Switching from a giant to a 'small medium-sized company' with 70 employees is not a step down – on the contrary, says board member Sven Karkossa. After 15 years at Credit Suisse in the External Asset Managers division, he joined Capitell in 2020. "The inquiry from Capitell came at exactly the right time. I wanted to return to my roots in private banking and I was excited about the task of rejuvenating the company, which then had 1.5 billion assets under management, and switching to the side of independent asset managers. One must also have the courage to dive into a new adventure." The 'adventure' Capitell meant for Sven Karkossa, among other things, repositioning the company in marketing and diving into the world of social media. "Previously, we always operated somewhat in the shadows. My credo is to make people visible. Affluent private clients should see the team that is personally ready for them. This way, we can also emotionally engage interested parties," explains the marketing executive. In addition, he emphasizes the importance of addressing further groups such as semi-institutional investors or family offices. 

Show Local Presence

In 2000, when Capitell was founded, the market for independent asset management was not yet established, reports Sven Karkossa. He says, 'The founders of Capitell AG showed courage in breaking away from the traditional banking setup and moving into this field.' With the establishment of six branches in Frankfurt, Hamburg, Hannover, Baden-Baden, Mannheim, Ulm, and the representative office on Sylt, the company soon distinguished itself from most competitors. Another location is to be added in 2025. 'Showing local presence has always been very important to us,' explains the executive board. Reaching the first billion in customer assets was an important milestone. Now almost 4 billion EUR has been reached. Personnel-wise, Capitell has significantly rejuvenated. The 30 advisors are assigned to three generations. With this, Sven Karkossa sees the company being a small step ahead of the competition. The influx of customers is still large, as is the interest from potential advisors. 'However, we do not want growth at any cost. New advisors who come to us must also live our DNA and internalize our beliefs,' he emphasizes.

Excellent Management

At the core of Capitell's business is asset management for private and entrepreneurial clients, with the company focusing heavily on individual stock selection. "Our main priority is the protection of our clients' assets. As active asset managers, our concern is to mitigate risks and volatilities that the capital market entails. And, of course, to achieve a decent return," says Sven Karkossa. The focus on a more conservative asset management approach rather than short-term profits not only appeals to clients: Capitell has been repeatedly recognized for its personal, sustainable and successful asset management. In the future, the company will stick to the principle 'Shoemaker, stick to your last', the board clearly states. An important concern is to address and excite the next generation of private banking clients. He sees a certain trend towards passive investment strategies among them. Accompanying this development, yet continuing to promote the pure equity culture in Germany, is seen as a future task. "In this context, it is also about lowering the entry barrier for private wealth management for these customers. For instance, we are considering how we can offer appropriate incentives to the younger generation at the digital level. We will be offering solutions shortly."

Independent and Future-Oriented

The fact that Capitell has been successfully in the market for 25 years, according to Sven Karkossa, is mainly because the company has always remained true to its guiding principles. "Return, safety and liquidity. We do not tie up capital for long, but only invest in liquid securities and are thus always fungible," he explains. Capitell emphasizes transparency and fairness towards its clients. The asset managers do not use their own products within client portfolios, thus avoiding any conflict of interest, as Sven Karkossa emphasizes. The company also holds 75% of its own shares. "So, we are not controlled by outsiders, but are truly independent." He sees the company well positioned for the future. "It is no secret that massive amounts of assets will be inherited in the coming years. For us, it is about acting as a trustworthy business partner in this process," he says. The focus is on addressing the 'Next Generation' and the following. "A third of our advisors are younger than the class of 1980. That we can offer peers of the same age at the next generational level of asset owners is an added value and creates connection," Sven Karkossa is convinced. There is a goal for organic and inorganic growth and to 'crack' the 5 billion EUR in client assets. "Belonging to the top 5 addresses among independent asset managers in Germany is our claim," he says, emphasizing how appealing his task still is for him: "Unlike in large corporations with long decision-making processes, we develop ideas and go straight into implementation."