News & Analysis

Swiss pension increases stake in Partners EM fund – updated

Zurich-based pension fund Nest Sammelstiftung initially committed $4.3m to Partners Group Emerging Markets 2011.

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Zurich-based pension fund Nest Sammelstiftung has increased its position in Partners Group Asia-Pacific and Emerging Markets 2011, according to UK regulatory notices.

The pension initially invested CHF 4.1 million ($4.3 million, €3.4 million) in the fund in 2012, and recently acquired another stake from Schiers-based Versicherungskasse der Evangelischen Mittelschule Schiers, the pension fund for the employees of Evangelical Middle School Schiers.

Partners Group Emerging Markets 2011 is a fund of funds and co-investment fund that closed on $100 million, according to PEI’s Research and Analytics division.

The fund is currently investing in emerging markets – predominantly focusing on small- and mid-cap companies in Asia, Latin America and the Middle East, according to a 2012 statement from the firm.

“The growing number of middle-class households and the changing demographics continue to benefit sectors such as healthcare, education, financial services, as well as consumer goods and services in general,” partner and co-head of Singapore, Andreas Baumann, said in the statement.

Partners Group was unavailable to comment by press time.

Nest Sammelstiftung is also a limited partner in other Partners Group funds including Partners Group Asia-Pacific 2005 and 2007, Direct Investment 2006, 2009 and 2012, US Venture 2006, and its dedicated 2008 and 2011 secondaries funds, PEI data disclosed.

The Swiss pension allocates 6 percent of total assets into private equity, according to its website, mainly committing capital in fund of funds and growth capital funds in Europe and Asia.

It currently has CHF 1.76 billion of assets under management.

Both Nest Sammelstiftung and Versicherungskasse der Evangelischen Mittelschule Schiers did not return a request for comment by press time.

This story was updated to reflect that Nest Sammelstiftung allocates 6 percent of total assets into private equity, not 3.35 percent, and that it has CHF 1.76 billion AUM, not CHF 6 billion AUM.