Swiss Life Asset Managers intends to expand its range of products and services to include index-based investment solutions. A former Credit Suisse index specialist will lead a newly formed team.
Beginning the first quarter of next year, Swiss Life Asset Managers (Swiss Life AM) plans to offer clients proprietary index funds. Investment chief Stefan Maechler announced this in a recent interview with finews.com.
According to a statement on Thursday, the company appointed Stephan Elmenhorst (pictured below) as head of Index Solutions, effective January 3. He joins from Credit Suisse, where he was head of Equity Portfolio Management in Index Solutions from 2016. He reports to Daniel Berner, head of Securities and a member of the Executive Board of Swiss Life AM.
(Image: Linkedin)
Elmenhorst is an investment specialist with over two decades of portfolio management experience. He held various leadership roles in Credit Suisse's Asset Management's index business during this time.
Equities and Fixed-Income
«Institutional investors such as pension funds and insurance companies looking to invest long-term diversified equities in an index of their choice will benefit from a broader range of services,» Berner says.
The new Zurich-based team comprises around 15 employees and will be built organically, a spokeswoman said in response to a question. Swiss Life AM intends to offer its index funds in equity and fixed income in response to the strong demand for passive investment solutions. It complements the existing product range in the third-party business.
According to the statement, index-based assets on the company's insurance balance sheet currently amount to around ten billion Swiss francs ($11.2 billion).
The new index-based investment solutions will be launched for Swiss investors through tax-advantaged Swiss fund structures.
