Generali Investments raises awareness about clean groundwater and using natural resources responsibly  

 

Generali Investments has successfully concluded its campaign ‘Venture into the secret universe of water and name two olms’. Running from 20 August to 13 October 2024, the campaign aimed to highlight the vulnerability of our groundwater and the importance of using natural resources responsibly. With over 1,250,000 Slovenian web users reached and more than 78,000 interactions generated, the campaign is a result of our commitment to fostering positive change, beginning with small acts.

 

 

In collaboration with the Postojna Cave as part of the Protect Proteus Project, we are proud to sponsor two olms, a symbol of how precious clean groundwater is – a resource that supplies drinking water to 97% of Slovenians. The olm, a marvel of nature and a symbol of environmental sensitivity, can survive only in the cleanest water – reminding us that preserving clean water resources is vital for our future.

From more than 3,600 online suggestions and more than 500 additional suggestions on social media, we selected the names Kapljica and Kras. These names, proposed by different participants, embody both the unique qualities of this remarkable creature and the values upheld by Generali Investments.

  • Kapljica: Meaning ‘Droplet’ in English, the name Kapljica symbolises water, which is essential to the olm’s survival. The name also conveys something small yet vital, highlighting the sensitivity and beauty of the olm’s habitat and its gentle nature. A droplet embodies purity, life and the power of small actions. Just as one droplet can trigger significant change, a single act to preserve nature can have an impact on society at large. Living in clean groundwater, the olm illustrates the importance of our commitment to protecting drinking water and managing natural resources sustainably.
  • Kras: The name Kras connects the olm to its natural environment, the Kras region, known for its distinctive karst phenomena such as caves, karst underground and subterranean waters that olms depend on. With its unique water systems, subterranean rivers and sensitivity to pollution, Kras symbolises the importance of environmental protection and clean groundwater preservation, essential for life in Slovenia.

Both names, Kapljica and Kras, capture the essence of the olm and the importance of responsible behaviour. These names align our commitment to protecting natural resources with our mission of creating a responsible future. They embody the values that Generali Investments promotes – values that will impact future generations.

Who is the olm?

The olm, or ‘human fish’ (Proteus anguinus), is a fascinating cave-dwelling creature found in the underground waters of the Dinaric karst, including the karst systems in Slovenia. It is the only European amphibian adapted to life in total darkness underground. Without eyesight, its other senses are highly developed. Surviving only in the cleanest underground waters, the olm is a powerful symbol of ecological sensitivity and sustainable management of water resources. Just as the olm requires a clean environment to survive, humans depend on preserving clean water for our health and future.

Positive impact of the campaign

“70% of our planet is covered by water, but only 0.007% is in the form of accessible drinking water.” This is one of the key facts that was central to our campaign. Most of the world’s water is in the oceans, and less than 3% of global water is freshwater. Of this fresh water, the majority is locked in glaciers and permanent snow, and less than 1% is drinking water. Although water is abundant, access to drinking water is limited. Slovenia is fortunate to enjoy the privilege of clean drinking water, and it is our duty to preserve this precious resource for future generations.

At Generali Investments, we believe that raising awareness can drive significant change. Through our campaign, we aim to inspire greater responsibility in environmental protection and encourage positive action for the sake of the planet. Just as a droplet of water shapes rivers, small local acts can contribute to global change.

Our commitment to responsible behaviour is not only an essential part of our mission, but also of our vision: to create a better world through responsible investment and raising awareness about the protection of resources that will sustain life for generations to come. Join us in this journey by investing in Generali Umbrella subfunds. Learn more HERE.

 

 

Generali Investments completes the sale of its stake in Generali Investments AD Skopje

 

Generali Investments, družba za upravljanje, d.o.o., Dunajska cesta 63, Ljubljana, signed an agreement for the sale of its stake in Generali Investments AD Skopje with NLB Skladi, upravljanje premoženja, d.o.o., in November 2023. Following the successful obtaining of all relevant authorisations, the ownership transfer will be effective on 23 May 2024. Generali Investments AD Skopje, a subsidiary established in 2008 in the framework of the company when still named KD Skladi, has now become part of the NLB Group system.

“We are pleased that Generali Investments AD Skopje will continue its long-standing tradition of providing high-quality asset management services, under the umbrella and corporate identity of the NLB Group, with whom we have closely cooperated in North Macedonia before,” says Melita Rajgelj Ozebek, the President of the Management Board of Generali Investments Slovenia. “Generali Investments Slovenia, the oldest Slovenian asset management company, is celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2024. We boast the longest tradition of asset management in the South Eastern European markets and are successfully implementing our new development strategy and business consolidation in the CEE region, with the objective of offering top-level asset management services to our investors. We remain an asset management company with a highly recognised and most frequently awarded team of experts in the local market. All the benefits of growing the value of our investors’ assets remain unchanged, while we continue to enhance our business with practices rooted in the extensive international experience of the Generali Group. Our team’s goal is to deliver even more outstanding performance for our investors, through innovative, accessible and investor-tailored services.”

