability
Krungsri Asset Management is a company that values sustainability. The company infuses ESG principles into its investment schemes and gives funds that place significant emphasis on the three pillars of environmental, social, and governance aspects. The practice is not just in line with international tendencies to adhere to socially responsible investing, but it also appeals to an increasingly large population of investors who want to invest in sustainable and ethical financial practices. The interest of Krungsri Asset in corporate governance and investor protection has also boosted its status as a reliable wealth generation partner.
Distribution and Accessibility
The wide distribution network is an added advantage of Krungsri Asset Management, which has gained its ability to approach a wide range of clients. By having 600+ branches at its disposal and through its affiliated services with fintech companies and securities brokers, the company makes sure that its products can be used in Thailand by all investors. Through its online platform, Krungsri Asset Online, clients can see, in real time, the performance of their funds, net asset values (NAV), and investment tools, and its online platform has increased transparency and customer convenience.
The coverage of Krungsri Asset is also enhanced by social media activities where people mostly use Facebook and X. The company has more than 83,000 followers on Facebook, frequently posting on X, and is informing investors about market trends, funds that they should focus on, and educational materials. To demonstrate its efforts to inform the clients, recent X posts featured weekly market reviews and investment opportunities in both the world and Thai markets..
Challenges and Opportunities
The Krungsri Asset (as well as any asset management firm) tries to work in a dynamic and competitive environment. The global economic issues that are inflating, raising inter-relational rates, and geopolitical threats are risk factors to the investment performance. Nevertheless, the proactive efforts, like the guidance of investing in fixed-income funds when the economic uncertainty is on the move, indicate that the company can overcome such difficulties.
There is the potential for wealth management in Thailand. With a better level of financial literacy and increasing demand for diversified investment products, Krungsri Asset can take this trend advantage of this situation. Being part of MUFG will provide access to global know-how and resources, and, therefore, it will be relevant to Thai investors, as it will be informed by the local market. The technology and sustainability orientation of the company also improve its competitive advantage..
Conclusion
The Krungsri Asset Management has been able to cement itself as a pillar in the asset management sector in Thailand, with a mixture of innovation, sustainability, and customer centricity as it delivers outstanding financial products. Since its humble start-up in 1996 to date, when it ranked as a leading market player, which has in its possession more than 540 billion Baht in assets, the firm has continually changed itself to the demands of its customers. Various products, technological prowess, and sustainable investing activities present it as a reliable partner to the investor who wants stable and long-term returns..