Company snapshot

Origins

chameleon asset management ag was founded by CEO Carlos Zanotelli in 2007, with a primary area of expertise in “convertible bonds,” a special kind of bonds/debt securities that may be, but do not have to be, transformed into stocks.

In subsequent years, our organization gradually crystallized into our current model: a sustainable, “boutique” bond company, with “high-interest bonds” and “structured products” as our two complementary asset classes; the latter is used with a modest number of private clients for whom it is still possible, in the current disadvantageous interest environment, to generate (mostly) tax-free income.

Target groups

In our role as "collective assets managers" under FINMA’s supervision, our main target groups are institutional investors like retirement funds, family offices, SBE banks and wealth managers.

Depending on country-specific regulations, our funds that are authorized for public sale can of course also be acquired by private investors. In individual cases, we also accept some high-net-worth private clients with an investment volume of two million Swiss francs or more, provided we have the personnel available to do so, as we always want to be sure we can provide all stakeholders with top-quality personalized service.

Focus

Like chameleons, we seek to handle clients’ money as prudently, responsibly and deliberately as possible. Our gaze is directed straight ahead so we can recognize potential early on; to the side, so we can assess risks and dangers; and behind us, so we can reliably evaluate developments and opportunities.

Civic involvement

In recognition of our privileged situation, we aim to return a mid-single-digit percentage of sales/earnings to the society on a long-term average. We usually give to NGO’s and support activities in developing countries, fund research expeditions in our mascot’s countries of origin, or initiate and support publications on the topics of our primary asset classes or on sustainability in general.

Additional information

Fairness and transparency

Since its founding, chameleon asset management ag has always renounced all retrocessions and kick-backs as a matter of principle, preferring to believe that “sometimes less is more,” since such practices have never fit with our ideas about fairness and transparency, and we do not consider such practices to be sustainable. It is not right to charge our valuable clients in multiple ways. Thus holdings of our own funds and larger cash positions are routinely removed from the calculation of our honoraria, provided we find this practicable and it is clearly communicated to the client.