A Leadership Affair

Timo Bernd Strattner is a highly accomplished financial professional with a diverse and successful career in investment banking, asset management, and entrepreneurship. With a strong track record of leadership and innovation, Timo has consistently delivered exceptional results throughout his career.

In January 2019, Timo founded Strattners, which was operated as a single family office operating as Strattner Capital Management L.P. with its flagship funds TBS Capital LP and Strattner Alternative Credit Fund LP. Under his leadership he built his family office into financial institution Strattners Bank SA.

Timo founded Eliseo Partners, a regulated financial services company with licenses from ASIC in Australia and the FPR in Auckland, New Zealand. Eliseo Partners successfully managed over $1.7 billion in transactions, including advisory services for a Formula 1 motorsport team, financing for a publicly traded Californian medical software company, and equity agreements with high-profile sports apparel brands. This endeavor culminated in one of his clients having the largest IPO on the National Stock Exchange of Australia. QMIS Financial Group later completed a takeover of Eliseo Partners, valuing their convertible bond portfolio at $150 million and Timo joined QMIS as CFO.

Timo’s early career includes valuable experience gained under the patronage of Prof. Pierre Bultez, which provided exposure to corporate governance, risk management, M&A transactions, and economic policy. During this time, they actively participated in academic and business projects and contributed to the development of minerals securitization programs.

In addition to their career achievements, Timo has pursued academic excellence, currently pursuing a Ph.D. at the Swiss School of Management. 

As a thought leader in the financial industry, Timo has authored several publications, addressing topics such as China’s capital markets, convertible debt financing, and alternative financing methods for publicly traded companies and “Dealmaker,” a guide for companies in Asia-Pacific seeking to become publicly traded on NASDAQ, NYSE, and OTC Markets.

Professor Pierre A. Bultez has a a unique and vast background in banking, economics, governance and possesses extensive international experience within the financial services sector. His expertise spans a wide spectrum, encompassing project finance, corporate governance, risk management, capital markets, and insurance.

Until recently, Professor Bultez served as the appointed manager of Arc Asset Management S.A., a Luxembourg-based asset management company. This role was conducted under the watchful eye of the Luxembourg Financial Sector Supervisory Commission (CSSF), and in the past, he also held similar positions as the appointed manager for insurance companies and banks.

His global influence extends to numerous board memberships, where his proficiency in corporate governance and risk management is highly valued. Professor Bultez has emerged as a preeminent international advisor, counseling governments, financial institutions, and central banks. Moreover, he imparts his knowledge as a professor or visiting professor at various universities and business schools, spanning four continents.

Throughout his illustrious career, Professor Bultez has occupied prominent positions within global banks, including roles such as Vice President at Citibank, First Vice President at DEXIA Banque Internationale à Luxembourg, Chairman of the Executive Committee at AXA Luxembourg, and Chairman of Arc Asset Management S.A., among others.

His contributions to the field are not only practical but also scholarly, as evidenced by his numerous publications and articles on finance, corporate governance, microfinance, and risk management within the financial services sector. Professor Bultez has earned an impressive array of academic qualifications, including an MBA in Finance & Banking from Columbia University (USA), an M.B.A. in Microfinance from the University of Colorado (USA), a Master’s degree in Economics from Belgium, a B.Sc. in Engineering from Belgium, a D.B.A. in Finance from the University of Chester (UK), and a Ph.D. in Finance from the University of Nottingham (UK).

Dr. Afshin Ashofteh is a versatile academic lecturer and consultant who embarked on his professional journey in both the banking industry and academia back in 2000. His expertise spans a wide array of disciplines, including econometrics, statistics, probability, financial risk analysis, financial economics, regulatory compliance, and quantitative advisory services.

Throughout his career, Dr. Ashofteh has served as an advisor to over 25 banks and two central banks, contributing valuable insights and guidance to these financial institutions. In recent years, he has held a lecturing position at the Nova University of Lisbon, where he imparts knowledge in subjects such as Financial Data Science, Risk Management, Banking and Insurance Operations, Financial Reports, Credit and Market Risk, and Big Data for finance.

