Seeking diversification and attractive returns from high yield
At Aviva Investors, we have been investing in high yield debt for our clients for over 25 years. We manage USD$3.6 billion of assets (as of 31 May 2025) in Global High Yield and Short Duration Global High Yield strategies.
Our investment style is underpinned by a fundamentally driven approach and powered by advanced data analytics, aiming to deliver consistent outperformance throughout the market cycle. What sets us apart is our ability to integrate technology and maximise our resources by removing traditional asset class boundaries.
Why invest?
As long-term fundamental investors, we have two broad aims: to exploit the inefficiencies in the global high yield market and to outperform through the market cycle using diversified sources of alpha and robust portfolio construction.
Our approach aims to deliver:
Diversified alpha
We seek to capture excess returns from across the full global high yield spectrum for maximised risk-adjusted returns.
Enhanced capital preservation
Our investing approach and framework is designed to enhance returns from high yield markets while withstanding market volatility.
Consistent performance
Our aim is consistency in returns through various credit cycles, through robust portfolio construction.
Investment philosophy
We believe income is the biggest driver of high yield returns. We combine deep bottom-up credit research with advanced data analytics, macro insights, and cross-capability collaboration to construct high-conviction, globally diversified portfolios with a focus on resilient, income-generating credit.
This disciplined, tech-enhanced approach enables us to navigate market cycles with consistency, preserve capital, and unlock diversified alpha across the full spectrum of global high yield.
Global and connected
Our global and connected approach enables us to identify opportunities across the entire high yield spectrum.
Resilience plus
We anchor portfolios in resilient, high conviction credits, guided by rigorous bottom-up analysis, allowing us to focus on quality and durability of income while tactically capturing capital appreciation opportunities.
Robust portfolio construction
Our differentiated approach combines rigorous top-down and bottom-up analysis with advanced data analytics, using proprietary technology to build robust, high conviction portfolios
Investment insights
Investment thinking that brings together the collective insight of Aviva Investors’ teams from across the globe on the key themes influencing markets.
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Rethinking risk in EMD: The great inversion on emerging markets
28 Nov. 2025
Market and economic trends are challenging the idea that emerging market (EM) bonds should trade at a discount to developed economy debt.
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Bond Voyage: A journey into fixed income
10 Nov. 2025
This month’s Bond Voyage looks at the Bulk Purchase Annuity (BPA) market in the UK – the quiet market making loud moves.
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Bond Voyage: A journey into fixed income
9 Oct. 2025
In this month’s Bond Voyage, we introduce SHIELD – the downside protection framework used by our fixed income division. SHIELD is designed to ensure our portfolios remain resilient in challenging market conditions while maintaining capital efficiency.
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From niche to core: Asset-based finance emerges as a driving force as private debt markets continue to evolve
7 Oct. 2025
Asset-based finance is capturing the attention of institutional investors – from pension schemes to insurers – thanks to its diverse risk-return drivers and its growing role as a strategic building block in investors’ portfolios.
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Bucking the trend: Emerging market debt shows its mettle amid wider market turbulence
19 May 2025
Emerging-market debt has proved a rare bright spot so far this year as investors struggle to assess the impact of US political upheaval. In this article, Carmen Altenkirch and Nafez Zouk advance reasons why the market is well placed to weather ongoing market turbulence.
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Sovereign engagement: Driving positive change while delivering long-term value
14 May 2025
Investor engagement with governments on their climate commitments can be a powerful complement to other forms of stewardship. It can also help investors identify opportunities and mitigate risks, says Thomas Dillon.
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Bond Voyage: A journey into fixed income
6 May 2025
In May, our EMD team discusses the most effective way to manage fixed income through episodes of heightened uncertainty.
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Future proofing fixed income
16 Apr. 2025
Advances in data analytics and AI-driven insights are changing the landscape in fixed income investing, and the pace of change in innovation and technological adoption is remarkable.
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Bond Voyage: A journey into fixed income
10 Mar. 2025
This month, our fixed income teams discuss the boom in hybrid issuance and weigh up the risks and opportunities of potential tariffs, interest rate moves and fiscal dynamics.
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Bond Voyage: A journey into fixed income
10 Feb. 2025
As we negotiate an uncertain landscape, our fixed income teams reflect on potential sources of resilience.
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Bond Voyage: A journey into fixed income
13 Jan. 2025
With a new US president poised to take office, central banks diverging and ongoing political uncertainty, how are the key fixed income asset classes positioned for the year ahead?
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Sovereigns’ state: Analysing the new challenges facing global sovereign bonds
13 Dec. 2024
The expected policies of a Republican administration in the US bring added uncertainty to the global growth cycle. Steve Ryder and Daniel Bright examine the probable impacts of a world with more tariffs and political strains.
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Bond Voyage: A journey into fixed income
9 Dec. 2024
This month, we explore how US Treasuries are taking a breath, why 2025 could be the year of carry for high yield, what increasing dispersion means for emerging markets, and how surging M&A activity could affect investment-grade bonds.
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Bond Voyage: A journey into fixed income
4 Nov. 2024
This month, our fixed-income investment teams discuss US elections, IMF meetings, US versus European high yield, managing declining rates for cash, and what the future might hold in store for gilts.
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Bond Voyage: A journey into fixed income
10 Jun. 2024
This month, we discuss fiscal discipline in emerging markets, investment-grade credit portfolio construction, potential opportunities for sovereign investors in Canada and the merits of a developed-market focus in global high yield.
House View
No one can predict the future. But our quarterly House View sets out the collective wisdom of our investment teams on the current state of global markets – and where they might be heading.
Key risks
Investment risk
The value of an investment and any income from it can go down as well as up. Investors may not get back the original amount invested.
Credit & interest rate risk
Bond values are affected by changes in interest rates and the bond issuer's creditworthiness. Bonds that offer the potential for a higher income typically have a greater risk of default.
Derivatives risk
Investments can be made in derivatives, which can be complex and highly volatile. Derivatives may not perform as expected, meaning significant losses may be incurred.
Investor in funds
Investments can be made in other funds; this could mean the overall charges are higher.
Illiquid securities risk
Some investments could be hard to value or to sell at a desired time, or at a price considered to be fair (especially in large quantities). As a result, their prices can be volatile.
Sustainability risk
The level of sustainability risk may fluctuate depending on which investment opportunities the Investment Manager identifies. This means that the fund is exposed to Sustainability Risk which may impact the value of investments over the long term.
High yield bond team
Fabrice Pellous
Global Co-Head of High Yield
Pierre Ceyrac
Senior High Yield Portfolio Manager
Roland Derks
Global High Yield Portfolio Manager
Explore
Fixed income
Fixed income is an indispensable building block for meeting a variety of investment goals, including income, inflation protection, liability management and capital appreciation.