On Thursday 29 October 2015, the Luxembourg-based asset management boutique European Capital Partners was officially launched along with its 'European Equities' strategy after being founded by local entrepreneurs.
More than a hundred experts and associates from the insurance, banking and public sectors as well as the asset management industry gathered at the 'Scheiss' cultural centre for the first public presentation of European Capital Partners (ECP), which included an explanation of its first UCITS strategy.
ECP's core expertise is derived from the experience of partners in listed securities and private equity. European Capital partners is a decidedly Luxembourgish asset manager, having been founded by local entrepreneurs including Knut Reinertz and Patrick Hansen and directed by Léon Kirch as Chief Investment Officer.
At the ECP official opening, at which Luxembourgish cellist André Mergenthaler performed, Chairman of the Board Patrick Hansen stated that the ECP's asset management approach, based on "entrepreneurial value investing", would bring true value to customers, with the idea of every investment opportunity analysed in the same manner that an entrepreneur would value a company they were looking to acquire.
With 'value-based investing', the ECP will aim to invest only in companies which are priced at a discount of at least 40% of their "intrinsic" value. Known as the "margin of safety", this discount is based on the principles first formulated by Benjamin Graham, known as the "father of value investing".
The ECP will also reportedly be adopting an investment horizon of 4 to 5 years, creating itself as a long tem investor with an active management style and concentrated portfolios where managers will be encouraged to think outside the boy and seize ripe investment opportunities.
"Luxembourg, when it comes to asset management, has all the competencies to move up the value chain," commented Patrick Hansen. "Luxembourg can leave its past of being a pure back-office, behind and position itself also as a place for investment decision-making".
"The strong skills of our team couple with our know-how in private equity and marketable securities provide ECP with all the tools needed for success," added Léon Kirch. "We now launched our first UCITS strategy based on the 'entrepreneurial value investing' approach with a particular focus on our reputable investment strategy in European equities".
Photo by ECP (Patrick Hansen)
