Lars Schickentanz

ANIMA Sgr SpA (ANIMA) is the majority-owned fund management subsidiary of Anima Holding SpA (BIT: ANIM) in Italy. The firm was created in 2009 when Anima SGRpA and Bipiemme Gestioni SGR SpA merged. Listed between 2005 and 2009, the former Anima SGRpA was established in 1983 and was acquired by Banca Desio e Della Brianza SpA in 1999. Headquartered in Milan, ANIMA creates and manages investment solutions built around the specific needs of clients, whether institutional investors (insurance and financial groups, pension funds), companies or individuals.

PRIMA SGR SpA (PRIMA) is the asset management subsidiary of Anima SGR SpA, itself a subsidiary of Asset Management Holding SpA in Italy. Previously known as Monte Paschi Asset Management SGR, PRIMA was reorganized in 2009 as a joint venture between the private equity firm Clessidra SGR and Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena SpA (MI: BMPS). The firm can trace their origins to 2002 when MPS Alternative Investments was created through the integration of Ducato Gestioni, Spazio Finanza, and GI Gest. In 2003 the quantitative investment specialist MPS Asset Management Ireland Ltd. was established. In 2009 PRIMA absorbed the activities of their wholly-owned subsidiary PRIMAlternative Investments SGR, as well as the activities of PRIMA Hedge SGR and ABN AMRO Asset Management SGR. Based in Milan, the firm manages mutual funds, funds of funds, hedge funds, real estate investments and a Luxembourg-based SICAV. They also manage segregated accounts on behalf of private individuals and wholesale clients.