Press statement

Luca Pesarini and Arnoldo Valsangiacomo assume the lead portfolio management of the Ethna-DEFENSIV

Munsbach, 30 March 2019 – Ethenea is in the process of reorganising the portfolio management of the Ethna-Defensiv. With this, the company founders, Luca Pesarini and Arnoldo Valsangiacomo, will take over the lead portfolio management of the fund and, therefore, more responsibility in the day-to-day business. From June 1 2019, the Ethna-Defensiv Portfolio Management Team will be strengthened by an additional fixed income expert. Guido Barthels, previously Lead Portfolio Manager of the Ethna-Defensiv, has decided to leave Ethenea on July 31 2019 to embark on new professional challenges.

Luca Pesarini and Arnoldo Valsangiacomo are currently part of the Lead Portfolio Management Team of the Ethna-Aktiv, where they are primarily responsible for the bond and currency allocation within the fund. In addition to this, they will now take over the lead portfolio management of the Ethna-Defensiv. As the company's founders, they also focus on the strategic direction of ETHENEA’s fund management.

“Wherever we can make the best use of synergies, we will always do so in the interests of the investors in each of our funds," says Luca Pesarini. “It is therefore a logical consequence to also use our expertise for the management of the Ethna-Defensiv, our bond-focused multi-asset fund. Arnoldo and I would like to contribute our know-how more intensively. We are also very pleased to welcome another team member. We will be joined by a specialist in the fixed income sector who, with his many years of experience, will be an excellent addition to Ethenea as a whole and to the Ethna-Defensiv in particular”.

Each of the three Ethna Funds is managed by a team of Lead Portfolio Managers supported by other experts. This approach has been successful for Ethenea and is a key feature of the portfolio management of the Luxembourg-based asset manager. “With our funds, we offer investors attractive, risk-minimised products," says Luca Pesarini. “As Ethenea’s founders and owners, it is important to Arnoldo and me that we drive the Ethna funds forward and, together with our team, continue our success story. In addition to our tasks in the Ethna-Aktiv, we are now looking forward to being actively involved in shaping the day-to-day decisions for the Ethna-Defensiv.”

“With our team-oriented approach, we are able to fulfil our promise to our investors to always manage their investments responsibly. In each of our funds, a strong and experienced team of experts is responsible for the investment decisions,” explains Arnoldo Valsangiacomo. “There is also a permanent exchange of views between our Portfolio Managers - for example, we jointly develop our house view of global market developments, which we then apply to each fund within the Ethna family. In addition, we value the specific skills of each individual and have therefore created clear responsibilities based on their expertise.”

Guido Barthels has decided to leave Ethna Defensiv's Lead Portfolio Management at the end of July to pursue new opportunities. “We can look back on a long time together at Ethenea, during which we have experienced and achieved a great deal. After many exciting years, Guido has now decided to embark on a new professional challenge in Frankfurt. We wish him all the best for this, as well as in his personal life, and would like to thank him for his many years of commitment,” says Luca Pesarini.

“Although my time at Ethenea was exciting and rewarding, it is now time for me to take on a new professional challenge,” says Guido Barthels. “Even though we are parting ways professionally after eleven years together, I will remain closely connected to Ethenea and my colleagues - especially Luca.”

Press contacts