Generali Investments with the Best Asset Manager of the Decade

 

Each year, the Moje finance magazine proclaims the best mutual and pension funds and the best asset manager. At this year’s annual event held as a video conference, the Best Asset Manager of the Decade was selected for the first time – a title that went to Primož Cencelj, CFA, Senior Portfolio Manager at Generali Investments.

Primož Cencelj, who manages two bond funds, Generali Bond and Generali Corporate Bonds, and a money market fund, Generali MM, won the title of the Best Fund Manager in 2014, at the age of only 29. He later won this prestigious title two more times, in 2016 and 2018. This year, he missed it by a hair’s breadth, finishing second. His bond fund won five stars and three silhouettes for the best managed funds in Slovenia for all the three relevant periods (3, 5 and 10 years). With its long-standing experience in the Slovenian and regional capital markets, and excellent international connections, the asset management team of Generali Investments won the Best Fund Manager title a record six times in the decade, in 2011, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019.

At this year’s event, stars were also assigned to funds for 3-year, 5-year, and 10-year periods, representing the highest recognition in the mutual fund industry and expressing unparalleled excellence in fund management.

This year’s top awards – five stars – went to the following funds:
– For 3-year, 5-year and 10-year periods in the European Corporate and Aggregate Bond category: Generali Bond
– For a 10-year period in the Equity Information Technology category: Generali Technology

In the category of the Best Asset Manager of the five-year period 2015–2019, Primož Cencelj won second place, and also became the Best Asset Manager of the Decade – from 2010 to 2019. In the same category, David Zorman of Generali Investments came fourth.

Upon receiving the Moje Finance award for the Best Asset Manager of the Decade from Andrej Šircelj, the Minister of Finance, Primož Cencelj, CFA, said: “I am grateful to my wife for all her support, and to my current and former colleagues and bosses. I wish the next decade to be a period of inflows into mutual funds. And I wish Slovenians to recognise the investment opportunities presented by this industry.”

Luka Podlogar, the President of the Management Board of Generali Investments, stressed: “I am proud of our team, and – frankly speaking – not surprised that we won the Best Asset Manager of the Decade award. Winning numerous national and international awards in the past, we have repeatedly proven that we work with a top team characterised by a winning mindset.”

 

Growth Equity Fund in the process of acquiring a share in the company LIT Tranzit d.o.o., Trzin

LIT Tranzit d.o.o. is a global high-tech company with its headquarters in Trzin, Slovenia, and a development centre in Maribor. This innovative business develops and integrates intelligent public transport and mobility solutions. Its products are used in more than 25,000 buses around the globe, directly benefitting more than 5 billion passengers annually on all continents. Its solutions are implemented in cities with the most advanced public transport systems in the world, such as Hong Kong, Singapore, Nagoya and Tel Aviv. LIT Tranzit solutions come in four clusters:

  • a cloud platform for public transport operations management;
  • fare and revenue management solutions for cities and public transport operators;
  • computation and distribution of passenger information and
  • general mobility solutions.

The company’s biggest competitive advantage is a vertically integrated system with accurate and reliable algorithms predicting arrivals in public transport.

 

The Generali Growth Equity Fund’s equity investment in Lit Transit will help the company continue its research and development activities in today’s mobility challenges and environment protection through high-tech software solutions that are an essential contribution to sustainable development.

Generali Growth Equity Fund is a special investment fund managed by Generali Investments, Slovenia’s oldest management company with subsidiaries in Croatia and North Macedonia. Generali Growth Equity Fund invests in ambitious small and medium-sized companies, offering support for growth financing, capacity expansion, sales network building and new product development as well as the acquisition of competitors and management of succession matters.


The Generali Growth Equity Fund investment in LIT TRANZIT, programske rešitve, d.o.o., is co-financed by the European Investment Fund and the SID Bank. Generali Growth Equity Fund was founded in 2019 as part of the Slovene Equity Growth Investment Programme (SEGIP), which was launched upon the initiative of the SID Bank in cooperation with the European Investment Fund (EIF). It offers equity and quasi-equity financing to Slovenian SMEs and mid-cap companies. The SID Bank committed to contributing EUR 50 million of its own funds to this programme (without state guarantee), and the EIF has provided an additional EUR 50 million under the European Fund for Strategic Investments (with EFSI guarantee). By mobilising additional funding from other private investors through the SEGIP programme, overall investments for Slovenian companies could exceed EUR 150 million, which is 3-times the contribution of the SID Bank.

