Robeco and SAM Group create the leading sustainability platform

 

 

 

 

Two leading players join their respective forces to form a global "powerhouse" in sustainability investing, capitalizing on the booming demand for sustainability products and services. SAM Group's Assets under Management (CHF 3.6 billion) and Assets under Advice (CHF 6.4 billion) amount to a total of CHF 10 billion. SAM Group's core offering includes institutional asset management and innovative theme investments funds such as water and smart energy.The joint offering will be geared at both retail and private investors as well as sophisticated institutional parties like public pension funds. Robeco and SAM Group have ambitious growth objectives and will invest into new client segments, product development and new markets to the benefit of their clients. Within this joint platform, Robeco takes a 64% stake in SAM Group and 36% are held by SAM Group's management and employees. No further details of the agreement were disclosed.

 

George Möller CEO of Robeco: "We are confident that sustainability investing will become a dominant theme in asset management and will increase further in importance. Climate change, smart energy technologies and the depletion of scarce resources are a firm fixture on the international agenda and offer very attractive investment opportunities. Demand is growing for this area from our international investor bases and we see excellent opportunities to provide an innovative range of funds to benefit our clients. SAM Group is the leading investment manager in this area. This cooperation is a very important strategic move for Robeco. It strengthens our leading position as a global player giving us a top position in the area of sustainability from which we plan to build, using our international distribution channels."

 

SAM Group will act as the centre of excellence for sustainability investing within the Robeco Group. Its unique research and investment expertise, theme and technology competence coupled with the world's largest Corporate Sustainability database form a powerful base for new product development and innovation. In return, Robeco will contribute its expertise in various areas such as structured products, funds of private equity funds, emerging markets and fixed income expertise and its global sales and distribution platforms in Europe, Asia, North America and in the Middle East. These areas have high synergy and development potential with SAM Group's approach.

 

Reto Ringger, CEO and founder of the SAM Group said "The growth prospects for Sustainability Investments are extremely promising and this co-operation opens exciting new business opportunities. The model of an independently operated asset management group with the strategic support of a shareholder with a strong, triple A-rated parent company will lead to new dimensions: For our clients, for SAM Group as well as for our employees "

 

SAM Group's management and philosophy remain unchanged. The Board of Directors will now comprise five individuals: Dr. Albert Gnägi (among other posts, Chairman of the Board of Forbo Holding) and an additional independent director, Messrs. George Möller (CEO Robeco) and Sander van Eijkern (Member of the Executive Board of Robeco), as well as Reto Ringger (CEO of the SAM Group).

 

Robeco was founded in 1929 and provides discretionary asset management products and services, as well as a complete range of mutual funds to a large number of institutional and retail clients worldwide. Robeco's product range encompasses fixed income and equity investments, balanced accounts, money-market funds and alternative investments.

 

Robeco distributes its funds for the retail market directly and through other financial institutions. Robeco services its clients from its head office in Rotterdam and also from its European offices in Belgium, France, Germany, Spain and Switzerland. In the United States, Robeco has offices in New York, Boston, Chicago, San Francisco and Toledo (Harbor Capital Advisors). Robeco also has an office in Bahrain and an office in Japan.

 

Robeco is the center for asset management within the Rabobank Group and has full operational independence. The combination of the highest credit ratings from the major international rating agencies and the highest Sustainability Cluster Score within the banking sector reflects the high added value Rabobank has always offered its investors, members, clients and employees.

 

SAM Group was founded in 1995 as an independent asset management company for sustainability investments. Today, it is one of the world's leading institutions in this sector. Its clientele includes banks, insurance companies, pension funds, foundations and private clients.

SAM Group carries out proprietary research to identify companies which lead their peers in terms of corporate sustainability criteria. The integration of these forward-looking criteria into corporate valuation and the investment process provides for the basis of SAM's alpha generation. It further provides investors with a high degree of consciousness and transparency with respect to their investments.

 

SAM Group offers investors a broad range of standardised theme products in the area of  new energy technologies, water and new material technologies. SAM Group also offers a range of customised mandates (including enhanced, active and unconstrained strategies) to large institutional investors.

SAM Group's expertise is based on its own independent research and an active worldwide sustainability network.

Together with Dow Jones Indexes and STOXX, SAM Group has launched a family of sustainability indexes to track

the performance of companies that are industry leaders in terms of sustainability. To this end, SAM Group analyses over 1,000 companies a year.

 

SAM Group has its headquarters in Zurich (Switzerland), with branches and representative offices in Melbourne (Australia), Milan (Italy), Munich (Germany), Sonoma (California, USA), and Stockholm (Sweden).

 

Office: +31 - 10 - 224 28 10

Mobile: +31 - 653 - 831 586

E-mail: ronald.florisson@robeco.com

Office: +41 44 - 397 10 02

Mobile: +41 79 744 78 07
E-mail: kim-my.schefer@sam-group.com