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Profond Vorsorgeeinrichtung
Profond Vorsorgeeinrichtung provides occupational benefits for affiliated Swiss employers under a hybrid framework combining elements of defined benefit and...
Profond Vorsorgeeinrichtung
Profond Vorsorgeeinrichtung provides occupational benefits for affiliated Swiss employers under a hybrid framework combining elements of defined benefit and defined contribution design. The foundation, headquartered in Zurich, operates as an independent collective institution rather than a corporate captive. Peter E. Bodmer serves as President of the Foundation Board, while Laurent Schlaefli acts as Managing Director and Svenja Schmidt as Deputy Managing Director. The fund allocates across a conservative institutional mix anchored by Swiss real estate, infrastructure, and physical gold. Its direct property holdings focus on mixed-use assets within Switzerland, while indirect real estate and infrastructure exposures extend into Germany and Austria through the Profond Investment Foundation — a dedicated vehicle the organization established to pool assets and co-invest. Gold functions as a permanent portfolio hedge, a distinctly Swiss pension fund characteristic. Public equity and fixed income complete the liquid sleeve, though the specific split is not publicly maintained. Profond engages actively with the Swiss pension ecosystem. Managing Director Laurent Schlaefli presides over inter-pension, an industry association for independent collective foundations, and the fund adheres to ASIP reporting standards. In 2022 it joined the Responsible Shareholder Group to coordinate ESG engagement with listed Swiss companies. Team size and total assets are not currently disclosed; prior public record indicated assets above CHF 10 billion, positioning Profond among the larger multi-employer schemes in the Swiss second pillar. Profond's defining structural feature is its self-administered investment foundation — an instrument that lets the fund offer turnkey pension solutions while retaining control over manager selection and asset allocation for the pooled capital. This architecture blurs the line between pension fund and asset manager, making Profond a franchise more than a passive fiduciary.
General information
Firm type
Pension Fund
Year founded
1991
AUM
Undisclosed
Location
Region
Europe
Country
Switzerland
City
Zurich
Corporate office
Zurich, Switzerland
Principals
Peter E. Bodmer
President of the Foundation Board
Laurent Schlaefli
Managing Director
Andreas Häberli
Chief Investment Officer
Svenja Schmidt
Deputy Managing Director
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who runs investment decisions at Profond?
Andreas Häberli serves as Chief Investment Officer, overseeing portfolio construction and external manager selection. The Managing Director Laurent Schlaefli handles organizational strategy and external representation, including his presidency of inter-pension. The two roles are locally split between asset management and institutional governance under the Foundation Board led by Peter E. Bodmer.
How is Profond structured as a pension fund?
Profond operates as an independent collective foundation — not tied to a single employer — and uses a cash-balance hybrid design. Affiliated companies pool their occupational benefits, with each member maintaining an individual account that earns a guaranteed return. The fund assumes no pure defined-benefit longevity risk on plan sponsors.
What does Profond's real asset exposure look like?
Swiss direct real estate forms the tangible core of the portfolio, complemented by infrastructure allocations and a physical gold allocation that serves as a permanent hedge. International real estate and infrastructure exposure extends into Germany and Austria through the Profond Investment Foundation, a separate vehicle the organization created for indirect investment alongside other Swiss pension funds.
What is the Profond Investment Foundation?
It is a dedicated Swiss investment foundation Profond established to hold pooled real estate and infrastructure assets across Switzerland, Germany, and Austria. It functions as a co-investment vehicle that the main fund uses to access international property markets while keeping management in-house, reducing reliance on third-party fund managers.
How does Profond approach ESG and stewardship?
Profond joined the Responsible Shareholder Group in 2022, a Swiss network that coordinates engagement with publicly listed companies on environmental, social, and governance topics. The fund also adheres to ASIP reporting standards, the Swiss pension industry benchmark for transparency and responsible investment disclosure, though it has not publicly released a standalone sustainability report.
Profile maintained by Altss using OSINT (open-source intelligence), regulatory filings, licensed data partners, and verified direct submissions. Read the methodology. Last updated: . Continuous refresh with full update cycles at least every 30 days.
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