Allianz Global Investors creates a dedicated European investment platform

Allianz Global Investors (AllianzGI), one of the world's largest active asset management companies, has created a dedicated European investment platform under the name of Allianz Global Investors Investments Europe.

It is designed to offer institutional and retail clients throughout Europe customised investment solutions. “We think that proximity and the ability to customise solutions that suit specific client needs will play an ever more important role for clients in Europe as the crisis has pushed some international players to retract into their home markets, whereas the business model of some smaller national investment managers has been challenged”, says Chief Executive Officer Giovanni Bagiotti. AllianzGI Investments Europe brings together the wealth of expertise of the investment management teams in Paris and Milan under a single investment process with 95 investment professionals that manage 108 billion (bn) euros as per 31 March 2010 for institutional and retail clients in all major asset classes. Allianz Global Investors has moved to a functional structure in Europe by the beginning of 2010. On the investment side this functional approach is reflected by the creation of the new pan-European investment platform. With these structural changes Allianz Global Investors puts itself in a better position for capturing growth opportunities on a pan-European level.

Sustainable investment solutions

The investment process is long-term oriented and combines a macro economic view with a disciplined fundamental bottom up analysis for European securities enabling the portfolio managers to make active investment decisions. The new investment platform has a sustainable investment process and particular strengths in the field of socially responsible investments (SRI). Based on the expertise of a dedicated sustainability investment team with 10 investment professionals, AllianzGI Investments Europe manages approximately 5 bn euros in SRI and covers the entire sustainable investment value chain. “In the changing capital markets landscape the identification of potential investment risks is of rising significance. The systematic reflection of environmental, social and governance (ESG) risks in the investment process helps investors to assess their risks in a holistic way. AllianzGI Investments Europe is further expanding its sustainability research capabilities enabling our portfolio managers to take into account non-financial criteria for their investment decisions,” says Chief Investment Officer Franck Dixmier. Some products of Allianz Global Investors Investments Europe have also been recognised by Novethic, the leading research centre in France on corporate social responsibility (CSR) and SRI.

Strong roots in Europe

The investment teams which have come together to build AllianzGI Europe have a long track record in offering customised investment solutions that reflect the needs and constraints of institutional clients in Europe, particularly in France and Italy. The strong European roots are reflected in the management team: Giovanni Bagiotti, Chief Executive Officer, Franck Dixmier, Chief Investment Officer, and Livio Raimondi, Deputy Chief Investment Officer. “In order to support the pan-European expansion we leverage our investment and research capabilities and quality by taking full advantage of the European set up of Allianz Global Investors. In the course of the creation of the new investment platform, two mirrors of successful local funds that invest in euro-denominated sovereign bonds and European high yield securities, respectively, have already been successfully launched within a Luxemburg-domiciled umbrella fund for pan-European distribution,” says Bagiotti.

Balanced business mix

Allianz Global Investors Investments Europe has a particular expertise in Eurozone securities as well as global asset allocation and multi management solutions. Over 85% of the assets are mandates and segregated accounts. The asset class mix of AllianzGI Investments Europe is balanced with approximately 55% of the assets managed in fixed income, 32% in balanced portfolios, 9% in equities and 4% in money market. “With our new set up we are able to deliver tailor-made investment solutions to clients throughout Europe complementing the expertise of the other investment managers who operate as part of Allianz Global Investors group” says Bagiotti.

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About Allianz Global Investors

Allianz Global Investors AG (AllianzGI), a subsidiary of Allianz SE, is a management holding company for a network of investment specialists in the most important institutional and retail markets around the world. Through PIMCO, RCM, Oppenheimer Capital, NFJ, Nicholas-Applegate and several other specialist firms, AllianzGI offers its clients a broad variety of investment competencies, covering all equity and fixed income investment styles as well as balanced products and alternative investments. With 1,178 billion Euro Assets under Management (31/12/2009), AllianzGI ranks among the top investment management companies worldwide. Through its network of approximately 4750 employees around the globe (as at March 2010) , including more than 1000 investment professionals, AllianzGI is able to leverage local expertise and market knowledge to its clients all over the world.

Disclaimer

This document has been issued and approved by Allianz Global Investors Europe GmbH, a subsidiary of Allianz Global Investors AG (part of the Allianz Group).

Allianz Global Investors Europe GmbH is a limited liability company incorporated under the laws of the Federal Republic of Germany with its registered office at Seidlstrasse 24-24a, D-80335 Munich.

Allianz Global Investors Europe GmbH is licensed as a provider of financial services (Finanzdienstleistungsinstitut); for the conduct of its business activities, Allianz Global Investors Europe GmbH is subject to the supervision of the German Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht (BaFin).

This document is meant to provide a broad overview for discussion and/or information purposes. Furthermore, this document was not prepared with the intention of providing legal or tax advice.

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