Wealth Managers

Investment specialists are singing from a common hymn book in predicting the world is on a path to lower inflation and treasury yields, though they carefully call attention to possible transitional effects, Investment Officer heard while covering two recent investment events in Luxembourg hosted by J. Safra Sarasin and Capital Group.

This week’s overview of transfers, appointments, promotions and other people news includes updates from Fidelity, Alma LED Luxembourg, Fundcraft and Better Finance.

Christine Baalham and Tom Record

Christine Baalham and Tom Record have been appointed as co-portfolio managers in the global equity team at Fidelity International. Veteran portfolio manager Jeremy Podger will transition to a senior advisory role in March 2024. 

Edinburgh-based asset manager Abrdn on Wednesday said it plans to slash 500 jobs this year, or about 10% of its workforce, in a push to bring down costs and restore profitability as the industry continues to be plagued by a growing uptake of low-cost competitors and a broad switch among clients to passive investment strategies.

The global wealth gap has alarmingly widened since 2020, with the top five richest men globally having more than doubled their fortunes. In stark contrast, nearly five billion people worldwide experienced a decline in their financial wellbeing, a study by anti-poverty group Oxfam revealed on Monday.

Released to coincide with the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, the report painted a grim picture of economic disparity.

The report also said that the world could see its first trillionaire within the next decade. 

Roderick van Zuylen is prepared for the challenge. On the 1st of January, the ex-Van Lanschot Kempen portfolio manager inaugurated his own investment fund in the US: Night Watch Investment Management. “I desired a name that alluded to my Dutch heritage, yet Dike Capital and Tulip Invest were disregarded for obvious reasons.”

While many asset managers continue to explore private investments amidst growing market uncertainties, Optimix Asset Management has consistently avoided them. “Investors don’t need private markets,”  said Jelte de Boer, managing director of Amsterdam-based Optimix, a Dutch subsidiary of Swedish bank Handelsbanken.

The European Commission has cleared the acquisition of Belgium’s largest private bank Degroof Petercam by CA Indosuez, a subsidiary of the Paris-based Crédit Agricole group.

The Commission said on Monday that it concluded that the proposed concentration does not raise competition concerns given the limited market positions of the companies involved.

Luxembourg-headquartered asset manager Candriam on Wednesday announced the launch of a new alternative investments platform as a response to growing demand for diverse alternative investment solutions in today’s market environment.

German investors have been internationalising their property portfolios for years. At the same time, foreign investors are increasingly drawn to the German real estate market. Though the momentum has fluctuated, the overall trend persists. As one of the leading fund domiciles in the world, Luxembourg has firmly established itself as a key player in this internationalisation.

Whisky asset manager Scotch Whisky Investments until recently focused mainly on private investors. That market continues as usual, but bringing in former ABN Amro director Eran Habets as CEO means more focus on selling to independent asset managers and family offices. And abroad, first and foremost Belgium.