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- Portrait (PDF, 712 KB)
- Manager selection (PDF, 594 KB)
- Services platform (PDF, 564 KB)
- Organisational structure (PDF, 210 KB)
Your independent partner
Established in 1967 as a non-profit organization by 12 pension schemes for pension schemes, IST is Switzerland’s first independent investment foundation. Our primary objective is the management of well diversified high-quality collective investments.
- The Board of Trustees is made up entirely of members with many years of experience (10 pension funds, 4 independent experts).
- There are no banks or insurance companies represented on the Board of Trustees or in a position to influence it.
- Based in offices in Zurich and Lausanne, our qualified specialists focus on the needs of pension schemes throughout Switzerland.
- IST is subject to the supervision of the Occupational Pension Supervisory Commission (OPSC) in Bern and is audited by Ernst & Young AG. It is also a founding member of the Conference of Managers of Investment Foundations (KGAST/CAFP).
Around 500 clients throughout Switzerland
The IST Investment Foundation manages approximately CHF 9.2 billion in pension assets for around 500 private and public sector pension schemes throughout Switzerland. Only tax-exempt pillar 2 and pillar 3a pension schemes and employer-sponsored welfare funds (in accordance with the BVG/LPP) based in Switzerland are permitted to invest in the IST investment groups.
- The IST Investment Foundation and the IST3 Investment Foundation also offer investment groups comprising US equity investments which are only available to a limited circle of pension schemes in the narrower sense and are entered in the BVG/LPP Guarantee Fund register. Investors in these groups are eligible for full exemption from US withholding tax on dividends from the shares of US companies.
- The IST2 Investment Foundation is open without restrictions to all Swiss pillar 2 or pillar 3a pension schemes.
Success built on open architecture
The IST investment groups are managed by over 10 external managers in Switzerland and abroad. Our well-established internal analysis process allows us to select the best and most cost-efficient asset manager for each asset class. The investment controlling process continually monitors each manager’s performance.
- Comprehensive, broadly diversified range of products permitting flexible implementation of a BVV2-compliant pension fund’s investment strategy
- Independent, transparent manager selection process
- Many years’ experience in the management of balanced portfolios
- Use of institutional funds exempt from stamp duty and value added tax. These funds are subject to supervision by FINMA
- Clearly structured investment controlling process
- Attractive fee structure thanks to pension asset pooling
Transparent and cost-effective investment
The collective management of pension assets has significant advantages over individual management:
- Volume-dependent fee model with issue/redemption fees credited to the investment group (direct cost allocation)
- Administrative overheads for monitoring investment groups are low. No need to worry about distributions, withholding taxes and corporate actions
- IST exercises shareholder voting rights attached to Swiss shares
- Free safekeeping of units with IST
- Daily liquidity (except Immo Invest Switzerland, Residential Real Estate Switzerland, Real Estate Switzerland Focus, Immo Global, ILS, Private Equity, Infrastructure Global and Infrastructure Debt)
- All investors have a right to information and the right to a say