As CIO for liquid asset classes at SEB Investment Management, Christian will bring valuable experience and expertise to our investment philosophy, product development and strategic agenda. The liquid asset classes include equities, fixed income and multi-management.
Christian has previously been CIO at the Danish life insurance company PFA Asset Management.
We believe the new position will make an important contribution to all our liquid strategies going forward.
Christian began as CIO at SEB Investment Management in November 2023. We caught up with Christian to ask him a few questions about his new role.
As you are new to SEB Investment Management, what are your first impressions?
It quickly became clear that I have joined a highly professional fund management company, and I was immediately struck by the strong competencies among my new colleagues. Our industry is facing major changes, and a lot will be demanded of us who work in this industry, so I am happy to have come to a workplace that exudes such a strong drive for the future.
Tell us about your role as CIO. What does this role mean for the asset management organisation?
The most important part of the role is to make sure we have the most professional investment team to deliver the strongest performance to our clients. I’m not just referring to what returns we generate, but also how we generate them. We need to navigate correctly from many aspects, not least the responsibility we take in our investments. My role is about creating a picture of what the industry should look like in the future, how we stay relevant to our customers, and how we work optimally with other parts of SEB to answer these questions.
As you have previously held a similar role at the Danish insurance company PFA Asset Management and have also been a consultant in the financial sector, what do you bring from your previous roles to your new position?
I bring with me the importance of long-term core values. Our society is in constant change, and I think it is necessary that we adapt to be relevant, while at the same time, we need to be clear about where we have our core values and dare to stand for them.
What attracted you to SEB?
I was attracted by the professionalism, the focus on long-term relationships and a long-term sustainable investment tradition. Asset management is a trust industry and SEB is very strong in this respect.
Among other things, you will work to further develop the fund company's investment philosophy. Can you name three focus areas you will have in this process?
- Professionalism – this includes integrity and responsibility. It's important to remember that professionalism is an entry ticket to conversations with customers. Without that ticket, there is no way to gain customers' trust. It is important that it permeates our daily work in all our actions and decisions.
- Systematics – I want to clarify the contribution of different parts of the value chain to the final product. For me, the basic idea behind this is to safeguard a consistent investment philosophy.
- Responsible investment and ESG – i.e. how we take social responsibility through our investments. It is essential that when society moves, SEB Investment Management follows.
Another task will be to review the fund company's strategic agenda. What might this involve?
The strategic agenda is about ensuring that we deliver relevant offers to our customers. It is important to remember that management is a ‘business of scale’, but also a ‘people business’, which I don't think everyone thinks about. We need to contribute to the green transition by working systematically with our investment philosophy. It is more important now than ever that we have value-driven management. The customer does not just buy a ‘product’, but also the narrative around it which plays a role in a completely different way than before. It is important that we reach out with all the positive things we contribute to. There is not just one final product for a modern company today.
You mentioned that the industry is changing. What are the biggest themes you see in the asset management industry today?
- Downward pressure on fees
- Alternative investments/unlisted investments
- Sustainability
The key is to find solutions in these areas, and how we execute our portfolio construction with these themes in mind.
When you are not working, how do you prefer to relax outside of work?
I love to exercise. I play tennis, run and cycle. My family lives in Copenhagen and we have a country house outside the city. The best relaxation for me is being there, taking a sauna and a dip in the sea, especially in winter!
Finally, can you name a source of your inspiration?
Barack Obama, because of his integrity. If I may name another one, I must also say that I am impressed by the visionary nature of Elon Musk. He is not an inspiration in all areas, but in terms of his ability to think ahead, he is unique to me.
Filip Torp, Communication, SEB Investment Management