ABERDEEN ASSET MANAGEMENT PLC/UK

Aberdeen Asset Management is an international investment manager holding group that was founded in 1983 when Martin Gilbert, the current CEO, and a group of investors bought a $78 million investment trust in Aberdeen. The company would have its IPO on the London Stock Exchange under the name Aberdeen Trust PLC., changing the company name to its current Aberdeen Asset Management in 1997. That year, Aberdeen Asset Management would acquire Prolific Financial Management, making it one of the top 10 unit trust managers in the UK. In 2000, the company would acquire Murray Johnstone (UK), an international equities and bonds manager; Equitilink, an Australian manager; and Barclays Property Investment (UK) and Celexia, which would be unified into Aberdeen Property Investors. Aberdeen Asset Management would continue to expand itself through acquisitions, merging with Edinburgh Fund Managers in 2003 and Deutsche Asset management’s UK and US institutional divisions in 2005. The company would then acquire DEGI Deutsche Gesellschaft für Immobilienfonds mbH, Goodman Property Investors, Credit Suisse, and RBS Asset Management by 2010. In 2013, Aberdeen Asset Management would acquire Scottish Widows Investment Partnership, making the company the largest listed fund manager in Europe. The company now has approximately $490 billion in total assets under management, generating over $2 billion in revenue with approximately $765 million in operating income and $408 million in net income. Aberdeen Asset Management operates mainly out of its headquarters in Scotland to serve the United Kingdom but also has a presence in Asia, Australia, and the Americas. The company currently has over 2500 employed staff members that are located across 37 offices in 25 countries. Some of the company’s family of funds include its Asia Bond Fund, Diversified Alternatives Fund, Emerging Markets Fund, Global Equity Fund, High Yield Fund, Ultra-Short Duration Bond Fund, and Total Return Bond Fund. Its current ETF includes its Emerging Markets Smaller Company Opportunities Fund.