'Corporate bullying': Abrdn CIO slams press' jabs at the company's rebranded name

The press making jabs at the current name of asset manager Abrdn, which was rebranded from 'Standard Life Aberdeen', amounts to "corporate bullying," the firm's chief investment officer Peter Branner said.

The firm announced its renaming in April 2021 and has faced consistent ridicule, jokes and jibes in the media since then.

In a statement released at the time, the firm said its name was pronounced "Aberdeen", as if the vowels remained included, and that the rebranding marked "the next stage in the reshaping of the business and future-focused growth strategy". The firm's CEO then described the new brand name as "modern," "dynamic," and "engaging."

In a Financial News interview out on Monday, Branner called the media jibes about the name "childish," calling out press for the frequency of its jokes.

"I understand that corporate bullying to some extent is part of the game with the press, even though it's a little childish to keep hammering the missing vowels in our name," he said.

He added that people would not treat individuals in this way, but that the press seemed to practise different standards for companies.

"Would you do that with an individual? How would you look at a person who makes fun of your name day in day out? It's probably not ethical to do it. But apparently with companies it is different," he added.

A spokesperson for Abrdn on Tuesday told CNBC that the firm appreciated that "it is for the media to make their own assessments about the companies they wish to write about."