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Swiss Life
Swiss Life is a financial services company founded in 1857 in Zurich, Switzerland. It offers life insurance, pension plans, and financial solutions for...
Swiss Life
Swiss Life is a financial services company founded in 1857 in Zurich, Switzerland. It offers life insurance, pension plans, and financial solutions for individuals and businesses. Swiss Life was previously known as Rentenanstalt.
General information
Firm type
Insurance
Year founded
1857
Location
Region
Europe
Country
Switzerland
City
Zurich
Corporate office
General-Guisan-Quai 40, Zurich, Switzerland
Additional offices
Luxembourg · Paris · Frankfurt · London
Principals
Matthias Aellig
Group Chief Executive Officer
Marco Gerussi
Group Chief Financial Officer
Stefan Mächler
Group Chief Investment Officer
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who runs investment decisions at Swiss Life?
Stefan Mächler has served as Group Chief Investment Officer since 2014, overseeing the entire CHF 290 billion portfolio. He reports to Group CEO Matthias Aellig. Investment decisions are decentralized across asset-class teams within Swiss Life Asset Managers, with the real estate and infrastructure groups holding significant autonomy.
How is Swiss Life's investment function structured?
Swiss Life Asset Managers operates as the group's institutional investment arm, managing both the parent insurance company's general account and third-party mandates. The entity functions like a large institutional LP, with dedicated teams for direct real estate, infrastructure, private credit, and private equity fund commitments.
Does Swiss Life invest directly or through funds?
Swiss Life employs a hybrid approach. Direct investment dominates in real estate and infrastructure, where the firm acquires assets outright or as co-investor. Private equity exposure flows mainly through fund commitments to European mid-market managers, while private credit is primarily direct senior secured lending.
Which geographies does Swiss Life target for direct investment?
Direct investment concentrates on Western Europe, with Switzerland, Germany, and France forming the core. Real estate portfolios include office, residential, and logistics assets across major cities in these countries. Infrastructure and private credit follow a similar European footprint.
Is Swiss Life structured as a single family office?
No. Swiss Life is a publicly traded Swiss insurance company, not a family office. It is listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange. Its investment activity serves policyholder liabilities and third-party institutional clients, not a single family's wealth.
What is Swiss Life's known posture on co-investments alongside external GPs?
Swiss Life actively participates in co-investments, particularly in real estate and infrastructure. The firm has capacity to underwrite large direct positions and joins club deals with other European institutional LPs. Co-investment activity reduces fee drag and allows for more precise portfolio construction.
Does Swiss Life maintain philanthropic structures?
The Swiss Life Foundation, a historical entity separate from the group's investment operations, supports societal and cultural projects across Switzerland. The foundation is funded by the group but does not represent a significant portion of total capital allocation.
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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