"Good asset management is personal!"
Interview with Thomas Buckard, spokesperson for the board of MPF AG
MPF AG from Wuppertal not only wants to manage assets but also the personalities behind them – because when it comes to money, individual needs can sometimes differ fundamentally. Board spokesperson Thomas Buckard spoke with Wirtschaftsforum about new asset classes, the toughest crisis of his career, and the values behind his personal asset management approach.
Wirtschaftsforum: Mr. Buckard, MPF AG places great importance on caring for personalities, not just assets – what exactly does this approach entail?
Thomas Buckard: I believe that most wealth managers, who practice their craft in the sense of the traditional image of an honest businessman, are not fundamentally very different from each other. Recently, we had an agency conduct in-depth interviews with some of our clients and then analyzed the results in detail. Our clients often highlighted our partnership-like and almost familial approach – and I think that really captures our attitude quite well. We care not only about professionally managing the assets entrusted to us, but we also act as part of a broad network with members of the legal and auditing professions as competent contacts: in complex issues regarding succession planning in medium-sized companies, provision for children and grandchildren, and management of foundation assets. This holistic approach then also results in our high level of service competency. Moreover, we are fundamentally authentic in what we do.
Wirtschaftsforum: How does this authenticity manifest in daily business?
Thomas Buckard: Through the large degree of creative freedom that we provide to our employees, and the associated pronounced entrepreneurial spirit at MPF AG, we know the concerns and challenges of our customers firsthand. Those who always expect maximal performance and absolutely want to beat the market are, frankly, in the wrong place with us. Because we stand for more sustainable investment strategies that also prove themselves in times of crisis.
Wirtschaftsforum: There have been quite a few of those recently.
Thomas Buckard: In my 43 years of professional experience, I have truly seen a lot - from Black Monday 1987, the Sub-Prime Crisis in 2008, to the European sovereign debt crisis a few years later. However, the Corona crisis was probably the most severe disruption I have ever experienced. Suddenly, the world saw a complete economic collapse, a total standstill with deserted city centers, sold-out supermarkets, and massive stock market crashes. We even had to send out a loss threshold reporting to our clients twice in one week – it was a terrible feeling. Normally, in this situation, asset managers have to calm their clients.
Yet in this situation, I experienced almost the opposite. Countless customers called us or sent emails expressing their unwavering trust and encouraging us that we would overcome this crisis together. This was an incredibly moving affirmation of the attitude behind our asset management.
Wirtschaftsforum: Many young people are now skeptical about professional asset management – the motto of the moment is: ETFs!
Thomas Buckard: I do not want to demonize it: After all, we also work with ETFs – but also with much more, such as thematic funds, individual stocks, and bonds. Of course, there are cases where an ETF is clearly the tool of choice, for example, if you want to invest a few hundred euros each month, long-term and broadly diversified in the market without much effort. But imagine you win two million euros in the lottery or receive 400,000 EUR from your parents, who own a medium-sized business, as part of the gift tax allowances – would you really invest this entire sum in just three ETFs? At this point, most investors decide to explore further investment fields, which can greatly reduce the volatility of an equity fund.
Wirtschaftsforum: The traditional advice is to simply stay invested in the market during crisis times – and preferably buy more shares!
Thomas Buckard: It is easy to say when speaking abstractly about the best investment strategy. But if you suddenly see a loss of half a million euros on your account statement, read every day in the FAZ that things will get much worse, and hear crash prophets talk about the complete collapse of the entire economic order, it requires enormous psychological strength to resist this doom and gloom and continue to act coolly, rationally, and with professional distance. However, this is precisely the strength of our profession. We are pleased that in the last few years we have been able to attract many young employees who would like to continue this path with us. For the coming years, we would particularly welcome applications from qualified women for client support, to break up this traditional male domain and benefit from an even more comprehensive perspective.