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«.

 

 

 

 

 

 

KD Funds is becoming part of the Generali Group

 

After more than a quarter of a century in business, KD Funds is now joining the international Generali Group. Founded in 1831, Generali is an independent international financial group with a presence in over 50 countries across the world and employing more than 71,000 people. In 2017, Generali collected EUR 68 billion in insurance premiums and had EUR 487 billion of assets under management. According to the Fortune Global 500 report, Generali is ranked one of the world’s 60 largest companies, based on sales, profit, assets and market value. Generali Investments CEE, the largest asset management company in Central and Eastern Europe, managing EUR nearly 17 billion of assets, is also a member of the Group.

Luka Podlogar, President of the Management Board of KD Funds, comments on this significant milestone: »Apart from being one of the leading global insurers, Generali is also one of the largest European asset managers. Becoming part of the Generali Investments family will strengthen KD Funds’ ability to implement its growth strategy in South Eastern Europe. Furthermore, it will enable the company to broaden its products and investor base, as well as enable its employee’s additional development opportunities. We have an excellent team; we offer advanced and modern financial products that are constantly adapted to the financial needs of the market and our investors. Generali’s long term tradition and knowledge will help in further product upgrading. Our excellent and experienced team, in which we trust, remains the same. We are proud to become part of an international team with a winning mind-set. Exceptional opportunities are in front of us and I am convinced that we will use them for the benefit of our investors.”

 

 

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

 

 

KD Funds in partnership with Peakside Capital acquires Austria Trend Hotel in Slovenia

Located in the Slovenian capital of Ljubljana, Austria Trend Hotel offers 214 rooms and its amenities include a restaurant, spa and wellness centre, with sauna and gym, as well as 11 conference rooms. The hotel is conveniently positioned in the immediate vicinity of the Ljubljana ring road, with motorway access and excellent transport connectivity.

The investment objective of KD Adriatic Value Fund is to generate returns for investors from rental income and capital growth through investments in real estate in Slovenia, Croatia and Serbia, with a special focus on office and retail properties. The three target countries offer a relatively undeveloped real estate sector and attractive returns, whilst the long-term success of the fund is further supported by strong economic growth in the region.

Luka Podlogar of KD Funds said: “With the acquisition of the Austria Trend Hotel, KD Adriatic Value Fund is strengthening its core business and expanding its real estate investment portfolio to include the hospitality sector. This is in line with our strategy of offering SEE real estate as an attractive asset for institutional investors.”

Tomasz Niezgodzki, Peakside Capital, said: “The hotel is well recognised by tourists and business guests in Ljubljana. With its excellent location, visibility and building structure it has a great potential for further growth together with the whole Slovenian hospitality sector.”

“We are pleased with the four initial investments we have secured on behalf of the Fund, and the speed at which we have managed to deploy capital.”

Notes to editors:

KD Adriatic Value Fund is a special investment fund established by KD Funds, one of the largest and oldest asset managers in South-East Europe (SEE), in partnership with Peakside Capital, an independent real estate investment manager firm. This is the first regulated real estate alternative investment fund in Slovenia. To date, it has raised commitments from regional institutional investors, giving it a buying power of over EUR 50 million.

Founded in 1994, KD Funds is one of the largest and oldest asset managers in SEE. Together with its subsidiaries, it manages around EUR 700 million in 34 funds and 13 investment mandates across the SEE region, including the oldest mutual funds in Slovenia and Croatia.

Peakside Capital is a specialist European Investment Manager, owned by its management. It manages real estate assets currently totalling over EUR 1 billion in gross asset value with a focus on CEE and Germany. The company has offices in Frankfurt, Munich, Zug (CH), Warsaw, Prague and Luxembourg.

Peakside Capital provides fund management and investment advisory services for managed portfolios that include its four real estate funds and a significant number of separate account investments.

The investment strategies it pursues serve the individual requirements of its investors, and range from core to opportunistic across the office, residential, hotel and retail sectors. The investment spectrum comprises investments in single assets and portfolios through to distressed debt and investments in real estate operating companies.

