Hellenic Bank’s Wealth ‘investing in the new macro regime’ client forum

Hellenic Bank’s Wealth & Investment Services recently hosted a client forum, placing the spotlight on the recent market developments and investment trends.

The discussion centered on the ever-evolving financial landscape and the current challenges, such as the elevated geopolitical risks, market volatility and uncertainty, highlighting the need for investors to ensure portfolio resilience, an announcement from the bank noted.

In her presentation, Michaella Savva, Manager of Wealth & Investment Services at Hellenic Bank, analysed the new macroeconomic environment and talked about the new investment opportunities and structural trends shaping the industry. Michaella Savva emphasised that in the new regime, volatility is constant and a broad market exposure will no longer be sufficient. Investors should be selective and regularly re-evaluate their portfolios, ensuring they can “weather” any storm that may be coming whilst also being tactically positioned to capitalise on new investment opportunities.

Michaella Savva highlighted that investors should pursue a dynamic asset and geographic allocation, incorporating assets with different expected returns and correlations. “At Hellenic Bank Wealth, we are selective, and we favour quality investments. We prefer assets that offer attractive returns and which can provide both resilience and flexibility. Today, the bond markets are offering the highest real yield we have seen in the last 12 years. In equities, we like companies with strong balance sheets and resilient margins.” she stressed.

“Our goal,” she added, “is not just to develop and implement a strategy, or to simply execute transactions. At Hellenic Bank we build long-lasting partnerships. We empower and support our clients – both institutional and individual investors – so that they can achieve their financial objectives.”

Michaella Savva addressed thematic investing and specifically analysed the mega trends that are here to stay and which are shaping our daily lives as well as society at large. These mega trends are: sustainability and the net-zero pathway, digitization and in particular the potential of AI, changing demographics and urbanisation. Michaella Savva noted that Hellenic Bank is partnering with global fund managers to give their clients exposure to these unstoppable trends.

At the forum, Dr Andreas Assiotis, Head of Retail Banking at Hellenic Bank, provided an analysis of the macroeconomic landscape and underlined the importance of financial planning and investing – for institutional and private investors alike. Dr. Assiotis stressed that at Hellenic Bank “we’ve redesigned wealth management, making it accessible and available to all, in this way empowering our clients every step of the way.”

Taking part in the event were representatives of Allianz Global Investors, Pimco and Schroders.

Giorgos Georgiou, Global Head, Fixed Income Product Specialist for Allianz Global Investors, noted that the current environment offers opportunities that were not available when inflation and interest rates were very low.

Vasilis Milias, Vice-President and Account Manager for Pimco in Greece, Cyprus and the United Kingdom, spoke about how bonds have made a comeback, offering equity-like returns with low-risk.

Lastly, Dimitrios Batzis, Head of Southern CEE & Mediterranean at Schroders analysed the opportunities available in the private markets and the role these play in portfolios.