“We are convinced of the advantages of specialised asset classes and teams”

Ralf Lochmüller, CEO of Lupus alpha, set the scene for the event in his welcome address: “Focus means creating a focal point. We want our Investment Focus to be exactly that – an event that brings together the array of information, opinions and insights that swirl around us every day.” Making sense of information is more important than ever in an age Where, unfortunately, there are hotspots of trouble in many areas of global politics. As a result, Lupus alpha has added a number of geopolitical issues to the agenda for this year’s event. Right now, geopolitics is having a bigger impact on economic, national and market developments than almost any other factor. It can thwart business decisions without warning. This is something we need to bear in mind at all times as decision-makers – including as investors.

It is increasingly important for investors to diversify their sources of income amid this growing uncertainty. With this in mind, Lochmüller directed the audience’s attention to Lupus alpha’s development from a small-cap specialist to a multi-specialist and spelled out precisely what Lupus alpha now represents: actively managed, specialised investment concepts offering added value to investors in the form of alpha, sustainable risk premiums and intelligent risk management. With a twinkle in his eye, Lochmüller asked: “What do you associate with Lupus alpha? Which investment concepts come to mind when you think about Lupus alpha?” The answer he often hears in conversations with clients is: “You’re the small and mid-cap experts.” While this is correct, it is only part of the company’s story.

Lupus alpha began systematically expanding its range of investment solutions 15 years ago. Today, its products include not only European small and mid caps but also convertible bonds and CLOs as well as volatility, capital protection and risk overlay strategies. Lochmüller pointed out that, ever since it was founded, Lupus alpha has been synonymous with highly specialised management teams with a passion for their respective niches, an independent partnership-based structure that allows the company to retain its top performers for the long term, and a high degree of freedom that allows fund managers to invest away from their benchmark requirements. “For Lupus alpha, this culture is vital in enabling us to deliver above-average performance for our investors,” concluded Lochmüller.