Standard & Poor's (S&P) Fund Services has announced the finalists for this year's fund manager awards.

BT Investment Management (BTIM) is in contention again for the top honour of Fund Manager of the Year, with new appearances in the list from BlackRock Investment Managers, Lazard Asset Management and Macquarie Investment Management.

BTIM is also a finalist in a number of categories in both the group and sector finalists' categories.

This year S&P is offering awards across nine sectors and three group awards.

Sector awards include Australian equity - large-caps, Australian equity - small caps, fixed interest, Australian mortgages, listed property, alternative strategies and structured products.

The other group awards being presented this year are Product Distributor of the Year and Emerging Manager of the Year. Barclay's Capital, Greencape Capital (Challenger), Integrity Investment Management and Vianova Asset Management (Australian Unity) are all in the running for this category.

In the major sector classes, Ausbil Dexia Limited has made a strong showing, while last year's Fund Manager of the Year winner, MIR Investment Management makes its only appearance, as a finalist in the Australian equity - small caps category.

The methodology of the awards is based on a qualitative assessment of specific investment-management capabilities, such as investment strategy, team and process and appropriate risk management, within a sector, S&P director Jeff Mitchell said.

The winners will be announced on 4 September 2008.