Connected Across Generations

“Let us know when you've arrived home safely.” That's the request we like to give guests when they set off. Strange really, because on all other days we can live without this relieving message. However, the journey home is still a thread that connects us.

Even with people who are not so close to us, we can be connected by threads that go far beyond chance encounters. Patients or clients of lawyers, for example, are more than just paying customers. They should receive the best possible advice. Good results are the goal - regardless of the fee. This is the case in most professional groups and especially in investment advice. 

If you accompany families over generations, the idea of short-term product sales does not even arise. Strong connections spun over years enable open and direct conversations, the quality of which improves even through friction. After all, the other person wants to benefit from the expert's experience and not have their own opinion mirrored. 

When things are going well, it's the team

In my role as Chief Investment Officer, I am ultimately responsible for Gutmann Asset Management. The responsibility for investment advice lies in the individual investment teams (such as portfolio management, equities and bonds). However, if things don't go so well, the responsibility lies with me. 

Hiding in an ivory tower is not a good idea. And not Gutmann style either. We want to be always available to our clients. What's more, we want to reach out proactively and provide information without being asked. So last week I met some clients for personal talks in Prague. And I am also again and again on site in Vienna, Budapest, Linz and Salzburg. Nothing can replace this direct exchange. 

Wealth is often based on entrepreneurship and hard work over generations. We are driven by the same entrepreneurial ethos in asset management. We invest in companies via equites, and plan investments carefully and for the long term. True to our motto: Future. And how to anticipate it.