W&F Issue 2 2018

Wealth & Finance International - Issue 2 2018 15 Investing Wisely Established in 1991, C-QUADRAT has been listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange since 2006, and on the Vienna Stock Exchange since 2008. Working with clients all over the world, the firm now has offices in Vienna, London, Frankfurt, Geneva, Zurich, Madrid and Yerevan, and operates in over 20 countries in Europe and Asia. An expert team, the company’s fund managers in Vienna, London and Yerevan use both quantitative and discretionary absolute total return strategies in order to achieve best results for its clients. Institutional and private investors have relied on C-QUADRAT’s expertise for many years now. Boasting a global presence, HNA Group has invested in C-QUADRAT in 2017, as they are looking to expand globally and boost its worldwide reputation even further. HNA Group already holds a proportionate shareholding of 9.9% in C-QUADRAT Investment AG. Subject to approval from all of the supervisory authorities, upon completion of the transaction it will hold a 74.8 per cent shareholding in Cubic (London) Limited. The remaining shares in Cubic (London) will be retained by the two founders of C-QUADRAT, Alexander Schütz and Thomas Riess, as well as its other current core shareholders. In turn upon completion of the transaction, Cubic (London) Limited will hold more than a 98% shareholding in C-QUADRAT Investment AG. Since its founding in 1993, HNA Group has evolved from a regional airline based on Hainan Island in southern China into a Fortune Global 500 company. HNA Group was founded in 1993 and started out as a regional airline in China’s Hainan special economic zone, and has since developed into a group which operates worldwide. Its corporate value currently exceeds USD 90 billion, and its annual sales volume amounts to approximately USD 30 billion. Today, HNA Group has almost 410,000 employees worldwide, mainly in North America, Europe and Asia. An ambitious organisation, the group’s mission and reasoning for investing in C-QUADRAT is to forge connections around the world by building a global company focused on improving the movement of people, goods and capital. Not stopping there, HNA Group has a wealth of backing, a worldwide presence and an infinite amount of expertise and experience, and is now committed to becoming one of the world’s top companies which strengthens its ties between the East and the West. Placing a firm focus on the tourism, logistics and financial sectors, the Group’s management pursues a global growth strategy. The financial services business segment offers enormous growth potential, which is why HNA Group has established a leading and diverse financial services and investment group over the past few years, which offers a broad range of services from movables leasing via insurance to lending business. For HNA Group, it is a decisive and logical next step to now embark upon the strategic expansion of its asset management division. In joining C-QUADRAT, they are partnering with an innovative firm that is active and well-respected throughout Europe. Through C-QUADRAT, HNA Group also currently holds approximately a 9.9 per cent stake in Deutsche Bank. C-QUADRAT’s management board member Alexander Schütz is part of the supervisory board of Deutsche Bank. “HNA Group’s increased confidence in our activities, reinforces our commitment to our strategy as a globally active and successful asset manager with Austrian roots,” says Alexander Schütz, founder and co-shareholder of C-QUADRAT. Looking ahead to the future, there looks to be exciting times ahead for HNA Group, as its investment in C-QUADRAT has been selected as one of the Best Strategic Investments in 2017. Dr. Guang Yang, spokesperson for HNA Group, has also commented on how he is optimistic about the future: “Happily, we are delighted to have established this strategic partnership with C-QUADRAT, and we see this as the beginning of a long-term relationship that will bring benefits to both companies. Alexander and his team have built a great company, and we look forward to supporting them as they continue to accelerate their growth.” Ultimately, this partnership will present C-QUADRAT with unique opportunities, particularly in new markets and new pros¬pects for cooperation, as the company continues to offer innovative solutions and superior investment services to its customers. The diverse activities of HNA Group open new doors for C-QUADRAT, with the possibility of acquiring new prospective clients in all areas via respective marketing activities. Main Picture: HNA’s headquarters Alexander Schütz, C-QUADRAT founder “HNA Group’s increased confidence in our activities, reinforces our commitment to our strategy as a globally active and successful asset manager with Austrian roots” Investing Wisely C-QUADRAT is an international asset manager which seeks to realise continuous and sustainable growth for its investors. We profile the firm and HNA Group, which has recently invested in the company, as we explore what this means for both sides going forwards.