Aberdeen group drops abrdn branding after years of ridicule

Abrdn, the investment giant previously known as Standard Life Aberdeen, has announced it will revert to a simplified version of its former branding, renaming itself Aberdeen Group. This move marks an end to the three-year experiment with the ‘disemvowelled’ name that was widely derided since its introduction in 2021.

Jason Windsor, who became CEO in September, described the rebranding decision as “one of the easiest” he had ever made. He confirmed that the change would cost virtually nothing, with no external consultants hired and minimal expenses for altering building signage and stationery. Despite this, Windsor emphasised that the name change signalled a renewed focus on achieving ambitious growth targets for the company.

Shares in the firm surged 11 per cent to 180p following the announcement, reaching their highest level in over a year. Investors showed confidence in Windsor’s strategy, which includes an 8 per cent annual growth target for Aberdeen’s Interactive Investor platform and a return to £1 billion annual inflows in its business for financial advisers, after years of outflows.

The old Abrdn branding, which aimed to reflect a “modern, agile, digitally enabled” image, will still remain visible on some subsidiary companies and funds. Windsor made it clear that the company is not looking to erase Abrdn entirely but hopes to “market the hell out of” the Aberdeen name going forward.

Aberdeen also plans to leverage recent reforms allowing businesses to extract surpluses from traditional pension schemes. This year, the company intends to access £35 million annually from the surplus of its defined benefit pension fund, estimated at £800 million on liabilities of £2.5 billion. Windsor reassured that the move posed “absolutely no risk” to pension holders, with trustees firmly in agreement.

The adjustment will enable Aberdeen to fund its defined contribution pension scheme while freeing up additional cash for other purposes, including potential dividend payments. While pension fund reforms are divisive, Windsor characterised this cash extraction as unlocking “excess surplus” without significantly depleting reserves.

As the company rolls out its new identity, the leadership hopes the rebranding will foster confidence in its vision for growth while maintaining strong footing in its key markets.