«We’re not just passing through. Switzerland is a key market for us.»

State Street Investment Management manager Dario De Simio has been working in the asset management industry for 17 years – and for just as long, one topic has held a special interest for him: portfolio structures. «That’s actually a passion of mine,» says the CIIA and CAIA graduate. Alongside family, friends, soccer and cuisine, constructing portfolios has remained one of his great hobbies. This passion aligns with the DNA of State Street Investment Management. The world's fourth-largest asset manager currently manages over $5 trillion for investors in more than 60 countries and is one of the pioneers of the ETF industry. As early as 1993, the company launched under the brand “SPDR ETF”, the very first U.S. ETF – a product that still exists today and is currently the world's most-traded ETF. Innovation is Key For De Simio, it’s clear: «Ultimately, innovation is what determines whether a financial services provider achieves long-term success.» Asset management, in particular, has undergone significant changes in recent years - not least because the investment landscape has also undergone fundamental shifts. Investors today have become more global, cost-conscious, and expect more personalized investment solutions. State Street has also had a presence in Switzerland since 1998. The market has been strategically important for the company from the very beginning, De Simio emphasizes. «We’re not just passing through. Switzerland remains a key strategic market for us. From the start, we wanted to work with the largest Swiss investors – and today, many of them are among our partners.» Today, the most important client groups include pension funds, insurance companies, banks, family offices, private banks and independent asset managers. Institutional investors in particular are currently increasingly seeking robust and results-oriented portfolio solutions - especially against the backdrop of geopolitical uncertainties and ongoing market volatility. The result is continued strong interest in customized indexing solutions, as well as a rapidly growing trend toward active, quantitative investment strategies. ETFs: Much Potential Remains Untapped In Switzerland, one factor traditionally plays a particularly important role: the currency. «For Swiss investors, the currency element is decisive,» says De Simio. Due to their expected returns, Swiss investment portfolios are now much more internationally oriented than they used to be. It is therefore important to keep an eye on currency risks. At the same time, many investors consider the Swiss franc as an anchor of stability. Accordingly, Swiss government bonds remain in demand despite low yields. «In times of geopolitical uncertainty and rising global liabilities, Swiss government bonds still stand for security in the context of the overall portfolio.» De Simio continues to see particularly great potential in the ETF market—even here in Switzerland, where the first ETF was launched on the SIX 25 years ago. Demand for low-cost, transparent, and liquid investment solutions is growing steadily. At the same time, he sees untapped potential among young people. «I wish the younger generation would engage much more deeply with the topic investing, because ultimately they will benefit from these developments,» he says.