Abrdn becomes aberdeen (once again) as vowels make a comeback

UK-based investment company Abrdn will be adding vowels back into its name. The firm will now be known as 'aberdeen group plc' (aberdeen). 

The revamp is a pragmatic decision marking a new phase for the organisation as it focuses on delivering for its customers, people and shareholders, said chief executive Jason Windsor in a statement seen by MARKETING-INTERACTIVE. 

The firm, however, will not make any changes to its subsidiary legal entity names or the names of its underlying funds. Its LSE ticker will remain as ABDN too.

Don't miss: Is Valentine's Day in desperate need of a rebrand? 

"This is a group to be proud of, with a promising future. We will deliver by looking forward with confidence and removing distractions," said Windsor. 

"We will now start to use 'aberdeen' as the principal trading identity for our investments and adviser businesses," he added. aberdeen aims to become the "UK's leading wealth and investment group", with a new set of targets including a goal to boost adjusted operating profit to at least £300 million (SG$513 million) in 2026. 

Accompanying new targets is a new senior leadership team too, including the appointment of Richard Wilson as its new COO, Xavier Meyer as its CEO of investments and Siobhan Boylan as CFO. 

The revamp to aberdeen follows a 2021 revamp where it changed its name from Standard Life Aberdeen to abrdn plc. The new brand symbolised the transition underway to bring a clarity of focus, renewed sense of purpose and drive for sustainable growth and shareholders, clients and colleagues. 

The revamp, led under CEO Stephen Bird at the time, was heavily mocked by media.

In a 2024 interview with Financial News, its chief investment officer Peter Branner likened the "childish" jokes about the change to corporate bullying. 

The Financial Times then responded by publishing a post that read "Lv Abrdn aln" (Leave Abrdn alone). Similarly, City AM ran a front page that read "Abrdn: an apology - sry we kp tkng th pss ot of yr mssng vwls".

Others have joked that the company suffered from "irritable vowel syndrome", reported BBC.

Related articles:   
Mozilla reclaims the internet in new rebrand  
Is Jaguar 'willfully courting controversy' with its outrageous new rebrand?
Elon Musk rebrands Twitter to 'X': Will it bring advertisers back?