OLZ & Partners

What OLZ & Partners does

OLZ AG (operating as OLZ & Partners) is a Swiss quantitative asset management and wealth management firm founded in 2000 and headquartered in Bern, with a second office in Zurich. The firm manages a multi-asset product suite — 14 equity, bond, and mixed funds spanning Switzerland, global developed, emerging markets (including dedicated China and ex-China strategies), and government bonds — all built on a proprietary minimum-variance, rules-based risk-optimization methodology that is combined with systematic ESG integration. OLZ also delivers bespoke segregated mandates for institutional investors (pension funds, insurance companies, banks, foundations, family offices) and direct advisory mandates for high-net-worth private clients with a CHF 500,000 minimum. Its fund family is distributed directly in Bern and Zurich and indirectly through a network of regional Swiss partner banks and Liberty pension foundations; funds are authorized for distribution in Switzerland and Luxembourg, and a wholly-owned Singapore subsidiary signals early-stage geographic expansion.

The firm generates revenue primarily through recurring asset-based management fees on the OLZ fund range (0.47% p.a. for institutional share classes and 0.67% p.a. for retail, plus TER of 0.70–0.90%), supplemented by segregated mandate fees for institutional and private clients and execution-only transaction services. Pricing is subscription-based, billed annually, with revenue scaling linearly with AUM. OLZ operates from a lean ~25-person team organized around seven functional partners — including CEO Pius Zgraggen, Head of Clients Michael Frei (CFA), Head of Investment Solutions Dr. Patrick Walker, Head of Product Development Antonello Cirulli (FRM), Head of Technology & Operations Philipp Schori, and Partner Philipp Bregy (CIIA) — and is regulated by FINMA as a Manager of Collective Assets since 2007. No external institutional shareholders, funding rounds, or parent company are evidenced; ownership remains with the founding and operating partners.

Name

OLZ & Partners

Legal name

OLZ AG

Website

https://olz.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

OLZ & Partners (OLZ AG) is a Swiss quantitative asset manager operating since 2000 from Bern and Zurich, serving 200+ institutional and high-net-worth private clients with a 14-fund range and bespoke mandates built on proprietary minimum-variance, ESG-integrated investment strategies.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Asset Management

NAICS

Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940), Other Investment Pools and Funds (5259)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282)

akta.pro primary industry

ESG Integration (Mainstream ESG-Tilted Strategies) (FSAAALAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Multi-Asset ESG / Sustainable Allocation Strategies (FSAAAJAK), ESG/Sustainable Investment Advisory (FSAEAAAJ), Sustainable/ESG Equity (Active) (FSAAAIAM)

Keywords

• Asset management services
• Wealth management services
• Investment fund management
• Portfolio risk optimization
• ESG investment solutions

Headquarters

HQ city

Bern

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Asset Management Mandates: Wealth management mandates for institutional and private clients with personalized advisory. Fees are based on assets under management. Minimum investment threshold of CHF 500,000.
2. Investment Funds Management: OLZ manages and offers various investment funds including equity funds (Switzerland, World, Emerging Markets), bond funds, and mixed funds. Management fees are charged on fund assets (e.g., 0.47% p.a. for Smart Invest 65 ESG institutional share class, 0.67% p.a. for retail). Total Expense Ratio (TER) additional costs.
3. Execution-Only Services: Supplementary execution-only services complementing the primary wealth management mandates. Implementation of diversified equity and bond portfolios using OLZ Funds as building blocks.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

OLZ AG is a Swiss quantitative asset management firm offering rule-based, risk-optimized investment solutions for institutional and private clients. The core offering consists of equity, bond, and mixed mutual funds that apply a minimum variance/risk optimization methodology combined with systematic ESG integration, alongside customized institutional and private client mandates with personalized advisory. Distribution is conducted through direct advisory from Bern and Zurich offices, partner banks for pension solutions, and Swiss and Luxembourg fund distribution channels.

