Top Spot for Family Offices
Hong Kong has seen the growth of family offices that choose the city for its base of operations. Quintar Capital originally began as a single family’s investment portfolio and quickly grew in the past year to address the financial goals of its clients. Rather than regarding other family office businesses as competitors, Quintar Capital’s Chief Executive Office Jürg Niederberger views them as peers.
Planning for generations ahead
“More often than not, we help and support each other to provide the services that each individual family needs,” Niederberger stated. “Family offices apply long term thinking towards investment decisions, and need to plan for the generations ahead. Hong Kong has a rich history as a trading and financial hub, which is something that not many other places in Asia can claim. It is no surprise that the family office industry considers Hong Kong a top spot within Asia. I strongly expect this growth to continue for another few years, followed by some consolidation to reach better economies of scale.”
Originally from Europe, Niederberger has made Asia his home for the past 22 years and is intrinsically familiar with Hong Kong’s advantages for family office companies. “Our mission is to source and monitor Asian investments,” he explained. “Hong Kong ticks all the boxes for a base of operations: location, interconnectivity, currency, time zone, accessibility, tax regime and, above all, its convenience.”
Robust finance talent pool in Hong Kong
The company has just launched its second fund, Qunitar Strategic Special Credit Fund. In time, it plans to introduce different strategies along with hire more local staff members as it expands. “We shall have the need for more investment specialists and support functions,” said Niederberger. “Since 2016, I have been part of the mentorship programme at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. I have had the pleasure to meet some exceptional Hong Kong talent over the years. There are plenty of talented people, in particular young ones.”
Niederberger appreciates InvestHK’s effort in promoting the family office industry. “InvestHK knows what a family office needs and desires,” he commented. “They were able to open doors, make introductions, and give us a platform to get our name out.”
With respect to his adopted home of Hong Kong, Niederberger is brimming with enthusiasm about how convenient living in the city has proven to be. “The convenience of proximity, of flight connections, of currency acceptance, and of tax regime simplicity – these are all invaluable benefits for all of us here in Hong Kong,” he stated. “The personal environment of living in Hong Kong is close to perfect.”