EQUITIES

PEOPLE

INVESTED IN ASHMORE

LOCAL

ESG

DIVERSITY

ANNUAL REPORT

AND ACCOUNTS 2021

Contents

Strategic report

Strategy

2

Business model

4

Investment processes

6

Invested in equities

9

Culture

10

Invested in people

11

Chief Executive's review

12

KPIs

16

Invested locally

18

Market review

19

Invested in diversity

24

Investment themes

25

Business review

28

Risk management

36

Section 172 statement

42

Climate risks and opportunities

46

Invested in ESG

50

Sustainability

51

Governance

Board of Directors

67

Corporate governance report

69

Audit and Risk Committee report

77

Nominations Committee report

81

Remuneration report

83

Directors' Remuneration policy

98

Annual Report on Remuneration

105

Statement of Directors' Responsibilities

116

Directors' report

117

Financial statements

Independent auditor's report

124

Consolidated financial statements

131

Company financial statements

135

Notes to the financial statements

138

Five-year summary

179

Information for shareholders

180

2021 highlights

Assets under management (AuM)

US$94.4bn

2020: US$83.6bn

+13% YoY

AuM outperforming benchmarks (3 years)

57%

2020: 17%

Net revenue

£291.7m

2020: £330.5m -12% YoY

For the online version of the Annual Report, other announcements and details of upcoming events, please visit the Investor Relations section of the Ashmore Group plc website at www.ashmoregroup.com

More information

Non-GAAP alternative performance measures are described on page 35.

Five-year comparatives for other alternative performance measures are included in the five-year summary on page 179.

Adjusted EBITDA margin

66%

2020: 68%

Profit before tax

£282.5m

2020: £221.5m +28% YoY

Diluted EPS

34.2p

2020: 25.7p +33% YoY

Dividends per share

16.9p

2020: 16.9p

Ashmore's purpose, as a specialist Emerging Markets investment manager, is to deliver long-term investment outperformance for clients and generate value for shareholders through market cycles. In pursuing these objectives, Ashmore aims to ensure that its culture and working practices recognise its broader set of stakeholders.

Find more information on how Ashmore's purpose aligns with and benefits its stakeholders in the Section 172 statement on page 42.

EQUITIES

PEOPLE

INVESTED IN ASHMORE

LOCAL

ESG

DIVERSITY

STATEMENTS FINANCIAL GOVERNANCE REPORT STRATEGIC

Ashmore's specialist approach to investing allows it to take full advantage of the substantial long-term growth opportunities across the large and diverse Emerging Markets asset classes.

Invested

Invested

Invested

Invested

Invested

in equities

in people

locally

in diversity

in ESG

page 9

page 11

page 18

page 24

page 50

Ashmore Group plc Annual Report and Accounts 2021

1

STRATEGY

A STRATEGY FOR

GROWTH

Ashmore's strategy is aligned with the significant growth opportunities available across the broad range of Emerging Markets asset classes. Consistent with the Group's purpose, the three distinct phases are focused on growing and diversifying Ashmore's business and creating value for clients and shareholders.

1

2

Establish Emerging Markets asset classes

Ashmore is recognised as an established specialist Emerging Markets manager, and is therefore well positioned to capture investors' rising allocations

Diversify investment themes and developed world capital sources

Ashmore is diversifying its revenue mix to provide greater revenue stability through market cycles. There is particular focus on growing intermediary retail, equity and alternatives AuM

3

Mobilise Emerging Markets capital

Ashmore's growth is enhanced through accessing rapidly

growing pools of investable capital in Emerging Markets

2 Ashmore Group plc Annual Report and Accounts 2021

Opportunity

  • Developed world investors hold more than US$80 trillion of assets and are profoundly underweight Emerging Markets: target allocations are less than 10% compared with global benchmark weights of approximately 10% to 30%
  • The Emerging Markets investment universe continues to grow and diversify, and Ashmore strives to be at the forefront of accessing new market opportunities as they arise
  • Diversifying revenue streams provides greater stability through the cycle
  • Industry AuM in Emerging Markets is growing twice as fast as the developed world
  • This presents a significant growth opportunity in local asset management platforms, as well as cross-border Emerging Markets opportunities over the longer term

See pages 19-27 for Ashmore's market and investment themes review

Progress in 2021

  • As global markets recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, Ashmore's clients are reverting to their long-term trend of raising allocations to Emerging Markets
  • Approximately 80% of institutional net flows were from existing clients increasing allocations within existing mandates or broadening their Emerging Markets investments
  • There is good momentum in Ashmore's equities business, with AuM growth of 61% YoY and including net inflows of US$0.9 billion
  • Ashmore expanded its dedicated ESG fund range with the launch of sovereign and corporate funds
  • Risk aversion resulted in proportion of AuM sourced through intermediary retail channels dropping from 11% to 8%
  • Local asset management operations account for US$7.2 billion, 8% of the Group's total AuM
  • More than a quarter (26%) of Group AuM is sourced from clients in the Emerging Markets

See pages 28-35 for Ashmore's business review

Potential sources of risk

  • Sentiment towards, and fundamental performance of, Emerging Markets
  • Long-terminvestment performance
  • Potential constraints on longer-term growth such as competition
  • Managing the development of local asset management platforms in Emerging Markets

See pages 36-41 for Ashmore's principal risks

STATEMENTS FINANCIAL GOVERNANCE REPORT STRATEGIC

Ashmore Group plc Annual Report and Accounts 2021

3

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Ashmore Group plc published this content on 10 September 2021 and is solely responsible for the information contained therein. Distributed by Public, unedited and unaltered, on 10 September 2021 14:21:02 UTC.