10 Years of Assenagon in Frankfurt
Multi Asset in a Changing Market Environment
Summer 2015: A stock market crash in China shakes global financial markets, and the DAX loses almost 20 percent. The U.S. Federal Reserve announces its exit from ultra-loose monetary policy. Investors worldwide are seeking guidance. Just before the onset of this period of growing uncertainty, Assenagon opens its Frankfurt office in spring 2015 – with a clear strategic focus: multi-asset as a flexible response to market disruptions and structural change.
Crisis-Resilient Investing: The Strength of Active Management
In November 2015, Thomas Romig, then Managing Director and now Chief Investment Officer (CIO) Multi Asset, together with his team, launched the Assenagon Multi Asset Conservative. Shortly thereafter, the fund proved its worth during the global market correction at the beginning of 2016. The resilience of the active management approach also became evident during the pandemic-driven stock market crash of 2020: “Before prices began to fall, we had already significantly reduced the equity quota – thanks to this foresight, we were able to navigate the crisis successfully," says Romig.
At the end of 2021, the Assenagon Multi Asset Balanced followed – designed for investors with a balanced risk profile. Despite geopolitical tensions, inflationary pressures, monetary tightening, and persistent volatility, the multi-asset funds have held their ground through robust risk structures and consistent management. Numerous awards and steady inflows of capital underscore the strength of the concept. “We have learned that it’s not the best forecast that matters, but the ability to manage risks in time and then seize opportunities," Romig explains.
A Location with Significance: Frankfurt as a Center of Expertise
Today, ten years after its launch in Frankfurt, Assenagon, with assets under management of around €72 billion, is among the fastest-growing asset managers in Europe. In addition to the Multi Asset division, the volatility team as well as parts of the sales team are also based in the Main metropolis – in the heart of Europe and Germany. The move to modern offices on Bleichstraße underscores the strategic importance of the location – as an operational hub, an idea lab, and a place for ongoing development.
“We certainly hope for many more successful decades in Mainhattan – and the global financial markets will surely not be boring in the years to come," says Romig. “We live in disruptive times, in which many familiar mechanisms – such as the negative correlation between equities and bonds – can no longer be relied upon. This makes active management, global diversification, and the ability to adapt to new market regimes all the more important.”
München/Frankfurt, 28. August 2025