Generali Investments Slovenia manages the Generali Umbrella Fund, which comprises 15 subfunds. Of these, 11 subfunds promote environmental and social characteristics. The company also manages an alternative real estate fund. In 2023, the company began implementing a new development strategy and business consolidation process in the CEE region, with the objective of delivering top-level asset management services to its investors.

 

 

 

 

Notice of disposal of a stake in Generali Investments AD Skopje

 

Investors may request additional information by e-mailing objave@generali-investments.si.

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

Generali Investments concluded the sale of Austria Trend Hotel

 

The Austria Trend Hotel is located in a prime location, in the immediate vicinity of the Ljubljana ring road or connection to AC. The hotel has 214 rooms and 12 suites. Inside the hotel there is also a restaurant, lounge, wellness with saunas and fitness, 11 conference rooms, parking spaces are also available in front of the hotel and in the garage under the hotel. The buyer is Agromarket d.o.o., Kragujevac.

Generali Adriatic Value Fund, a special investment fund, is an alternative investment fund with the recognized status of a special investment fund. The fund’s objective is to achieve income and capital growth through investments in commercial real estate.

Sincerely,
Generali Investments LLC

 

 

 

Generali Investments again with the Best Asset Manager in Slovenia

 

Aleš Lokar, the head of the portfolio management team in charge of the Generali Umbrella Fund subfunds Generali Galileo, Generali Global and Generali Rastko, with a total of EUR 225 million under management, previously clinched the best fund manager title in 2017. On this occasion, he said: “This accolade is the result of the outstanding efforts of the entire Generali Investments team. The market complexities and rapid developments make effective teamwork indispensable. Therefore, this recognition belongs to each and every one of my colleagues.”

 

Aleš Lokar, head of equity investment management and Best Asset Manager; Foto: © Jure Makovec / Moje finance

 

David Zorman, who won the prestigious Best Asset Manager title in 2011, also made it among the five best asset managers in Slovenia this year.

Over the course of the 14-year history of these awards, Generali Investment managers won the Best Asset Manager titles an impressive eight times. This achievement firmly establishes Generali Investments as one the most acclaimed asset management companies in the history of the awards, underscoring the unwavering performance demonstrated by its manager teams. The Best Asset Managers by years were: David Zorman (2011), Primož Cencelj (2014, 2016 and 2018), Aleš Lokar (2017), and Luka Flere (2019). Additionally, Primož Cencelj was honoured with the title of the Best Asset Manager of the Decade (2010–2019).
The key criterion for determining the best manager is the consistent outperformance of the relevant fund they manage in comparison to the benchmark. Generali Investments, celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, ranks among the oldest asset managers with long-standing tradition and experience in Slovenia. Throughout its history, it has won numerous domestic and international accolades for its high-quality work, excellent asset management, and product and service development.

At this year’s event, stars were assigned to funds based on their performance over three-year and ten-year periods, representing the highest distinction in the mutual fund industry and expressing unparalleled excellence in fund management.

This year’s top awards – five stars – went to the following funds:

Generali Galileo*****, Mixed Flexible Fund, in the Mixed Global category over a three-year period,

Generali Rastko*****, Equity, in the Equity – Europe category over a ten-year period,

Generali Bond*****– EUR, in the European Bond category over a ten-year period.

 

Melita Rajgelj Ozebek, the President of the Management Board of Generali Investments, said: “The accolades received, along with the performance rates yielded by our funds, underscore the excellence of our management team, of whom we are immensely proud. We work in a rapidly changing environment that necessitates us to adapt on a daily basis, and this is where our long-standing experience proves invaluable. Over the past 30 years, we have always known the paramount importance of quality in asset management. We remain steadfast in our commitments to honour the trust bestowed upon us by our investors, and we thank them for their trust on this occasion.”

The numerous awards received, and, most importantly, the trust placed in the company by its clients, its long-standing relationships, prudent investment policy, high-quality products, top-notch team with a winning mindset, as well as professionalism and international focus, are certainly the motivating factors driving the oldest asset management company in Slovenia and its team. They also serve as proof that Generali Investments is on the right track.

 

From left to right: Geza Norčič, asset manager, Matej Krajnik, analyst, Sašo Šmigić, member of the Management Board, Aleš Lokar, head of equity investment management and Best Asset Manager of 2023, David Zorman, head of ESG analysis, and Matej Škerlep, analyst (missing: Beti Bacetič Kern, asset manager, and Grega Meden, senior asset manager).

 

Generali Investments has closed the sale of its stakes in the companies Generali Investments GP 1 d.o.o. and Generali Investments GP2 d.o.o., and the sale of its equity shares in Generali Investments CP d.o.o. k.d., transferring, as of 13 June 2023, the management of Generali Growth Equity Fund, a private equity fund, to a new manager, ALFI PE d.o.o.    

