Our approach to investment-grade credit
Investment grade bonds offer the potential benefits of attractive yields and enhanced diversification. Our unique approach to portfolio construction helps capture these benefits and deliver consistent returns relative to the benchmark. We seek to achieve this with lower correlation to credit markets and peers, while still providing downside protection.
Portfolio construction
Our proprietary risk allocation process uses custom sectors and targets volatility to match the benchmark. This allows a more flexible risk allocation approach when incorporating our best idiosyncratic ideas, while also generating returns from multiple sources.
Focussed portfolio
We complement our portfolio construction process with high-conviction stock selection. We manage concentrated portfolios of fewer issuers than competitors, drawing on our expertise in fundamental credit analysis. This can lead to excess returns uncorrelated to market beta and low correlation with peers.
Connected thinking
Our team and processes are global, allowing us to allocate to the most attractive opportunities, regardless of currency, from issuers around the world. Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG)* considerations and engagement play a critical role in our stock selection, holding equal importance alongside other risk factors.
The investment manager always applies the Firm’s Baseline Exclusions Policy and any specific constraints within a prospectus or IMA, but any other ESG factors or risk considerations are adopted at the manager’s discretion.
See the wood, not just the trees: How climate-focused credit investors can help drive real-world change
Green bond funds and Paris-aligned benchmarks can decarbonise portfolios but exclude large swathes of the real economy.
Bond Voyage: A journey into fixed income
Each month, our freewheeling fixed-income newsletter gathers insights from our high-yield, investment-grade, emerging-market and global sovereign bond teams.
Funds in focus
Our longstanding team of portfolio managers follow a consistent approach across our range of investment-grade capabilities, including our flagship Global Investment Grade and Climate Transition Global Credit strategies.
While we run focussed portfolios with consideration of non binding ESG risk factors across the range, the Climate Transition Global Credit fund has a specific objective to invest in bonds of companies which are deemed to be responding to climate change effectively, whilst earning income and increasing the value of the shareholder’s investment vs benchmark (over the long term).
Aviva Investors Global Investment Grade Corporate Bond Fund (SICAV)
This fund aims to deliver positive and consistent excess returns through all market cycles, irrespective of, and uncorrelated to, the behaviour of credit spreads by investing mainly in global investment grade corporate bonds.
Aviva Investors Climate Transition Global Credit Fund (SICAV)
This fund lends to investment grade companies globally that are either providing solutions to climate change or orientating their business models to a low-carbon economy, while avoiding the most carbon intense fossil fuel based companies.
Key risks
For further information on the risks and risk profiles of our funds, please refer to the relevant KIID and Prospectus.
Investment and currency risk
The value of an investment and any income from it can go down as well as up and can fluctuate in response to changes in currency and exchange rates. Investors may not get back the original amount invested.
Credit and 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.
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.
Investment-grade credit team
James Vokins
Head of Investment Grade Credit and Core Income
Justine Vroman
Senior Portfolio Manager
Chris Higham
Senior Portfolio Manager
Thomas Chinery
Senior Portfolio Manager
Fixed income views
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Bond Voyage: A journey into fixed income
4 Apr 2025
This month, our fixed income teams discuss the drivers behind emerging and developed market convergence, what the US hybrid boom has in store, the continued popularity of money-market funds, and the ups and downs of high yield.
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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 investing: Five things to know about bonds
7 Mar 2025
In this article, we explain key concepts of bond investing, such as yield and duration, explore the role of bonds in investment portfolios and look at the current state of the bond markets.
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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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The cash conundrum: Five things to know about cash, saving and investing
7 Feb 2025
In this article, we explore the logic behind holding assets in cash, the difference between saving and investment, and why a longer-term focus may help investors achieve their objectives.
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Can credit hold firm in 2025? The outlook for investment grade credit and climate transition
24 Jan 2025
Credit spreads remained largely immune to turbulence in 2024 despite concerns for a reacceleration in inflation, an unprecedented scale of global elections and volatility on economic data and changing rate cut expectations. Where to in 2025?
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Liquidity outlook for 2025: Credit, yield, regulation, positioning – what to expect for the year ahead
22 Jan 2025
The conditions for investing in liquidity look broadly favourable for 2025, but that’s not to say it will be plain sailing.
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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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40 years of lending lessons: How four decades in real estate debt has shaped Aviva Investors’ approach
12 Dec 2024
From navigating market crashes to embracing ESG and technology, Adrian Poole and Gregor Bamert reveal how 40 years of real estate debt investing have moulded Aviva Investors’ strategy – and what it takes to stay ahead in a rapidly changing market.
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Buy-and-maintain credit: Taking the road to net zero
10 Dec 2024
Long-term trends like climate change are particularly important for buy-and-maintain investors. How can they integrate climate objectives, such as net zero by 2050, into their portfolios?
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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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From tactical to strategic: Investing in emerging-market hard currency debt in your fixed income portfolio
18 Nov 2024
Investors should consider EMD hard currency for a long-term strategic allocation within fixed income portfolios to boost portfolio returns, rather than just a short-term tactical play.
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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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Resisting the lure of beta: A differentiated approach to portfolio construction in investment grade
18 Oct 2024
Global head of investment-grade credit James Vokins explains how a differentiated approach to portfolio construction can help credit investors avoid the pitfalls of being reliant on beta.
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Power play: Why political risk matters for emerging-market debt investors
11 Oct 2024
In this article, we explore why measuring and continually monitoring geopolitical risks is essential for investors in EM debt.
Explore our fixed income range
Need more information?
For further information, please contact our investment sales team.
Note for UK Investors: This Fund is domiciled in Luxembourg and is authorised by the Commission de Surveillance du Secteur Financier (CSSF). The Fund is recognised in the UK under the Overseas Funds Regime but is not a UK-authorised Fund and therefore is not subject to UK sustainable investment labelling disclosure requirements. UK investors should be aware that they can make a complaint about the fund, its management company, or its depositary. However, complaints may not be eligible for resolution by the UK’s Financial Ombudsman Service and any claims for losses related to the management company or depositary will not be covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS). UK investors should consider seeking their own financial advice before making any decisions to invest and refer to the scheme prospectus for further information.