 

 

Generali Growth Equity Fund in the process of acquiring a share in the company Panorganix d.o.o., Ljutomer

 

 

Panorganix d.o.o., a modern agricultural production business, is a pioneer of selling “living” products, that is products with their roots still in the ground and packaged in special biodegradable packaging, representing “a step forward in organic production”. The company’s production processes follow contemporary nutrition trends. The existing range is being constantly expanded with new products, using the latest agricultural production technology that includes the protection of a clean environment.

The Generali Growth Equity Fund’s equity investment in Panorganix will help the company further develop its innovative, high-tech methods of growing the highest quality fruit and vegetables, delivering them to customers full of freshness, flavour and rich in nutritional value. It will also help the business spread its sustainable agriculture, using cutting-edge technology and innovative, nature and environment friendly methods, to the broader region.

Generali Growth Equity Fund is a special investment fund managed by Generali Investments, Slovenia’s oldest management company managing EUR 1,025 million of assets together with its subsidiaries in Croatia and North Macedonia. Generali Growth Equity Fund invests in ambitious small and medium-sized companies, offering support for growth financing, capacity expansion, sales network building and new product development as well as the acquisition of competitors and management of succession matters.

The Generali Growth Equity Fund investment in Panorganix is co-financed by the European Investment Fund and the SID Bank. Generali Growth Equity Fund was founded in 2019 as part of the Slovene Equity Growth Investment Programme (SEGIP), which was launched upon the initiative of the SID Bank in cooperation with the European Investment Fund (EIF). It offers equity and quasi-equity financing to Slovenian SMEs and mid-cap companies. The SID Bank committed to contributing EUR 50 million of its own funds to this programme (without state guarantee), and the EIF has provided an additional EUR 50 million under the European Fund for Strategic Investments (with EFSI guarantee). By mobilising additional funding from other private investors through the SEGIP programme, overall investments for Slovenian companies could exceed EUR 150 million, which is 3-times the contribution of the SID Bank.

 

Notice of change in the ownership structure

By virtue of the merger, Generali zavarovalnica d. d. became the holder of the 100% interest in Generali Investments d. o. o. and thus the direct holder of a qualifying holding in Generali Investments d. o. o., whilst Adriatic Slovenica d. d. ceased to be the holder of a direct qualifying holding in Generali Investments d. o. o.

Investors may request additional information by sending an e-mail to objave@generali-investments.si.

Generali Investments, družba za upravljanje, d. o. o.
Management Board

KD Funds again the best Slovenian asset management company with the best asset management team

 

In the nine years’ history of these awards, which are presented by the magazine Moje finance, a KD Funds manager has been selected as the top fund manager of the year for six times, and the fourth consecutive year. Four other members of the managers’ team of KD Funds, the best management company, were ranked among the top 10 asset managers in Slovenia: Primož Cencelj, the Best Fund Manager of 2018, was ranked second, Aleš Lokar, the Best Fund Manager of 2017 was ranked third, David Zorman, the Best Fund Manager of 2010, was ranked fifth and Sašo Šmigić, a KD Funds team members, was ranked ninth. KD Funds has again been recognised as the best management company for a five-year period. KD Funds was also awarded with 7 Zvezdonos statuettes – that is the highest rating of 5 stars, which testify to the supreme quality of fund management.

The awards and star-based ratings given to these funds for three- and five-year periods represent the highest recognition in the industry, and are proof of the supreme quality of management of the funds in their respective categories.

 

This year’s highest award – five stars – went to the following winning funds:

For a three-year period:

KD Bond, EUR

KD Rastko, Europe Equity

KD Eastern Europe, Equity

For a five-year period:

KD Galileo, Mixed Flexible Fund

KD Rastko, Europe Equity Fund

KD Eastern Europe, Equity

KD Bond, EUR

 

Photo: Jure Makovec

 

Luka Flere, CFA is Director of Asset Management at KD Funds and is in charge of managing regional fund, KD Eastern Europe. The Best Mutual Fund Manager award has been bestowed by a Slovenian financial magazine »Moje finance« and Mr. Andrej Bertoncelj, Minister of Finance. At this occasion Luka Flere said: »This award is a confirmation of our good work. Asset Management is a team effort. The Asset Management team of KD Funds always strives to work for the benefit of our investors. Our main advantage is the common potential of the entire team«.

 

Luka Podlogar, CEO of KD Funds said: »We are proud to be a part of a team where a winning mindset is one of our core values. We prove our winning mentality with great results. Our achievements are the result of the work and determination of our employees«.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Notice of change in ownership structure

 

As of 13 February 2019, Generali CEE Holding B.V., the Netherlands, holds a qualified holding in KD Skladi, d. o. o.,

Investors may request additional information by sending an e-mail to kd-skladi@kd-group.si.

 

KD Skladi, družba za upravljanje, d. o. o.
Management Board