Product overview

OLZ AG is a Swiss quantitative asset management firm offering a comprehensive range of investment solutions based on scientific research and data-driven approaches. The core product portfolio consists of equity funds (Swiss, global, emerging markets, and regional variants), bond funds, and mixed funds, all utilizing a minimum variance/risk optimization approach combined with ESG integration. The fund lineup includes: OLZ Equity Switzerland Optimized ESG and Small & Mid Cap funds; OLZ Equity World Optimized ESG (with multiple currency classes); OLZ Equity Emerging Markets ex China and China funds; OLZ Government Bond World funds and OLZ Bond CHF ESG; and the OLZ Smart Invest 65 ESG mixed fund. Additionally, OLZ offers institutional mandates (equities, bonds, mixed) and private client services (fund mandates, direct mandates, pension solutions). The company operates from Bern and Zürich with approximately 25 employees serving over 200 institutional and private clients.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• OLZ Equity Switzerland Optimized ESG: Risk-optimized Swiss equity fund with ESG integration, focusing on minimum variance approach
• OLZ Equity Switzerland Small & Mid Cap Optimized ESG
• WF - OLZ Equity World Optimized ESG
• OLZ Smart Invest 65 ESG
• OLZ Government Bond World Optimized ESG
• PRISMA ESG SPI Efficient

Products and services

• OLZ Equity Switzerland Optimized ESG Risk-optimized Swiss equity fund using the minimum variance approach to systematically reduce volatility and concentration risk, with integrated ESG criteria. Targeted at Swiss equity exposure with controlled risk relative to the SPI index.
• OLZ Equity Switzerland Small & Mid Cap Optimized ESG Risk-optimized Swiss equity fund focused on small and mid capitalization stocks, designed to reduce concentration in large-cap names and capture diversification benefits with ESG criteria.
• WF - OLZ Equity World Optimized ESG Global equity fund using the minimum variance approach with integrated ESG criteria, available in multiple currency classes including CHF hedged, USD, and EUR. Structured as a Luxembourg UCITS.
• OLZ Equity World ex CH Optimized ESG Global equity fund excluding Switzerland, optimized for minimum variance with ESG integration for clients seeking ex-Switzerland global equity exposure.
• OLZ Equity Emerging Markets ex China Optimized ESG Emerging markets equity fund excluding China, utilizing minimum variance optimization and ESG criteria to manage concentration and country-specific risk.
• OLZ Equity China Optimized ESG China-focused equity fund applying minimum variance risk optimization and ESG criteria for investors seeking dedicated Chinese equity exposure with controlled risk.
• OLZ Equity World Dynamic 0-100 Dynamic global equity fund with variable equity allocation ranging from 0% to 100%, designed for investors seeking higher risk/return profiles through systematic allocation adjustments.
• OLZ Government Bond World Long Term Optimized CHF hedged ESG Long-term government bond fund with CHF currency hedging and integrated ESG criteria, applying OLZ's minimum variance optimization approach to fixed income.
• OLZ Bond CHF ESG Swiss franc-denominated bond fund with ESG criteria integration, designed for CHF-based fixed income exposure with sustainability screening.
• OLZ Smart Invest 65 ESG Balanced mixed fund allocating 65% to equities and 35% to bonds/cash, applying minimum variance optimization and ESG criteria for risk-adjusted returns. Available in institutional and retail share classes and distributed through partner banks for pillar 3a and vested benefits pension solutions.
• PRISMA ESG SPI Efficient Swiss equity fund managed by OLZ for the PRISMA Investment Foundation, focusing on optimal diversification and effective risk management with ESG integration. Launched in 2010 with over 12 years of track record.
• Institutional Mandates Customized investment mandates for institutional investors including pension funds, insurance companies, banks, and foundations. Includes risk-optimized equities, index-near equities, dynamic equities, bonds, mixed mandates, and tailored solutions using OLZ's quantitative approach with ESG integration.
• Private Client Mandates Wealth management services for high-net-worth private clients with a minimum investment threshold of CHF 500,000. Includes fund mandates, direct single-stock mandates, and pension provision solutions with personal advisory from dedicated client advisors in Bern and Zurich.

Quantifiable outcome

• OLZ Equity Switzerland Optimized ESG fund outperformed SPI by more than 2% in 2023, achieving +8.21% return
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability1 record

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and moderate.

