Stockholm (NordSIP) – At the start of August, international investment manager Vontobel appoined Erik Norland as Head of Sales, Nordics and Netherlands. Norland joins Vontobel from V-Square Quantitative Management, where he served as Head of Distribution and Relationship Management and succeeds Henrik Rox Hansen, who left Vontobel at the end of May.
“We are pleased to welcome Erik to Vontobel. His established client network and successful track record in business development will be greatly additive to our team and demonstrates our dedication to Nordic and Dutch clients,” Vontobel commented on the occasion of Norland’s appointment. “Driven by client-oriented and investment-led values, we have an unwavering commitment to helping investors reach their long-term financial goals with differentiated expertise and quality investment solutions.”
To better understand Norland’s new role, his vision for sustainable asset management in the Nordics and the opportunities facing Vontobel, NordSIP reached out to Norland shortly after his appointment. According to him, Vontobel’s culture and experience allied with its dedication to sustainable finance and engagement are key to Vontobels key value proposition.
Vontobel’s Appeal
Norland explains that he was attracted by the company’s commitment to active management, its track record, collaborative culture, work ethic and integrity. “Vontobel`s commitment to active management across asset classes appealed to me,” Norland explains, noting the firm’s decades long presence in the Nordics and its “proven track record of managing sophisticated strategies generating returns over the cycle and demonstrable track record of providing ESG integration.”
“I would describe the culture as highly collaborative, which encourages creativity and enables us to work with the same goal of serving our clients,” Norland says. “We see strong support from colleagues in the portfolio management teams, which is critical to delivering results. Finally, I am impressed by the work ethic and high standards when it comes to looking after our clients and helping them navigate through difficult markets.”
“Maintaining integrity and honesty has helped the firm build solid relationships across the regions,” Norland continues. “We have found our sweet spot, where expertise and passion intersect. Employees are empowered to take ownership and playing an active role in shaping the business,” Norland adds, before noting that this approach cultivates a sense of community and mutual support among employees which clients surely also appreciate.
Expertise and ESG Integration
According to Norland, the collective wisdom and expertise of Vontobel’s team, as well as its belief in ESG are at the core of the firm’s ability to offer relevant solutions that match clients` needs.
“In my role, I am responsible for ensuring that our clients are aware of how our strategies can fit into their portfolios. Combined with our technical expertise in managing investment portfolios with dedicated teams, I believe this will lead to continued success for the company and our clients,” Norland argues.
“Vontobel believes that through the incorporation of ESG considerations into investment processes, investors can look to improve the long-term risk-return characteristics of their portfolios as well as reflect their personal values. This is why our investment teams subscribe to ESG investment principles because we believe that these considerations are part of our fiduciary duty,” Norland says, noting that Vontobel has “a good offering of SFDR Article 9 funds across Equity and Fixed Income , and I see a particular demand for such portfolios in the regions.”
Vontobel and the Future of Sustainable Finance
Considering the future of sustainable finance, Norland notes the evolution of attitudes towards ESG and the continued need for measures and data and his expectation that ESG integration will continue apace.
“I have witnessed how the industry turned from thoughtful curiosity about sustainability considerations to an extensive technical plan to tackle climate change. Now it is reflected in regulation too. I have experience working with investors across the globe and have seen ESG has also received criticism. What remains relevant, however, is the need to measure the impact on climate change as well as to understand when it becomes material in the investment portfolio,” Norland adds.
“In addition, as an active investment firm, we strive to empower our clients with the necessary knowledge, tools and investment options to consider sustainability in the building of their better futures. I believe we will see further integration of ESG in portfolios both for institutional and retail clients. The combination of robust ESG implementation and reliable engagement plans will become even more important going forward, and this is where Vontobel can make a difference,” Norland concludes.