 

The finalised transaction and transfer of the Fund’s management to the new manager will not alter the Fund’s policy nor will it affect the Fund’s investors. The Generali Group continues to be the Fund’s second largest investor, after the European Investment Fund (EIF). To close the transaction, all the necessary approvals of the Fund’s bodies and regulatory authorisations have been obtained.

Generali Investments continues to manage alternative investment funds, including the very successful Generali Adriatic Value Fund, a real estate fund. Generali Group thus remains a strong supporter of the Slovenian economy, not only through its insurance and asset management services but also as an investor making direct investments in Slovenian companies. Moreover, Generali Investments continues to strengthen its asset management activities in Slovenia, standing by Slovenian investors as a partner in both asset management and financial advisory.

 

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 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 SEGIP (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 exceeds EUR 150 million, which is 3-times the contribution of the SID Bank.

 

 

Notice of closing the sale of a share in Generali Investments d.o.o., Zagreb

 

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

 

 

Generali Umbrella Fund wins five silhouettes; in the most difficult year ever for bond markets, Generali Bond proclaimed the best fund of the decade

 

 

Each year, the Moje finance magazine proclaims the best mutual and pension funds, and the best asset manager. Based on a methodology comparing fund performance with that of their benchmarks, a total of 99 funds in 11 different groups were assessed over a 3-year period, and 74 mutual funds in 11 groups were assessed over a 10-year period.

Among all the funds assessed, the following Generali Investments funds win the best assessment, i.e. five stars:

  • Generali Bond – EUR, the best fund over 3-year and 10-year periods in the European Corporate and Aggregate Bond category,
  • Generali Corporate Bonds – EUR, the best fund over 3-year periods,
  • Generali MM, Money Market, the best fund over the 10-year period in the Money – EUR category, and
  • Generali Rastko Europe, Equity, the best fund in the Equity – Europe category over a 10-year period.

 

In addition, Generali Bond – EUR, was declared the best bond fund of the decade. Primož Cencelj, CFA, who is in charge of managing bond investments at Generali Investments, again qualified among the top three asset managers, missing first place by a hair’s breadth.

 

Luka Flere, member of the Management Board of Generali Investments, says: “Making your money grow by investing in funds is a marathon effort. Not only was last year challenging for the bond market, it was even the most challenging in its history. In such a difficult environment, we have again proven that we are able to deliver on our mission, which is to provide high-quality, well-governed and diversified asset management services along with long-term profitability for our investors. The current situation of rising interest rates and inflation is making active asset management an even more challenging job.”

 

 

 

 

Notice on the signing of an agreement on the sale of a share in the Croatian company 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

 

 

 

Generali Investments takes steps towards promoting sustainability


As of 1 February 2023, Generali Investments – the oldest asset management company in Slovenia and a member of the Generali Group – amended the investment process of 11 of its 15 Generali Umbrella Fund subfunds by integrating sustainability risk in their investment decision-making. These funds qualify as the financial products referred to in Article 8 of the SFDR Regulation*, i.e. funds promoting environmental and social characteristics.

Investors keen to contribute to sustainable development

Generali Investments believes it can play its part at a time marked by growing threats to the environment, negative climate change, and demands to meet higher social and corporate standards by promoting sustainability performance of the issuers of the financial instruments invested in by its subfunds. This certainly goes hand in hand with the general trend towards more sustainable development, and the increasing desire of most investors to themselves contribute to a sustainable future.

Key changes lead the investment process towards more sustainable development

From now on, the investment process will employ the ESG integration approach. The attainment of the new investment objective of the aforementioned 11 subfunds, which is defined as capital growth pursued by promoting environmental and social characteristics, will be measured by means of a joint indicator, i.e. the share of the assets of each of the subfunds covered by the ESG integration strategy. Investments considered to be aligned with environmental and social characteristics promoted by each of the subfunds will represent between 75% and 100% of their assets.

The Generali Group, one of the largest global financial and insurance groups (of which Generali Investments is a member), integrated sustainability principles into its business processes some time ago. Care for a more sustainable future is reflected in its investment decisions, employee engagement and customer relations. The objective is to create competitive returns in the long-term while at the same time generating positive impacts for society (S), the environment (E) and corporate governance (G) – the ESG factors. The integration of the ESG principles requires engagement and action on the part of all stakeholders: firstly, the state, whose task is to regulate this area in a systemic way, with appropriate incentives and laws. Secondly, companies, who will have to implement the laws and other rules in their business, amending their business processes accordingly. Just as important stakeholders are financial institutions catering for appropriate capital allocation and individuals displaying responsible conduct.

SFDR means Regulation (EU) 2019/2088 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 November 2019 on sustainability‐related disclosures in the financial services sector, which lays down rules for financial market participants and financial advisers on transparency with regard to the integration of sustainability risks and the consideration of adverse impacts in their processes and the provision of sustainability‐related information with respect to financial products.

 

**ESG is an abbreviation denoting Environmental (E), Social (S) and Governance (G) factors.