SWITZERLAND: Two $20 million mandates for Index-Enhanced Global Debt and Active Swiss Equities have been announced by Zurich-based investment consultant Felix Kottmann of Kottmann Advisory for a Swiss pension fund client.

Kottmann is setting very strict index-enhanced guidelines for the global debt mandate with a maximum tracking error of 0.5% and a preference for investment into government and/or high quality corporate debt. The actively managed Swiss equities mandate is far more open with Kottmann saying that there is no limit being placed on the tracking error.

Questionnaires for both mandates have been placed on the
IPE-Quest.com manager search notice-board by Kottmann who has used IPE-Quest.com to gather responses to six other searches in 2002. Five of these searches, placed for Swiss Air and valued at a total $600 million, attracted replies from 128 different asset managers. Appointments are expected to be announced shortly.

IPE-Quest.com is also currently carrying searches for Japanese equity ($50 million) on behalf of a continental European pension fund and Eurozone equity ($200 million) on behalf of a middle eastern foundation.