Metallrente, the recently established sector-wide supplementary pensions provider for the German metal workers and related industries, believes winning the IPE country award for Germany is a sound acknowledgement that it came up with the perfect concept and structure within the country’s new pensions landscape.
“Winning the IPE award gives us the opportunity to present our unique concept to a wider European audience. We believe we won thanks to the many tax-friendly options and funding strategies we have incorporated into our new occupational pensions products. This concept has obviously proved right,” says Metallrente’s Caroline Wichmann.
Wichmann stresses, however, that the win also has far-reaching practical implications, as the award is a great sales and marketing tool and internal communications device. “The win is giving us added confidence. In contrast to the insurance companies, we are a pension scheme company that is covered by collective bargaining and therefore driven by both the markets and clients.
“Being able to present ourselves with the added bonus of the IPE Award will help us enormously in forging new relationships with clients and other industry players, as well as allowing us to build on existing relationships,” she says, adding that clients have already reacted to the news and that the fact that IPE is both neutral and independent reaffirms the award’s importance for future business. “The difference this makes to our marketing and acceptance of our products is substantial.”
Wichmann says that Metallrente’s staff has already demonstrated a high level of competence and motivation but the award hasn’t gone unnoticed. “We haven’t been around long and these are exciting times for the pension fund industry in Germany.
“Though our teams are highly-motivated anyway, the IPE award is the perfect outside acknowledgement of their hard work and effort and will encourage them to continue working on such a high level, she comments.

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