Switzerland's Top 50 Independent Asset Managers

For the sixth year in a row, Woodman Asset Management AG was selected by Citywire as one of Switzerland's Top 50 Independent Asset Managers.

Woodman Asset Management AG Portfolio Manager Jérôme Tremblay said:

"‘I will probably go for [funds with] smaller names with good track records because of their ability to be more flexible. They might outperform bigger players if we see volatility."

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Stefano Veri joins the Woodman Asset Management AG Board and Istarel Brucker (General Counsel) becomes a member of the Executive Committee.

Woodman Asset Management AG (Woodman) announced today that it has appointed Stefano Veri as a Board Member and Istarel Brucker as a Member of its Executive Committee.

Stefano Veri’s appointment

CEO Patrick Ferrari said:
“We are delighted to welcome Stefano to our Board. Stefano will help lead our company’s inorganic growth strategy in the next phase of its development. His long experience with a major international financial institution in senior roles, most recently as Global Head of UBS’s External Asset Managers division, will enable Woodman to leverage on his unique knowhow and experience.”

Stefano Veri recently retired from UBS where he spent 40 years as one of the group’s top senior managers. He was appointed Group Managing Director in 2014 and, as a member of several key management committees, he actively led and shaped the transformation of UBS Wealth Management in Switzerland and abroad. He has deep knowledge and understanding of international capital markets and the global wealth management industry.

Istarel Brucker’s promotion

CEO Patrick Ferrari said:
“We congratulate Istarel Brucker for her achievements and contribution to the growth of our company. We are convinced that Istarel’s unwavering commitment will facilitate Woodman’s development and ensure our continued success. Istarel’s deep understanding of the legal and compliance function will guarantee it continues to be a strategic partner and resource for our different business lines.”

Istarel joined Woodman as a legal counsel in 2020 and took charge of all legal and compliance matters in March 2021. Before joining Woodman, Istarel worked as a lawyer in the Legal, Compliance and Regulatory department at EY, where she advised financial and insurance companies with respect to banking and financial market law. Prior to that, she gained experience at a Zurich-based law firm and as a lawyer in the legal department of Julius Bär.

Woodman Asset Management and Pentagram Wealth Management join forces

Woodman Asset Management and Pentagram Wealth Management are delighted to announce that they have decided to join forces to build together an industry-leading wealth management platform with a presence in all main Swiss financial centres – Zurich, Geneva & Lugano.

This decision is the result of intense cooperation between the two companies on different projects over the last few years. Woodman will manage over CHF 3.5 bn AuM, with a team of 40 people.

Patrick Ferrari, CEO of Woodman Asset Management: “This is a landmark acquisition for our organization and for the Independent Wealth Management industry in Switzerland. It unlocks substantial value and growth opportunities driven by greater scale, diversity and balance across investment strategies, and geographies. Our combined strengths will enhance our strategic positioning and long-term growth potential. Woodman will be one of the few Independent Wealth Managers in Switzerland in the three major financial centres. I am proud that a well-established and well-respected company such as Pentagram has decided to join Woodman in order to build together a successful company ready to tackle the challenges our sector faces.”

Alessandro Sonvico, CEO and Partner of Pentagram Wealth Management: “Pentagram Wealth Management’s integration into Woodman represents a fantastic opportunity for further growth in a very competitive environment. The merger will further enhance our position as a leading provider of personalised client services, value-added solutions, and efficient operational support. Together, we are making significant additions to our investment team, thereby demonstrating our commitment to achieve consistently robust investment performance for our clients. The strong fit between our two organisations gives me the utmost confidence that this transaction will create meaningful long-term benefits for our employees and clients. Our clients will benefit from the highest quality of service and enhanced investment capabilities thanks to this powerful combination of experienced, professional teams.”

About Pentagram Wealth Management

Pentagram Wealth Management is a Swiss company, founded in 2005 with offices in Geneva and Lugano. Pentagram provides wealth management services and investment advice for private, professional and institutional clients. Pentagram is a member of the Swiss Association of Asset Managers (SAAM) and of the Alliance of Swiss Wealth Managers (ASV/ASWM).

About Woodman

Woodman is an independent investment boutique, providing wealthy individuals & family offices with wealth management services and access to core, niche & sustainable investment strategies. Woodman’s investment capabilities are built on the expertise of its in-house investment professionals (Zug / London) and a hand-picked network of partners, in which Woodman holds strategic stakes. Woodman was founded in 2010 as multi-family office in Zug, Switzerland and is authorised and regulated by FINMA (Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority).

Alan Mudie joins Woodman Asset Management AG as Chief Investment Officer (CIO)

Woodman Asset Management AG (Woodman) announced today that it has appointed Alan Mudie as Chief Investment Officer (CIO), effective 1 June 2021.

Alan Mudie will join Woodman as a member of the Executive Committee, subject to FINMA approval.

Woodman Asset Management AG CEO Patrick Ferrari said:

"We are delighted to welcome Alan as a key member our leadership team. Alan will help lead our company in the next phase of its development and will focus on creating lasting value for our clients and stakeholders. His long experience at major international financial institutions and in leading multicultural teams represents a key advantage in an industry that is undergoing deep transformation.

