Foundations & Nonprofits

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At a glance

Tailored solutions for all types of foundations (grant making foundations, operating nonprofits, family foundations, non-profit organizations etc.)
Comprehensive range of of investment consulting services (distribution policy, investment strategy / asset liability management (ALM), investment policy statement, strategy implementation, sustainable investing, impact investing, selection of banks as well as asset managers and investment controlling)
Proprietary model for setting a realistic distribution policy
Practice-oriented implementation of sustainable investments
Custom-tailored, efficient support for any asset volume

Foundations and nonprofits

Foundations and associations face a variety of challenges, for example statutorily prescribed asset preservation, fluctuating investment returns, reputational risks, and limited human resources. Through targeted support, we help your organization attain its investment and financial goals.

1. Distribution policy

We support you drawing up a distribution policy in accordance with investment targets (e.g. preserving real value) and the investment strategy. Our proprietary model enables a grantmaking foundation to maintain long-term financial balance (see above chart).

2. Investment strategy and asset liability management (ALM)

We help you determining a strategic asset allocation that reflects both the organization’s risk profile and the risk appetite of the trustees (asset liability management). The aim is that the strategy can be pursued even during investment market downturns.

3. Investment guidelines

Determining a concise yet customized investment policy statement, primarily specifying the responsibilities of the different bodies as well as the investments permitted (investment guidelines). They serve as the basis for awarding mandates to asset managers.

4. Strategy implementation

Together with you, we develop the mandate structure best suited to you. Besides assessing whether mandates should be actively or passively managed, we also assess the extent to which the organization’s purpose is being served through “sustainable” investment.

5. Selection of banks and asset managers / renegotiation of asset management fees

The large number of asset managers makes it difficult to choose the most appropriate one. We offer a professional and systematic selection procedure and a thorough knowledge of the economic, operational and legal criteria and risks. Asset management and bank fees are also essential.

6. Investment controlling

PPCmetrics investment controlling is an efficient management tool for monitoring invested assets. Our tailor-made investment controlling report contains all relevant management information.

Contact persons

Dr. Stephan Skaanes
Partner
Contact

Dr. Luzius Neubert
Managing Director
Contact

Publications

Illiquid Investments: Challenges ahead

Illiquid investments should appeal to pension funds because of their long-term benefits, but are opportunities equal?

Is faith in past winners justified?

Rankings of top performers are publicly available for retail funds. However, databases for institutional mandates (segregated accounts and institutional funds) are still incomplete and rare. For our historical simulation of picking past winners we use a set of track records that were submitted by asset managers as part of public and non-public mandate tenders for institutional clients in Europe.

Responsible Investing – General Considerations and Implications for Fixed Income

Currency Risk and Implications for Swiss Pension Funds

Asset Liability Management Today – Is it Still ‘Fit for Purpose’?

The target of asset liability management is to align the assets to the liabilities, i.e. managing risks due to mismatches between the assets and liabilities.

Home Bias – Swiss Pension Fund Experience

Challenges Pension Funds Face due to Low Interest Rates

Risk-averse asset-only investors should go for short duration as risk return is distributed highly asymmetrically.

Common Pitfalls of RFPs

Investment Strategies in the Year 2013 - English Version

In the year 2013, there were losses in the bond markets, while equity markets had high positive returns. As a result, the investment results of the different strategies varied widely. Pension funds, which have fully used their risk capacity through a large equity exposure, were able to benefit from this market environment. In addition, currency hedging and investments in corporate bonds, small caps, and non-listed real estate were positive as well...

Is factor-based allocation new?

Factor-based allocation may be theoretically interesting for Swiss pension funds but it is hard to implement in a practical way.

Asset Manager Selection based on historical performance - English Version

Historical performance is a frequently used criterion to select asset managers. Our empirical analysis, however, shows that after hiring an asset manager with such an outstanding performance, the asset manager performs significantly worse in the period after the selection. In some cases, the selected managers even performed significantly worse than a control sample.