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Rachid is an executive in pension fund management and financial services. Since December 2018, he has been Managing Director of Pensionskasse SBV, overseeing strategy and operations. In January 2023, he took on the leadership of the 1st Pillar Benefits Department at consimo and joined the executive management team in July 2024. Previously, Rachid was Managing Director of the Vorsorgestiftung des Kaufmännischen Verbandes Schweiz. He holds a Master of Science in Banking and Finance from ZHAW School of Management and Law and gained international experience at ISC Paris.

Bernard Bachmann is the Co-CEO responsible for Operations (Chief Operating Officer) and RM (Chief Risk Officer) at Swiss Re Insurance-Linked Investment Management Ltd. Bernard Bachmann has been with Swiss Re since 2010 working for Swiss Re Group Asset Management ultimately as Head of Investment Manager Oversight responsible for Swiss Re's external investment manager platform. Previously Bernard Bachmann worked as Head of Operational Due Diligence at Man Investments where he gained extensive knowledge and experience in banking, investment administration and hedge fund management. Prior to joining Man Investments in 2004 he worked for KPMG Financial Services as a financial and banking regulatory auditor with key clients, such as Credit Suisse First Boston, Jefferies and GE Capital. Bernard Bachmann holds a MSc in Business Administration from the University of Zürich. He is a CFA, CFA ESG and a CAIA charter holder, as well as a Swiss certified public accountant (CPA).

Paola is a director for business development and member of the board of abrdn Investments Switzerland SA. She joined abrdn in 2015 from Saint George Capital Management (Unipol-SAI Insurance Group) where she held the position of CEO and Investment Manager since 2008. Prior to that, she was a Hedge Fund Manager. Paola is passionate about financial education and has been Zurich Chapter head for the CAIA Association 2017 -2024. From 2013 to 2018, she was a Director of 100 Women in Finance Ltd, the London board of the Association. Paola holds a Master of Science in Chemical Engineering from Politecnico di Torino and a CAS in Sustainable Finance from University of Zurich.

Victoria Chernykh is a Private Markets Investment Specialist at Preqin, where she contributes to comprehensive market analyses and research insights, with a particular focus on private equity. With a career spanning fixed income, equities, and alternative investments, she is an innovative and commercially astute cross-asset class specialist and consultant. Recognized among the Top 25 Wealth Managers by Citywire in 2015, she has extensive experience in business development, investor relations, and investment strategy. Her expertise includes conducting thorough analyses of asset allocation strategies, mutual and closed-end fund products, and private and publicly traded securities. She has played a critical role in evaluating, distributing, and marketing investment products to institutions, intermediaries, and platforms. Acting as a key client liaison for institutional investors and wealth management organizations, she has built strong relationships and facilitated effective investment solutions. She has also been actively involved in public digital broadcasts, sharing insights and perspectives on financial markets. Beyond investment analysis, Victoria has gained significant experience in project management, organizational behavior, motivation, and corporate culture. She thrives in dynamic and challenging environments, having worked in startups—including the prestigious glossy publication ELLE in an emerging market—as well as in large multinational corporations. Adaptability and continuous skill development have been key pillars of her career. Victoria is known for her ability to build and maintain client relationships both digitally and in person, leveraging her deep understanding of risk management, accountancy, and investment strategy development. Her strong marketing and communication skills have contributed to her success in the financial sector. Outside of her professional life, she is passionate about performing arts and fitness, bringing the same level of discipline and dedication to her personal interests as she does to her career.

Vincent's expertise encompasses portfolio construction and analysis, asset and risk management, as well as derivatives and structured products. Vincent has 20+ years of experience in the financial services industry and has (co-) founded successfully several companies.

Roman is a senior investment consultant at Complementa, which he joined in 2018. He advises institutional investors in financing and management processes and is also Head of the Centers of Excellence: Insurance Linked Securities and Fixed Income CHF/Mortgages. He has extensive experience in advisory, relationship management and investment reporting, having held leadership roles at UBS Asset Servicing and worked at various banks in Switzerland. He studied economics, sociology, and philosophy at the University of Zurich and holds the CIIA certificate.