• Partner Banks (Regional Swiss Banks)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOLZ has established partnerships with numerous regional Swiss banks for the distribution of pension solutions (OLZ Smart Invest 65 ESG). Partner banks include AEK BANK 1826, Bank Bonhôte, Bank EKI Genossenschaft, Bank SLM AG, Regiobank Solothurn AG, and others. These banks distribute OLZ pension funds to their clients seeking pillar 3a and vested benefits investments.
• Liberty Vorsorgestiftungen (Pension Foundations)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership with Liberty pension foundations including Liberty 3a Vorsorgestiftung, Liberty Freizügigkeitsstiftung, and Liberty 1e Flex Investstiftung. These foundations offer OLZ Smart Invest 65 ESG as an investment option for retirement savings in Switzerland.
• PRISMA Investment FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOLZ manages the PRISMA ESG SPI Efficient fund in collaboration with the PRISMA Investment Foundation. This fund focuses on optimal diversification and effective risk management, launched in 2010 with over 12 years of successful track record.
• FINMA (Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority)coreOthersOLZ AG holds a FINMA license as a collective asset manager since 2007. FINMA is the independent Swiss financial market supervisory authority.
• FINOS (Financial Ombuds Switzerland)minorOthersFINOS (Finanzombudsstelle Schweiz) is the official mediation body for financial services providers. OLZ AG is affiliated with FINOS for dispute resolution with clients.
• Integritas Compliance AGminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCompliance function partner providing compliance, risk, and legal services for financial institutions since 2009.
• SwissComply AGminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerOperational risk management partner for the company.
• UN PRI (Principles for Responsible Investment)moderateOthersOLZ is a signatory to the UN PRI, the world's principal promoter of responsible investment. PRI works to understand the investment implications of environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors.
• Swiss Sustainable Finance (SSF)moderateOthersOLZ is a member of Swiss Sustainable Finance, an organization strengthening Switzerland's position as a leading voice and actor in sustainable finance.
• Climate Action 100+moderateOthersOLZ participates in Climate Action 100+, an investor initiative ensuring the world's largest greenhouse gas emitters take appropriate climate action.
• Alliance of Swiss Wealth Managers (ASV-ASWM)minorOthersOLZ is a member of the Alliance of Swiss Wealth Managers, enabling members to regularly exchange experiences and know-how at regional and national levels.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Vontobel Asset Management: Swiss-domiciled active asset manager with sustainability-tilted strategies across equities, bonds, and multi-asset, serving institutional and private clients in Switzerland and internationally. Highly comparable to OLZ in product mix (ESG funds, pension solutions), Swiss pedigree, and institutional client base.
• GAM Investments: Swiss active asset manager offering multi-asset, equity, and systematic strategies to institutional and private clients. Comparable to OLZ in Swiss domicile, focus on active/sustainable mandates, and distribution through Swiss private banks and intermediaries.
• Swisscanto Invest (by Zürcher Kantonalbank): Swiss asset manager specializing in sustainable and pension-oriented investment funds distributed primarily through Swiss banks. Highly comparable to OLZ in Swiss pension fund / Pillar 3a focus, ESG integration, and bank-channel distribution model.
• Acadian Asset Management: Global quantitative equity manager applying systematic, risk-aware approaches including minimum-variance and multi-factor strategies. Comparable to OLZ in its quantitative DNA and risk-optimization philosophy, though at a much larger AUM and with global institutional reach.
• Robeco: Dutch asset manager combining quantitative equity strategies with a leadership position in sustainable/ESG investing. Comparable to OLZ in integrating ESG with systematic equity and multi-asset mandates, though at substantially larger AUM and global distribution.

Broad incumbents

• Pictet Asset Management: Large Swiss private bank's asset management division with extensive ESG and thematic equity/bond funds. Overlaps with OLZ in Swiss private banking heritage and ESG integration, but operates at substantially larger AUM scale with global distribution.
• Lombard Odier Asset Management: Swiss private bank and asset manager with strong sustainability franchise (LOIM). Comparable to OLZ in Swiss heritage, emphasis on independence, and ESG-tilted strategies, though operates with a larger platform and broader global footprint.
• J. Safra Sarasin Asset Management: Swiss private bank with a sustainability-led asset management franchise serving institutional and private clients. Overlaps with OLZ in Swiss base, ESG integration, and cross-asset systematic capabilities, though at materially larger AUM.
• UBS Asset Management: Largest Swiss asset manager with extensive passive, active, and sustainable fund offerings, serving global institutional and private clients. Overlaps with OLZ in pension fund and Swiss private client segments, but competes at a vastly different scale.
• AllianceBernstein: Global asset manager with a strong systematic/quantitative equity franchise alongside actively managed fixed income and multi-asset solutions. Comparable to OLZ in systematic risk-aware equity investing and ESG-aware mandates, though at much larger scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/887928

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about OLZ & Partners