Asset management

Investing is not a goal in itself for Waterland but rather a way of realizing any objective a client may have. However, before we start investing, our procedure is that we begin with a thorough assessment and an analysis of the financial situation of a prospective client. We check, for example, whether there are sufficient financial buffers in place and we generally advise clients to avoid debt as much as possible. During these exploratory talks, it often turns out that the primary objective of clients is to preserve their wealth, while they do not want to be involved with the daily management. Our task as asset managers is then to create a risk- and cost-efficient investment portfolio with a long-term focus.

Investment philosophy

The investment philosophy of Waterland is characterized by a long-term fundamental approach with our focus on seeking to limit losses during economic downturns. Avoiding overvalued investments is an important aspect of this approach. In our opinion, risk management means that a permanent loss of capital should be avoided rather than a reduction in the volatility of a portfolio in the short term. Price fluctuations can also provide opportunities and the combination of intrinsic values and qualitative investments forms the cornerstone of any portfolio. There should never be any pressure to invest and that is why we view cash as a component of the investment portfolio.

Waterland utilizes all available investment opportunities, strategies and instruments when we implement our investment philosophy. Active and passive management styles are not mutually exclusive but can actually complement each other well. Waterland is very careful when selecting external fund managers and we focus only on experienced managers with proven methods and long-term track records. All managers are visited regularly and their performance and investment policy are monitored continuously.

Portfolio management

In general, the composition of the investment portfolio is a combination of direct investments and third-party investment products. Our team of experienced asset managers constantly monitors the portfolio. Waterland benefits from its long years of experience in the global investment community and we have gained access to external investment specialists and products that are often only offered to institutional clients. These products are attractive to our clients in terms of costs.

The investment portfolio can be administered by a custodian bank freely chosen by the client. However, Waterland can also advise on the selection of a suitable custodian bank and a number of custodian banks offer their services at competitive rates.