Oliver Grimm joined City of Zurich Pension Fund (Pensionskasse Stadt Zürich) in November 2010 and has been Head of Mandates of the investment department since 2018. His key areas of focus include private market investments, infrastructure, real estate, currency hedging, and fixed income investments. Since 2023, Oliver has been a trustee of the Adimora Investment Foundation (Swiss real estate) and a Board of Director at the CFA Society Switzerland. Additionally, he represents the PKZH on the boards of infrastructure operating companies. Oliver is a member of the Capital Market Investments Expert Group (VPS), and an advisory board member of the Vision PK2030 initiative at ZHAW. He was a Post Doc at ETH Zurich in macroeconomics, and studied economics at the University of Heidelberg, where he also earned a PhD in economics in 2007.

Paul is a Managing Director in the Capital Solutions Group ("CSG") with HSBC Asset Management and has been working in the financial industry since 2005. CSG is tasked with raising funds and creating bespoke offerings in private assets for institutional and wealth clients of HSBC Asset Management. Prior to joining Asset Management Paul held several roles in Investment Banking. After several years in the Advisory team in Paris, working on origination and execution of M&A transaction, he moved to the Principal Investment team to set-up and develop the activity in France. Paul then joined the London office within the Corporate Finance team in 2012, advising clients on capital and transaction structure, especially around events (M&A & restructuring). He also contributed to the execution of M&A and capital raising operations supporting specialist product teams (ECM, LAF, DCM) in the execution of transactions. In 2018, he combined his role with a role of Chief of Staff, initially for the EMEA M&A team, and then for the wider IB Event Coverage teams. In 2020, he joined the Private Capital Group, in charge of the Coverage of SWFs and Pension Funds in Europe with a focus on origination and execution of M&A, financing and ECM transactions. He was also in charge of the Capital Raise initiative, which was coordinating the equity and equity-like capital raising effort for public and private Corporates in disrupted market conditions, with thought leadership on products, structuring and identification of investor demand.

Nils Herold studied economics and received his doctorate (Dr. rer. pol.) at the University of Basel. He is an expert in the field of venture capital investments and has been actively involved in the area of ​​sustainable and impact-oriented investments for many years - at a major universal bank, a cantonal bank, and a sustainability rating agency. Nils Herold has been working at Stiftung Abendrot since 2023 and helps shape the pension fund's investments.

Joël Hübscher works in the Private Markets team at the Swiss Federal Pension Fund PUBLICA as a senior portfolio manager and manages the private debt and infrastructure equity portfolios. He is also responsible for the sustainable investing strategy of the private market investments. Before joining PUBLICA in 2018, Joël Hübscher was a Senior Financial Risk Manager at PostFinance and was responsible for measuring and reporting the economic and balance sheet interest rate risk. Joël Hübscher is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and holds a Master of Science in Business Administration from the University of Bern with a focus on finance and accounting.

Laura Merlini, CAIA, CIFD, is Managing Director, EMEA, for the CAIA Association since March 2012. She is a senior alternative investment professional with experience in strategic leadership, management skills and alternative investment knowledge in market outreach, brand development, reputation and member engagement. She formerly worked at Fortis Bank in Milan, Madrid, and Geneva. Since obtaining her CAIA Charter Certification in 2007, she has been an active member-volunteer, not only as the Co-founder of the CAIA Iberia Chapter in Madrid in 2008, but also as the Co-head of the CAIA Switzerland Chapter in Geneva as of 2010. Additionally, she chaired the 100 Women in Finance Educational Committee in Geneva between 2016 and 2018. Laura earned a BA in Business Administration at Bocconi University in Milan, received the CEMS MIM (Community of European Management Schools) MSc in International Management in 2002, and is a member of the Inaugural Class (2014) of the Executive Master in Positive Psychology, Leadership and Strategy from IE in Madrid. She strongly believes that governance is the core of a healthy financial industry, and this conviction led her to become a Certified Investment Fund Director accredited by the CIFD Institute in Ireland in 2015. Laura is also currently a member of the UN PRI HF Advisory Committee and a NED at Agave Advisors, an independent wealth manager firm based in Geneva. She is often invited to speak at conferences, roundtables and webinars on alternative investments. Having earned a Sommelier diploma, in her free time, she enjoys wine tasting as well as opera and art.