Morningstar ranks KD Funds among the top 9% of the world’s best management companies

Even during the economic cooling-off period and the slowed global growth of the economy, KD Funds has maintained professionalism and excellence in managing the assets of its investors. Three of our funds received a maximum of 5 or 4 stars, which means they rank among the top 10% of funds in each category (in the case of 5 Morningstar stars) or the next 22.5% of funds (in the case of 4 Morningstar stars). On 31 December 2018, the holders of 5 or 4 Morningstar stars are:

 

KD First Selection, 5 stars in the Flexible Allocation – Global category, 3-year period, ranking 113th among 1,851 funds of the same category, and 5-year period, ranking 17th among 1,331 funds.
KD Bond, 5 stars in the EUR Diversified Bond category, 3-year period, ranking 59th among 1,163 funds of the same category, and 5-year period, ranking 45th among 1,042 funds.
KD Vitality, 4 stars in the Global Large-Cap Blend Equity category.

 

Based on the rating of all funds and the relative number of funds within each category, Morningstar has set up an informal ranking of management companies, with KD Funds occupying the 280th place out of 3,128 management companies, thus ranking among the top 9% of the management companies in the world.

Morningstar, an independent and highly acclaimed rating agency based in the US, has been rating funds across the world since 1985. Morningstar rates funds from one to five stars based on how well they have performed (after adjusting for risk) in comparison to similar funds. Within each Morningstar Category, the top 10% of funds receive five stars, the next 22.5% four stars, the middle 35% three stars, the next 22.5% two stars, and the bottom 10% receive one star. Funds are rated for up to three time periods –three-, five-, and 10 years –and these ratings are combined to produce an overall rating. Funds with less than three years of history are not rated. Ratings are objective, based entirely on a mathematical evaluation of past performance. They are a useful tool for identifying funds worthy of further research, but should not be considered buy or sell recommendations.

 

© 2018 Morningstar, Inc. All rights reserved. The information contained herein: (1) is proprietary to Morningstar and/or its content providers; (2) may not be copied or distributed; and (3) is not warranted to be accurate, complete, or timely. Neither Morningstar nor its content providers are responsible for any damages or losses arising from any use of this information. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

KD Funds and Peakside Capital acquire Arkadia shopping centre

 

 

Located at Virska cesta 21 in Dob pri Domžalah, the Arkadia shopping centre is conveniently situated for access to the Ljubljana–Maribor motorway. Comprising 19 shop units, providing over 11,000 sqm of leasable space and 350 parking spaces, the Centre is fully let to a range of tenants including multinationals such as Spar, Müller, C&A and Hervis.

The investment objective of KD Adriatic Value Fund is to generate returns for investors from rental income and capital growth real estate investments in Slovenia, Croatia and Serbia, with a special focus on office and retail properties. The three target countries represent a region with a relatively undeveloped real estate sector and attractive returns, whilst the long-term success of the fund is further supported by strong economic growth.

 

Commenting on behalf of KD Funds, Luka Podlogar said: ”With the acquisition of the Arkadia shopping centre, the fund is strengthening its core business and expanding its real estate investment portfolio. This is in line with our strategy of offering SEE real estate as an investable asset for institutional investors”.

Commenting on behalf of Peakside Capital, Tomasz Niezgodzki said: “With its strategic location and strong tenant line up, this asset will complement the income profile of our other investments whilst providing sector diversification.”

 

-ENDS-

Mateja Stopar (for KD Funds) Tel: +386 1 582 67 78

FTI Consulting (for Peakside Capital)
Dido Laurimore/Tom Gough Tel: +44 020 3727 1000

________________________________________________________________________________________

Notes to editors:

KD Adriatic Value Fund is a special investment fund established by KD Funds, one of the largest and oldest asset managers in South-East Europe (SEE), in partnership with Peakside Capital, an independent real estate investment manager firm. This is the first regulated real estate alternative investment fund in Slovenia. To date, it has raised commitments from regional institutional investors, giving it a buying power of EUR 50 million.

Founded in 1994, KD Funds is one of the largest and oldest asset managers in SEE. Together with its subsidiaries, it manages around EUR 800 million in 34 funds and 13 investment mandates across the SEE region, including the oldest mutual funds in Slovenia and Croatia.

Peakside Capital is a specialist European Investment Manager, owned by its management. It manages real estate assets currently totalling over EUR 1 billion in gross asset value with a focus on CEE and Germany. The company has offices in Frankfurt, Munich, Zug (CH), Warsaw, Prague and Luxembourg. Peakside Capital provides fund management and investment advisory services for managed portfolios that include its four real estate funds and a significant number of separate account investments. The investment strategies it pursues serve the individual requirements of its investors, and range from core to opportunistic across the office, residential, hotel and retail sectors. The investment spectrum comprises investments in single assets and portfolios through to distressed debt and investments in real estate operating companies.

