Launched in 2018, SYZ Capital has brought innovation to private market investments, which have historically been the preserve of institutional investors. SYZ Capital offers private clients the opportunity to invest alongside the Syz family and Group across a range of strategies that are uncorrelated to more traditional capital markets. They actively invest in a broad range of best-in-class niche private equity themes and direct investments.
In his new role, Gian Kull will not only be managing portfolios, but will also be spearheading the sourcing and execution of some of the firm’s private market investments, reporting directly to Marc SYZ, CEO of SYZ Capital.
Gian Kull joins SYZ Capital from Multiplicty Partners AG, a leading special situations advisor in Europe, where he focused on structured litigation investments. Previously, he was Director of Sourcing for VALTEGRA LLP, a European turnaround private equity fund. In 2011, he launched the European office for Brigade Capital Management in Zurich, where he managed distressed credit investments across Europe. Gian Kull started his career as an equity research analyst for Merrill Lynch.
“We’re delighted to welcome Gian to the team”, says Marc Syz, CEO of SYZ Capital. “He will contribute further to the team’s deep technical expertise in private market investments and portfolio construction, sourcing niche investment opportunities, as we continue to democratise the access and deliver the benefits of alternatives to a much broader investor universe. More specifically, Gian has a strong experience in structuring litigation investments, an area we’re focusing on”.
By funding legal cases where the claimant cannot afford the cost of legal disputes, investors are exposed to a variety of cases, claimants and defendants, as well as jurisdictions – all uncorrelated to macro and market movements.
Gian Kull adds: “Through their longstanding relationships and network, Marc and his team are able to source unique special situations opportunities that offer compelling risk-adjusted returns. I look forward to helping them identify further situations where superior uncorrelated performance can be generated due to structural imbalances, information asymmetry or unique market access”.
Over the past year, SYZ Capital has found attractive special situations opportunities in Europe such as buying distressed portfolios of assets in secondary strategies, where mispricing was accentuated by the recent market volatility. The current economic environment will offer further such interesting and unique opportunities which can hold significant value.