Alan’s experience spans macro research, asset allocation, financial analysis, portfolio management, investment advisory, and fund and manager selection in both long-only strategies and hedge funds. He has designed investment processes and built ranges of industry-leading investment funds and so is the perfect person to build on Woodman’s existing franchises and to drive our future development and growth.”

Alan Mudie joins Woodman from Société Générale Private Banking in Geneva where he served for seven years as Global Head of Investment Strategy. Previously, he led teams at BNP Paribas International Private Banking as Chief Investment Officer, SYZ Group as Chief Executive Officer of its OYSTER Funds division and Union Bancaire Privée as Chief Investment Officer Private Banking. He has worked in Switzerland since 1993 and before that held senior investment positions at Barclays Bank in Paris and the Crédit Agricole group in London. He studied financial analysis and portfolio management with the Société Française des Analystes Financiers and holds degrees from St Andrews University and Teesside Polytechnic.

Alan Mudie said:

“I’m honoured by the opportunity to join such an exciting company and one whose values closely align with my vision for our industry’s future. I’m looking forward to working with everyone at Woodman to further strengthen the franchise and to ensure that our clients achieve their goals.”

Founding of Enabling Qapital AG: Enabling Microfinance Fund (EMF), a USD 100 Mio Fund appoints new Fund Manager and new Investment Advisor

Enabling Qapital AG (EQ) was founded by Remo Oswald, Roger Müller, Chuck Olson, Xavier Pierluca and Woodman Asset Management AG, bringing together a team with significant experience in Impact Investing and especially Microfinance, for a combined 100+ year successful track record.

The EQ Investment Team presents a unique combination of expertise in several subsectors of Impact Investing – Microfinance, Inclusive Finance, Clean Energy, Healthcare and Education to name a few – through a wide range of financial instruments. This allows EQ to maximize the impact for every dollar invested. Enabling Qapital has a global footprint with teams based in Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Africa, Central Asia, East Asia and Latin America.

From May 1st, 2020 the Enabling Microfinance Fund (EMF) has appointed Woodman Asset Management AG as the Fund Manager and Enabling Qapital AG as the Investment Advisor. EMF has a 12-year track record with assets under management of approximately USD 100m.

The objective of the fund is to combine an uncorrelated asset class with historically low volatility and a return of 3–4% above USD LIBOR. Empowering the poor in emerging markets is at the core of the fund. The ultimate goal is to create a positive social and environmental impact alongside a reasonable financial return.

As Chief Investment Officer of Bamboo Finance and Managing Partner at SIMA, Xavier has structured several equity and debt funds for several impact sectors and recently expanded his efforts to impact investing in access to clean energy with the launch of a pioneering fund for the off-grid solar sector.

As a senior bank examiner at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, a senior member of Deutsche Banks Impact Investment Team, Head of the Investment Team at BlueOrchard and Chief Operating Officer at a boutique frontier investment firm, Chuck developed a track record of more than 12 years in impact investing for emerging markets and more than 25 years working in financial markets.

Together Xavier and Chuck have invested more than USD 3 billion in social ventures via 21 debt and equity impact funds in microfinance, clean energy, insurance and health.

Remo Oswald and Roger Müller were both heavily involved in bringing impact investing, and specifically microfinance, as an asset class onto the radar of professional, as well as private investors in the Swiss market. Together they have raised more than 2 billion in assets in the microfinance and impact investment universe.

Enabling Qapital AG, Moving Money to Meaning.

Remo Oswald, co-founder & managing partner of Enabling Qapital AG:

“Our aim is to be transparent and honest to our investor and together with our Clients we trust in building solid crisis-resistant Microfinance Portfolios over many cycles.”

Chuck Olson, co-founder & managing partner of Enabling Qapital AG:

“I feel very privileged to work with such a dynamic and experienced team of professionals. Together we intend on expanding the universe of investible impact investments while maintaining the quality and transparency of the portfolio.”

Roger Müller, co-founder & managing partner of Enabling Qapital AG:

“With the Enabling Microfinance Fund we have the chance to go back Microfinance’s roots and really make a difference. Contributing to a positive impact for the Micro-Entrepreneur in the Emerging Market is at the core of the Enabling Qapital business model.”

Xavier Pierluca, co-founder & managing partner of Enabling Qapital AG:

“Enabling Qapital aims at building on a robust investment process built over the years with different sectors and instruments to continue to push the impact agenda and tackle the key issues of climate change and inequality of access to essential services and products.”

Patrick Ferrari, CEO of Woodman Group:

“We are delighted to partner with such a competent and experienced team. Being able to apply our financial skills and have a positive social impact not only reconciles our aspirations and personal values but is also responding to a clear client demand.”

Contact:
Enabling Qapital AG
Remo Oswald
remo.oswald@enabling.ch
www.enabling.ch
+41 81 515 04 35

About Woodman

Woodman Asset Management AG is an independent investment boutique, providing family offices and private qualified investors access to complete investment solutions and niche investment opportunities in the public and private markets. Our team consists investment professionals (Zug, Switzerland / London, UK) with profound experience, covering all major assets classes. Woodman was founded in 2010 as multi-family office in Zug, Switzerland and is authorised and regulated by FINMA (Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority). In 2019, Woodman transformed itself in an independent investment boutique.