 

KD Funds, the Proud Patron of the DELO Business Stars Project 2018

KD Funds has been supporting projects promoting innovative and development-oriented companies aspiring for excellence and long-term success for a number of years. KD Funds itself is a company whose DNA includes similar values – excellence, long-term focus, passion, winning and team spirit.

“Whilst small and medium-sized companies are the engine of every economy, they are quite often misunderstood. Most of the Slovenian SMEs we assess to be the companies of the future come from the manufacturing, technological and health sectors. They have good human resources, development-oriented ideas and a growth attitude but lack proper equity financing. They tell us that banks are not necessarily their long-term partners in every development phase, which became clear in the recent crisis. This is where we see our potential as well as the mission of our industry,” says Luka Podlogar, the President of the Management Board of KD Funds.

On the basis of a list of companies prepared by the project partner, the Agency of the Republic of Slovenia for Public Legal Records and Related Services (AJPES), the Delo editorial team short-listed 115 companies and selected ten nominees – companies that are innovative, export and development oriented, with at least EUR 3 million of annual revenues, a minimum of five employees and an added value per employee of at least EUR 35,000. At the same time, they are aware that people are of key importance for their success.

The companies nominated for this prestigious award – Pipistrel, Polycom Škofja Loka, Solis Straža, D. Labs, Vasco, Acies Bio, Labena, Mineralka, Mi elektronika and Resalta – are presented on the www.delo.si/delove-podjetniske-zvezde website, where readers can vote for their favourite nominee.

The Delo Business Star 2018 will be announced at the big gala event to take place on 8 November at Brdo pri Kranju. This will be one of the ten SMEs chosen by the Delo editorial team and the professional jury, including Luka Podlogar, the President of the Management Board. On the same day, a seminar hub ‘Business – the Story of Human Capital’ will be organised for the first time as part of the Delo Business Stars project, connecting topics on the significance of human capital, the meaning and objectives of entrepreneurship, and understanding and introducing new business models required by the 4th Industrial Revolution. Luka Podlogar, the President of the Management Board, and his guests will be speaking about how to manage a company’s growth phase.

KD Funds and Peakside Capital acquire Stekleni dvor south tower for EUR 13 million real estate

Situated on Dunajska street in the Bežigrad district of northern Ljubljana. Stekleni dvor comprises two separate office buildings connected by a joint underground car park. The south tower provides 8,700 sqm of leasable space over ground, mezzanine and eight floors together with a three-level underground car park. The anchor tenant in the property is Addiko Bank. With its prime location on Ljubljana’s main arterial route, the asset also benefits from excellent traffic connections.
The transaction represents the Fund’s second investment in Ljubljana, following the EUR 13 million purchase of Tivoli Center, an office building in Ljubljana, which closed in April. KD Adriatic Value Fund, Special Investment Fund, is an alternative investment fund managed by KD Funds, with Peakside Capital acting as investment advisor. Its investment objective is to generate returns for investors from rental income and capital growth through investments in real estate in Slovenia, Croatia and Serbia, with a special focus on office and retail properties. The three target countries represent a region with a relatively undeveloped real estate sector and attractive returns, whilst the long-term success of the fund is further supported by strong economic growth.

Commenting on behalf of the KD Funds, Luka Podlogar, said: ”We are pleased to have concluded our second transaction so quickly and look forward to growing the Fund with further compelling investment opportunities over the coming months. We are on track to create a high quality real estate portfolio that offers attractive returns to our investors.

Commenting on behalf of the Peakside, Tomasz Niezgodzki, said: ”This is an excellent, high quality office building, located in an area of Ljubljana which benefits from strong transport links and proximity to the city center. The office market in Ljubljana is very attractive for investors thanks to growing tenant demand and limited supply of institutional quality space.

Notes to editors:


KD Adriatic Value Fund is a special investment fund established by KD Funds, one of the largest and oldest asset managers in South-East Europe (SEE), in partnership with Peakside Capital, an independent real estate investment manager firm. The fund is the first regulated real estate alternative investment fund in Slovenia. To date, it has raised commitments from regional institutional investors, giving it a buying power in excess of EUR 50 million.

Founded in 1994, KD Funds is one of the largest and oldest asset managers in SEE. Together with its subsidiaries, it manages around EUR 800 million in 34 funds and 13 investment mandates across the SEE region, including the oldest mutual funds in Slovenia and Croatia.

