Frank Walenta and Peter Brown (ZEDRA): leveraging a wealth of experience

In 2024, ZEDRA’s global growth is highlighted by its Luxembourg expansion, addressing rising demand in family office and fund services. With key new hires and a strong focus on mid-cap opportunities, ZEDRA leverages Luxembourg’s strategic position, advanced technology, and personalized services to deliver exceptional value across European markets.

ZEDRA is growing fast: can you share the new faces in the company?

2024 has been an exciting year for ZEDRA, marked by substantial growth globally and within Luxembourg. In response to rising client demand, particularly in family office, funds, and corporate services, we have expanded both our offices and our team in Luxembourg.

For example, there is huge demand right now for alternative assets in family offices, especially within the mid-market segment of €50-€500 million AuM. Many providers have shifted their focus to larger clients, leaving this segment underserved, and ZEDRA is perfectly placed to deliver the services they need and the experience they deserve.

Welcoming Peter Brown as Managing Director of the Luxembourg operations and the team from CreaPartners, previously part of Creatrust, has marked a step change for ZEDRA’s Luxembourg operations. In his new role as Head of Commercial, Frank Walenta continues to be a true ambassador for Luxembourg’s private markets, focusing on supporting both current and prospective clients seeking to raise capital in Europe.

Outside of Luxembourg, ZEDRA has strengthened its leadership team with several high profile appointments this year including Dean Blackburn joining as Deputy CEO. In addition, the firm recently welcomed Iryna Kovbel as European Finance Director.

"Luxembourg stands as the world’s second-largest fund domicile, hosting numerous Fund Managers and Family Officers."

What role is Luxembourg playing in ZEDRA’s growth strategy?

Luxembourg stands as the world’s second-largest fund domicile, and hosting numerous Fund Managers and Family Officers. As part of a global company in key locations throughout Asia, the Americas and Europe, we work collaboratively as one team to provide exceptional services to international clients wherever they operate. Luxembourg is a popular choice for existing clients – especially fund managers from regions like the US looking to enter the European funds market.

The funds industry has recently gone through a challenging time but is showing strong signs of recovery. We see a clear convergence between private wealth and funds, positioning ZEDRA for both organic and inorganic growth US clients, who represent a significant portion of Luxembourg fund initiators, are increasingly seeking a one stop solution that offers highly personalized services throughout the entire value chain. This is exactly what we aim to deliver at ZEDRA.

⁠What risks and opportunities do you identify for Luxembourg and ZEDRA?

Starting with the opportunities, the midcap segment remains underserved. Moreover, clients expect service providers to leverage advanced tools and technology to increase efficiency, allowing advisors to focus on high-value tasks that directly benefit the client experience Reporting is evolving, with a shift towards insightful forward-looking tools that enable more informed decision-making.

On the regulatory side, we see new evolutions such as SFDR andinvestment vehicles like ELTIFs which are seeking to drive a more sustainable approach to investing, and open up private markets to a much wider investor base in the future. Attracting and retaining the right people is challenging, but fundamental to the future growth in the industry – an inclusive, collaborative, and empowering culture is essential.

Additionally, data management is also critical to delivering a great client experience: protecting and managing data effectively is necessary for running an efficient business, utilizing AI, and delivering the insights and solutions that clients expect—all while ensuring compliance across different jurisdictions.