Product Specialist (Hedge Funds)

Function

Product Specialist

Activity Presentation

Unigestion is a privately owned asset management company based in Geneva with offices in London, Paris, New York, Singapore, Munich and Guernsey and approximately USD 12 Billion total assets under management as at 31 December 2007. We focus exclusively on the management of innovative, highly active strategies spanning the private and public capital markets, and seek to deliver consistently superior risk-adjusted returns within the context of each client’s long-term asset allocation. Unigestion’s platform of investment services offers 4 specialist strategies designed to produce superior risk-adjusted returns: Hedge Funds of Funds, Private Equity Funds of Funds, Public Equities and Multi-Management.

The Hedge Funds activity manages today around USD 3.3 Billion. We managed diversified, “style specific” and tailor made portfolios of hedge funds meeting precise needs in terms of correlation, risk and performance based on our deep understanding of the behaviour, risk and return characteristics of the different hedge fund strategies. More than 95% of our clientele is European. Most of our client base is located in Switzerland, Germany and France. More than 50% of assets under management come from pension funds while insurance companies represent just below 20%. The team includes 42 dedicated persons with 9 of them focusing on client relations and services. Finally, the Hedge Fund team benefits also from the support of a shared platform of services including marketing, IT, compliance, etc…

Job Description

Working closely with Antoine Prudent (Head of Product and Business Development) and the rest of his team, the candidate should take care of the relationship with existing clients in Switzerland, Germany and Austria as well as contribute directly to a substantial growth of our business in Europe with a focus on the above regions.

1. Client Relationship

Be responsible of the relationship with existing clients, communicating investment results and developing specific studies on demand.
Closely follow the mandate and funds of funds portfolios and participate in monthly investment meetings.

2. Business development

In collaboration with the Marketing team, establish a business development program for the three regions taking into account the respective legal/regulatory constraints and needs to maximise growth opportunities.

3. Sales & services

Develop new stream of clients and manage the services and reporting for existing ones. The aim of the business development team is to focus on sophisticated institutions while diversifying the types of clients (Insurance, Pension, etc).
Identifying, screening and arranging approaches to potential new clients. The marketing, product development and investment teams will assist in any required follow up actions.

4. Product development

Participating in the discussion with the head of product development on the structuring and definition of new products.
Find and accelerate seeding money when launching new products

5. Marketing

In collaboration with the Marketing team, prepare documentation and presentation.
Participation in the preparation of local RFP's together with the head of product development and RFP specialist based in Geneva.
Managing and co-ordinating the HF clients & markets database, clients’ profiles, competitors, performance and other relevant news.

Appointment date

Immediately or as convenient.

Languages

Fluent in French and German and good working knowledge in English. Swiss German or Italian would be a plus.

Skills requirements

The person will be based in Geneva
Potential network of clientele that fits with our existing clientele described above.
Capacity to market and convince senior and increasingly technical investors through a thorough understanding of our products and client’s needs
Preference for a candidate having already worked in the sales of alternative products
University degree in Finance. The candidate should be comfortable with the different strategies of hedge funds.

You

Able to work in a team and independently.
Produce precise, organised and accurate work.
Are motivated and enjoy challenges.
Have excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
Have a strong sense of values and ethics.

Please send your CV to jobsgeneva@unigestion.com