Peakside Capital was founded in 2010 as a spin-off of the Merrill Lynch investment bank and currently employs 40 people (including subsidiaries). It is mainly active in Germany and Eastern European countries, managing funds and asset management mandates. It currently has about EUR 1 billion of gross assets under management.

KD Funds and Peakside Capital launch Slovenia’s First Regulated Alternative Investment Fund with Maiden Acquisition

 

The new fund will leverage the unique combination of Peakside’s real estate market knowledge coupled with KD Funds’ global expertise and experience in managing institutional real estate investments offered by the two firms joining forces.

To date, the Fund has raised commitments from regional institutional investors giving it a buyingpower in excess of €50m. Investors are attracted to the opportunities offered by the region which is currently delivering economic growth well in excess of the EU average whilst near-term prospects are expected to benefit from the yield gap relative to other European real estate markets.

The Fund has already made its first acquisition, with the purchase of the Tivoli Center, an office building in Ljubljana for €13m, reflecting a net initial yield well in excess of 8%. The Class A property located in prime downtown Ljubljana provides a Gross Lettable Area (GLA) of around 8,000 sqm across two connected buildings. 97% of the space is occupied by long-term tenants with strong covenants. Current tenants include international law firms, as well as a diversity of various successful SME companies. The property offers excellent transport connections including good access to public transport links.

Luka Podlogar, the President of the Management Board of KD Funds, said: “We are pleased to have closed the first acquisition of a commercial real estate asset for our new real estate fund, proving ourselves as the pioneers of development in the real estate fund sector in Slovenia, too. By way of this venture, we are fulfilling the KD Funds’ strategy in practice, namely to expand our product range of successfully managed funds for retail investors, by adding alternative investment funds for institutions.”

Stefan Aumann, Managing Partner and Founder of Peakside Capital added: “The acquisition of Tivoli Center is an excellent start for the Adriatic Value Fund. We are very happy to have acquired a prominent building that is in demand from occupiers and is located in a prime location within the growing Ljubljana office market. This is a stepping stone in establishing a larger portfolio in the region that will offer attractive returns to the Fund’s investors.”

KD Adriatic Value Fund, Special Investment Fund, is an alternative investment fund managed by KD Funds, with Peakside Capital acting as investment advisor. Its investment objective is to generate returns for investors from rental income and capital growth through investments in real estate in Slovenia, Croatia and Serbia, with a special focus on office and retail properties. The three target countries represent a region with a relatively undeveloped real estate sector and attractive returns, whilst the long-term success of the fund is further supported by strong economic growth.

 

Notes

Founded in 1994, KD Funds is one of the largest and oldest asset managers in South East Europe. It manages around EUR 800 million in 34 funds and 13 investment mandates (together with its subsidiaries) across the SEE region, including the oldest mutual funds in Slovenia and Croatia.

Peakside Capital was founded in 2010 as a spin-off from the Merrill Lynch investment bank and currently employs ca. 30 people. It is mainly active in Germany and Eastern European countries, managing funds and asset management mandates. It currently has more than EUR 1 billion of gross assets under management.

For the third consecutive year, we are proud to be recognized as the Asset Management Company with the Best Fund Manager in Slovenia

 

The Best Mutual Fund Manager award has been bestowed by a Slovenian financial magazine for the last eight years. This year, too, it went to a KD Funds team member, Primož Cencelj. A three-time winner of the Best Fund Manager title in Slovenia (2017, 2015 and 2013), Primož Cencelj (CFA) is in charge of managing KD MM and KD Bond, subfunds of the KD Umbrella Fund, as well as KD Corporate Bonds with a total asset value of EUR 54 million. 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.

 

 

KD Funds, the first management company in Slovenia, established in 1994, also manages the first Slovenian mutual fund, KD Galileo. From its very beginnings, KD Funds has been committed to the highest standards of excellence, which is confirmed by the awards presented both in Slovenia and abroad.

 

This year, five stars – the highest award – for three- and five-year periods went to the following funds:

• KD Rastko, Europe Equity Fund,
• KD Bond, EUR.

 

 

Luka Podlogar, President of the Management Board of KD Funds, is genuinely happy about the new awards: “Winning the Best Fund Manager award for the third consecutive year, we have proven once more that we can be proud of a team of top qualified managers with immense expertise. We have achieved this thanks to our professional and high-quality management, which is the true basis of all our endeavours. This is recognised by our investors, too.”