Pictet thematic equities team

Located in Geneva, Switzerland, the Pictet thematic equities team is a pioneer in thematic equities. Having started over 25 years ago, they’re now responsible for over US$63 billion in assets under management,* with a team of over 70 investment professionals across 17 strategies.

The thematic equities difference

  • Megatrends—Large, social, economic, political, environmental, or technological changes representing seismic shifts are targeted for their long-term investment opportunities.
  • Pioneers in thematic investing—For over 25 years, Pictet Asset Management has been researching, developing, and investing in global thematic opportunities.
  • A high-conviction fund that doesn’t look like the benchmark—An unconstrained, actively managed, and focused approach adds diversification within a global equity allocation through a universe beyond standard global indexes.

Get to know the Pictet thematic equities team

The thematic philosophy and process they developed open up a different, broader investment universe that lends itself exceptionally well to active management and helps avoid many of the pitfalls of the traditional regional/sector-based approach to investing in global equities.

The team’s strategies aim to identify the companies that will succeed in the future by focusing on the structural forces shaping our world: megatrends. When these megatrends intersect, powerful investment strategies can be developed.

The fund managers follow a rigorous bottom-up approach to identify the very best thematic stocks from across Pictet’s single theme teams, including: security, nutrition, water, robotics, clean energy, digital, biotech, environmental, health, premium brands, timber, and SmartCity.

Megatrends are long-term forces that will have a large impact on the world we live in.

Line graph representing how megatrends are long-term forces that will have a large impact on the world we live in.  It shows the positive relationship between the duration in years and societal impact as we move from Crazes and Fads lasting 1 or 2 years with a low impact, to Microtrends lasting up to 5 years, then Trends lasting 5 to 10 years and finally Megatrends which last the longest at over 15 years and have the most societal impact.

For illustration purposes only.

Meet the managers behind the fund

Hans Peter Portner

Hans Peter Portner

Head, Senior Investment Manager

Thematic Equities Team

Joined Pictet in 1997

Gertjan Van Der Geer photo

Gertjan Van Der Geer

Senior Investment Manager

Thematic Equities Team

Joined Pictet in 2008


Investment process

Investing in global equities using a thematic approach is very different from traditional investment styles. Pictet’s thematic equities team identifies themes underpinned by secular trends set to structurally change the way we live, society operates, or how business is done. They devise focused thematic strategies and create investment universes they believe have the potential to outperform global equity indexes because of their potential to offer long-term sustainable investment returns based on predictable value drivers.

Constructing a focused thematic strategy at the intersection of a number of megatrends, as the examples show, allows Pictet’s actively managed thematic strategies to seek a compelling risk-adjusted return over the long run. The more megatrends at play in any area, the more compelling the investment theme becomes.

What’s more, their strategies typically focus on companies providing solutions to global challenges and aim to deliver better outcomes not just for investors, but for everyone globally.

  • Concentrated thematic universes
  • Seeking businesses with high thematic purity
  • Focused companies versus conglomerates
Circular image divided into 12 investment themes:  Digital Global Environmental Opportunities Health Nutrition Premium Brands Robotics Security Timber Water Smart City Biotech Clean Energy  A callout highlights the Nutrition theme and the five megatrends that influence the Nutrition theme:  Focus on health Globalization Technology development Sustainability Demographic development  As part of their investment process, Pictet focuses on concentrated thematic universes. They seek businesses with high thematic purity and they have a preference for focused companies versus conglomerates.

Portfolio managers may use some or all of the techniques described. No investment strategy or risk management technique can guarantee returns or eliminate risk in any market environment. Characteristics, guidelines, and constraints are for illustrative purposes only. They may change at any time and may differ for a specific account.


Funds/pools managed

We identify themes that are underpinned by multiple megatrends – confident that in these themes we can find long-term future winners in the global stock market.

—Hans Peter Portner, Head, Senior Investment Manager

* As of October, 2023.

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Any amount that is allocated to a segregated fund is invested at the risk of the contractholder and may increase or decrease in value. Returns shown are after the MER has been deducted. Performance histories are not indicative of future performance. For information on guarantees, fees and expenses that may apply to segregated funds, please read the Information Folder, Contract and Fund Facts of the segregated funds. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company (Manulife) is the issuer of insurance contracts containing Manulife segregated funds and the guarantor of any guarantee provisions therein.  Manulife Investment Management is a trade name of The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company.

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