La Banque Postale has been investing in Unigestion’s private equity secondary funds of funds since 2009, resulting in 10 years of successful collaboration and double-digit net returns. We greatly appreciate our close relationship with the company, which, although based in Switzerland, is sensitive to the issues faced by French investors, who often favour French investment solutions (FPCI and Luxembourg funds).
We also invest in the Minimum Variance equity solutions pioneered by Unigestion many years ago. Our equity portfolio, now entirely “low volatility”, invests in (among others) Unigestion’s funds across various regions. We are grateful for their unwavering determination to continuously improve their investment approach and strengthen their track record.
Finally, we recognise Unigestion’s particular expertise in multi-strategy alternative solutions. Despite our best intentions, however, we are yet to collaborate in this area.

Mr François Marbeck, Directeur du Portefeuille de Diversification, La Banque Postale

We are an investor in Unigestion’s Private Equity secondary funds. We really like their differentiated approach which focuses on small transactions less looked at by others. They work hard to extract the most value from the deals and don’t only focus on discounts. This makes us less sensitive to the cyclicality of secondaries.

Mr Mario Passerini, General Manager, Schindler Pensionskasse

In 2011, we decided to restructure the equity component of our portfolio and invest part of it in low volatility strategies so as to limit the impact of market downturns and the ensuing difficulties in terms of managing our liabilities. We used a consultant to carry out an exhaustive review of asset managers with specific expertise in this area and it was following this process that we selected Unigestion. What we particularly liked about them was the way in which they combine systematic methods with fundamental analysis. We were also reassured by their mind-set, which drives them to continually improve and perfect their management techniques: the risks in the market are changing and it was important for us to be convinced that our manager had the ability to anticipate and adapt to the risks at stake. In our relationship with Unigestion, we realised from the outset that they are more than a manager: they are a true partner. To give an example, they helped us to gain a sound understanding of the sources of risk in our equity portfolio, going well beyond the scope of the mandate we assigned to them. We feel totally in sync with this culture of joint endeavour on a long-term basis.

Mr Sylvain Gareau, Vice President, Régime de rentes du mouvement Desjardins

In 2008 we were looking for a European Equity manager who would provide diversification relative to our existing fundamental equity managers. After a global search, an RFP and on-site due diligence, we made the decision to appoint Unigestion. We renewed the mandate with Unigestion in 2014 after a full review of the market. What we like above all is their transparency and clarity in explaining how they manage our assets and the predictability of the behaviour of their investment strategy depending on market conditions. They say what they do, and they do what they say. Apart from the comfort that they bring in the management of our mandate, they make the reporting process straightforward for our Committee as this is a “no surprise” investment style. What we also find reassuring in Unigestion is the professional approach, strong team ethic and focus on client service of its staff on behalf of the company and its clients. We view this as a key asset to serve our interests and those of our members for the long term.

Mr Peter Wallach, Head of Pension Fund, Merseyside Pension Fund