Gene joined Churchill Asset Management (a Nuveen company) in 2020 as Senior Investment Strategist, with over 30 years of financial services industry experience in leading strategic initiatives, investment and portfolio management, fund formation, and product development. Gene works closely with Nuveen’s global distribution team to deepen Churchill’s relationships with and develop creative solutions to meet the unique needs of investors around the world. Gene served in numerous leadership positions in investing, origination, and product development at numerous firms. Gene began his career at Morgan Stanley, where he worked in the investment banking department and was a founding member of the High Yield Group. He joined Merrill Lynch as a Managing Director in the investment banking department, focusing on working with private equity and alternative asset managers as well as serving on the both the equity and debt commitment committees. Prior to joining Churchill, Gene served as the Chief Investment Strategist of KCAP Financial (Kohlberg Credit) and led the $1 billion alternative asset business at Emigrant Bank. Previously, Gene oversaw the origination, structuring, and ongoing management of subordinated debt and structured equity investments at Highland Capital. At Highland, he was also responsible for the planning and execution of new funds and the development of new products, as well as served on a number of investment committees. Gene earned an A.B., cum laude with honors, from Harvard College and received an M.B.A. from the Harvard Graduate School of Business Administration.

Olivier P. Müller is moderating this event in his capacity as volunteer Zurich Chapter Executive at CAIA Association. Professionally, he is in the fund structuring business which he is building up. Previously he was at Credit Suisse where he held several leadership positions in investment solutions and equity research. Earlier positions included investment strategy, product management and portfolio management. Olivier P. Müller holds a MSc in Business and Economics, is a CAIA Charterholder, and has the CFA, CIPM and FRM designations.

With a background as an entrepreneur and investor, Dario has extensive experience in the creation of profitable and sustainable growth. As a CEO, he has brought a start-up mentality to distressed companies and led successful turnarounds. He has a passion for coaching and mentoring teams from diverse backgrounds, his specialty is the unleashing of human potential and the achievement of extraordinary results.

Eliane moved from Fontavis, where she worked as Director Institutional Business Development & Investor Relations. She is a financial expert who has gained 15 years of experience at Credit Suisse, and also in Asia and Great Britain.

Andreas is the Head of Investment Research and Senior Investment Consultant at Complementa in Zurich. In his current role he advises Swiss and German pension funds on their strategic and tactical asset allocation. In addition, he is one of the co-authors of the annual Complementa Risk Check-Up pension study as well as co-author/author of various articles for the VPS pension magazine as well as publications for Complementa. Before joining Complementa he worked for the private equity team of a German family office. Prior to that he worked for UBS and Credit Suisse in various roles and departments.

Felix Signorell joined Ardian in 2010 and is a Managing Director in the Secondaries & Primaries Team based in Zurich. In his role as the CIO of Ardian Switzerland he supervises mandates on Swiss pension funds and is a member of the Global Investment Advisory Committee. He started his career in 2006 working in the private equity and infrastructure investment team of Horizon21, a privately owned investment boutique headquartered in Switzerland.

Ivan Suárez is a seasoned finance professional serving as Industry and Chapter Relations Associate EMEA at the CAIA Association and as a member of the Investment Committee for the Real Estate and Private Equity division at Bellamy Signature Capital Partners. At CAIA, Ivan leverages his deep expertise in alternative investments to manage European executive committees, strengthen key industry relationships, and drive strategic market growth, contributing to the organization’s mission to expand its global footprint. In his role at Bellamy Signature, Ivan guides investment strategies for off-market deals, applying advanced financial modelling techniques to ensure sound decisions in the Real Estate and Private Equity division. Ivan holds a Master of Science in Banking and Finance, specializing in Alternative Investments, from the Hochschule Lucerne, University of Applied Sciences and Arts. He also earned a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Universidad Rey Juan Carlos (URJC)

Beat Wüst has been CIO and Head of the Investment Department of the GastroSocial Pension Fund since 2016. Prior to that, he had been in charge of the GastroSocial Pension Fund’s securities investments since 2014, having held various management positions at Rockwell Automation in Switzerland and the USA with the associated Swiss pension funds. Beat Wüst since end 2023 is part of Renaissance Foundation Board and has also been a member of the Board of the IST Investment Foundation since 2020. He graduated from the University of Zurich with a degree in business administration and has worked in the field of finance and investments for more than 25 years. He regularly speaks at specialist conferences on pension fund investment topics.

Michael Zuppiger is Director of AWI Investment Foundation Winterthur. He manages and develops investment solutions for swiss pension funds with selected asset managers. Before joining AWI Investment Foundation Winterthur, he worked for State Street as well AXA Investment Managers Schweiz AG, taking care of institutional client investment needs. Michael Zuppiger is a qualified banking economist HF and holds a diploma as a federal dipl. pension fund manager. Additionally, Michael is a CAIA and CESGA Chartholder.