[ M E E T T H E D E S K | Q U O N I A M A S S E T M A N A G E M E N T ]
background, which naturally leads to different perspectives and approaches. While our objectives are always aligned, the paths we take to get there can vary and that constant exchange is what allows us to learn from one another.
“ The era of the‘ lone cowboy’ on the trading desk is over. Today, teamwork is essential: supporting each other, developing trading strategies together, and acting as sparring partners within the team are key elements of how we operate,” he affirms.
Delving deeper into the empirical side of this, Rosenberger explains:“ I act as a sparring partner for portfolio management, contributing to morning calls and providing weekly and monthly updates on relevant market events and developments.”
As Riemenschneider further explains:“ At Quoniam, trading goes beyond pure execution. Trading is positioned as an alpha provider. The team contributes investment ideas, such as switches, to portfolio management and has final discretion, for example, over whether to carry out a bond trade and how many days are necessary for rebalancing our equity portfolios.”
The team points in particular to the accountability-driven approach across the desk, while affirming that the culture of mutual appreciation and continuous learning from one another is vital.
Teamwork is a common buzzword, especially of late, when it comes to investment processes the world over, however how this works in practice is often not so apparent as it is here.
As Hecker enthuses:“ We embrace our differences. Each team member has their own unique strengths and capabilities, and our goal is to complement each other.”
‘ Technology is the backbone of how we trade’ When it comes to the technological side of the coin, the Quoniam team is in firm agreement that both technology and data are central to their operations and remain a core focus – as they were 25 years ago.“ Being technologically ahead of the curve is not an add-on for us, but a fundamental part of how we operate,” asserts Riemenschneider.
He adds that though the final discretion over trade execution lies with the trading desk,“ the process is supported by a quantitative investment framework and a highly automated trading infrastructure”.
When it comes to the empirical use of innovative strategies, Rosenberger highlights the importance of the team working to understand how and why tools and models work, rather than relying on them blindly.
Knowledge and insight are valued just as much as the tools themselves, ensuring that strategies are not applied mechanically but intelligently.
“ Trades are launched with a clear strategy and
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