Investment Officer Luxembourg

In a recent fiscal flourish, Belgian finance minister Vincent Van Peteghem’s tax reform, originally slated for summer passage, gave way to an intriguing end-of-year development: the amendment of the ‘Cayman tax’, approved just before Christmas in the Belgian parliament.

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. 

Support from the world’s preeminent asset managers for shareholder proposals concentrating on environmental and social concerns has plummeted to an unprecedented nadir in 2023. This steep decline is predominantly attributable to Anglo-Saxon entities.

I am captivated by a recent chart from Bloomberg that illustrates the anticipated movements in interest rates by central banks globally. What particularly catches my attention is Japan, represented in yellow on the far right of the chart.

The investment landscape of 2023, despite intermittent periods of market volatility and uncertainty, ultimately emerged as a fruitful year for global equity investors. The MSCI World index, denominated in euros, delivered a commendable 19.6% return, culminating in a year that left equity investors with a sense of accomplishment.

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.”

This week’s overview of transfers, appointments, promotions, and other people news includes updates from Quintet, Governance.com, Waystone, Crestbridge and PwC Luxembourg.

The European Union’s Retail Investment Strategy is teetering on a tightrope.