Pictet Alternative Advisors (PAA), Pictet Group’s wholly-owned alternative investment company, has appointed Heinrich Merz (pictured), as head of Hedge Funds, effective 1 June 2017.
Merz will lead PAA’s team of 14 hedge fund experts managing EUR 9.1 billion of assets in single and multi-manager hedge fund strategies. He will report to Nicolas Campiche, CEO of PAA.
Heinrich Merz has 12 years’ experience in the alternative investments industry. In his most recent role he was Chief Investment Officer (CIO) at Amundi Alternative Investments, overseeing more than EUR5.6 billion in alternative assets for institutional clients. Previously, he worked for Permal Investment Management, a EUR 20 billion alternative specialist, where he became Deputy CIO. He started his career in 2005 as a senior analyst at Concordia Advisors, a EUR2.3 billion multi-strategy hedge fund.
A German national, Heinrich Merz holds a Master’s in International Affairs (International Finance & Economic Policy) from Columbia University, New York, and is a CFA charterholder. He is fluent in English, French and Spanish, in addition to German.
Nicolas Campiche, CEO of PAA, says: “At a time where we see renewed interest from clients for hedge funds, against a backdrop of low expected returns for traditional asset classes, Heinrich’s experience will be particularly valuable for PAA to continue providing tailored hedge fund strategies to its institutional, wholesale and family office clients. With its first customised hedge fund portfolio launched in 1991 – and still managed today – PAA is one of the pioneers of alternative investments in Europe and has thus developed considerable expertise in offering customised portfolios and commingled solutions.”
