About ECOFIN
- ECOFIN has been advising investors on the design and implementation of asset investments since the 1990s.
- Our clients include Swiss pension funds, pension funds in Germany, other institutional investors, foundations, and private investors
- ECOFIN is independent of product providers and does not act as a pension fund expert
This makes ECOFIN the right partner
- Consultants with many years of practical experience
- Strong client focus by considering the client's specific corporate culture and framework
- Consulting at the interface between academia and practice
- In-depth knowledge and many years of experience in non-traditional investments such as infrastructure and private markets
Services
1. Strategic Investment Consulting
Asset-Liability Management (ALM) Approach:
- Analysis of the financing and benefit system based on risk capacity, the current investment strategy, and the interest rate and restructuring dynamics
- Identification of the need for action on the liability and investment side
- Interactive development of strategy variants based on scenario analyses, different risk budgets and risk tolerances, quantitative simulation calculations and stress tests, as well as qualitative analyses Considerations
Objectives, results, and recommendations:
- Investment strategies suitable for the medium and long term and aligned with the objectives, including associated requirements for value fluctuation reserves, asset ranges, etc.
- Measures related to liabilities, including adjustments to conversion rates, the technical interest rate, and the interest and restructuring regime
Analysis of investment categories and strategies (asset-only and liability-based)
- Quantitative and qualitative case studies on individual investment categories
- Investment strategy studies
- Scenario and stress analyses on investment categories and strategies
Conceptual advice and support for strategy implementation
- Conceptual studies on individual investment categories
- Transition management
- Conceptual studies on individual implementation aspects, e.g., rebalancing rules or rules for implementing the investment strategy over a longer period in several steps
- Contract and pricing negotiations with asset managers and other service providers
Governance and organizational consulting
Development of Investment principles, investment processes, and organizations
- Documentation: investment and organizational regulations and concepts, management concepts, job profiles, etc.
- Development of an ESG and sustainability policy
2. Operational Investment Consulting
Selection of financial service providers
- Selection and due diligence of active and passive asset managers and products
- Traditional listed and alternative unlisted investments
- Selection of specialized advisors/allocators for alternative and private market investments (multi-manager solutions)
- Selection of custodians, fund management companies, and ESG advisors
Sparring partnerships
- Evaluation and review of concepts and analyses developed internally for clients
- Mentoring and individual consulting for foundation boards and internal client specialists
- Support with change management processes
Further services, including:
- Conducting client-specific training and continuing education courses and workshops
- Expert services
3. Investment Controlling and Monitoring
- Ongoing and periodic monitoring of investment activities at the levels of total assets, investment categories, investment products, and mandates, including associated reporting and, where appropriate, recommendations for measures
- Incorporation of ESG requirements to monitor sustainability goals
- Special analyses, e.g., review of investment organization, efficiency, and currency hedging structures
- Quantitative and thematic analyses
- Annual strategy controlling including scenario analyses
4. Investment Office
- As an external investment office, ECOFIN handles the professional investment of larger assets
- Customized services in the areas of strategy/governance, conception and selection, as well as controlling/monitoring
