Kaiser Partner expands its trust business
The Group of companies owned by Liechtenstein entrepreneur Fritz Kaiser can look back on a very successful 2018. It is now expanding its trust business.
- Stefan Liniger is taking over as CEO of Kaiser Partner’s wealth advisory and trust group on March 1, 2019. He was previously global partner for worldwide wealth planning and trust business at Rothschild & Co.
- Kaiser Partner’s private bank successfully integrated Bank Vontobel (Liechtenstein) in 2018. Assets under management grew by 50% to 4 billion Swiss francs. Profit doubled to 4.5 million. The bank has further plans for growth.
Vaduz, February 28, 2019 – Liechtenstein entrepreneur Fritz Kaiser has significantly expanded his group of companies and positioned it for future success. Kaiser Partner is currently adding key personnel to make its trust and wealth management business substantially stronger. On March 1, 2019, Stefan Liniger takes over as CEO of Kaiser Partner’s wealth management and trust business. Liniger headed up Rothschild & Co’s wealth planning and trust business between 2011 and 2018, transforming it into a market leader. Before that, he worked as head of wealth planning at Goldman Sachs in Zurich and was a partner at Swiss law firm Bar & Karrer.
Expansion of trust business
Various other experienced advisors and professionals are joining Kaiser Partner alongside Liniger. One of these is Elena Andrianova, who was most recently responsible for Rothschild Trust’s Russia business, and who is a highly respected advisor to first-generation entrepreneurs and wealthy women. Fritz Kaiser is very happy about the reinforcements: “We are taking Kaiser Partner’s wealth advisory and trust business into the next generation and building up our position as a leading consultant to wealthy private individuals.”
Growth for Kaiser Partner Privatbank
Kaiser Partner Privatbank has taken a significant growth step. At the start of the year, the bank acquired Bank Vontobel’s local business in Liechtenstein, and it is now the fifth largest bank in Liechtenstein, with 75 employees. Privatbank’s assets under management went up by around 50 percent in 2018 to more than four billion Swiss francs, while profits doubled to 4.5 million. “The bank put in an excellent performance and in terms of investment returns for clients is in the top third of the market. We invested early in IT systems and compliance, we have some interesting projects in development, and we see further opportunities for growth,” says Fritz Kaiser.
Success with off-shore energy
Other companies in the Liechtenstein entrepreneur’s portfolio also bore fruit in 2018. Seawind Holding invests in renewable energies. Its Seawind Baltic Eagle project, which has a power output of 476 megawatts, was a winner in Germany’s energy auction in April 2018, and was sold at a good profit to energy group Iberdrola. Fritz Kaiser commented as follows: “Our team of experts in Hamburg worked on this project for 4 years. Quite apart from the great commercial success of the venture, I am particularly delighted that 50 wind turbines, each as tall as the Eiffel Tower, are now being built 30 km out to sea, and that by 2021 they will provide 1 million German homes with green electricity.” Seawind Holding is also currently working on projects at an early stage of development in the Baltic Sea off the Polish coast.
Fritz Kaiser steps back from operational business
At the age of 64, Fritz Kaiser is taking early steps to ensure a smooth succession and will gradually step back from operational responsibilities so he can spend more time on strategic issues. “My entrepreneurial drive is as strong as ever and I am in the best of health. Nevertheless, I will be shortening the title on my business card this year from Executive Chairman to Chairman. We have outstanding people throughout the group of companies who take responsibility operationally and on the Board of Directors,” says Fritz Kaiser.
About Kaiser Beteiligungen
Fritz Kaiser’s group of companies is involved in private banking, family office and trustee business, property, renewable energy, digital solutions and classic cars. The companies employ 250 people in Vaduz, Zurich, Milan, Hamburg and Gdansk. Kaiser Partner companies look after around 29 billion Swiss francs as wealth advisors, trustees and as a private bank. Seawind develops offshore wind farms in the Baltic Sea off Germany and Poland, while digital agency 21iLab helps put businesses onto mobile devices. The Classic Car Trust supports the international classic car market and collectors through various initiatives.
Bianca Hasler
Pflugstrasse 109490 Vaduz
Liechtenstein