Beyond his role as an educator, he actively engages in research and consultancy work. He holds the position of a research fellow and advisor within the department of Methodology and Information Systems at Statistics Portugal (INE). Additionally, he is an integrated researcher at the Information Management Research and Development Center (MagIC). Dr. Ashofteh’s influence extends to his membership in two Technical Advisory Groups (TAG) affiliated with the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA).

Dr. Ashofteh’s contributions to academia and research are noteworthy. He has been a featured speaker at five international conferences, including one as a keynote speaker, and has actively participated in three international projects. Notably, his manuscript on a groundbreaking machine learning approach for credit scoring using Big Data, accompanied by its PySpark code, earned the prestigious first prize at the International Conference of Risk Analysis in Austria. This work was subsequently published in the Expert Systems with Applications journal, a top 5% journal in the field of Artificial Intelligence. His academic achievements in Statistical Systems, particularly within the realm of Central Banks, have also garnered recognition and accolades from the Central Bank of Portugal.

Dr. Afshin Ashofteh holds an impressive array of academic qualifications, including a Ph.D. in Information Management specializing in Statistics and Econometrics, an MBA in Finance, a Post-graduate degree in Statistical Systems specializing in Central Banks, and both a Master’s and a BSc degree in Mathematical Statistics. Additionally, he holds certification from TÜV NORD for Risk Management and Internal Audit of Information Security Management System (ISMS).

Dr. Saleem is a quantitative specialist with a focus on advanced probabilistic and simulated estimations, boasting expertise in 3rd generation predictive modeling and cutting-edge risk analytics. With more than 28 years of international professional experience, his career has spanned financial risk management, regulatory compliance, and quantitative advisory services.

He is a distinguished member of the BCBS Official Research Group (BORG), which is affiliated with the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (BCBS). Dr. Saleem also shares his knowledge as a visiting professor at four esteemed universities across Europe and North America. He has authored three influential books on Advanced Risk Analytics and is a recognized member of the Who’s Who of RiskCheck.

Throughout his career, Dr. Saleem has developed an impressive portfolio of over 6000 models, including more than 200 proprietary algorithms. These models are designed for measuring credit, market, operational, and liquidity risks. His impact extends to collaborating with numerous institutions, including 52 banks, 78 non-banking financial companies, 28 private equity funds, 43 insurance companies, 104 asset management companies, 58 investment banks, 62 industrial conglomerates, and 38 stock and commodity exchanges across 32 countries spanning four continents. He has played pivotal roles in developing and implementing risk management analytics and policies for these organizations.

Prior to his current role, Dr. Saleem held senior positions at prominent firms such as KPMG, EY, Deloitte, Commonwealth Development Corporation, OliverWyman, and the World Bank. His influence extends to serving on the Board of Directors for 22 international companies in Pakistan, the UK, and Canada. He has also provided advisory services to the governments of two countries and has worked as an Independent Technical Expert for leading firms like EY, Deloitte, KPMG, PwC, OliverWyman, SAS, and IBM, contributing to their global initiatives.

Dr. Saleem’s academic qualifications are as impressive as his professional achievements. He holds a Master’s degree in Economics, an MBA in Finance, an LLM in Corporate Law, and a PhD in Quantitative Finance.

Philippe is a Belgian national who holds an Economics degree from Mons University and possesses an impressive career spanning over five decades in the banking industry. His wealth of experience has been acquired in various countries, including Belgium, Luxembourg, Switzerland, France, and Monaco.

Notably, Philippe served as a Board member at one of Luxembourg’s largest banks, BIL, where he introduced an innovative private banking model inspired by Mc Kinsey. Subsequently, he took on the role of CEO at Dexia’s Swiss bank. His leadership journey continued as he assumed the positions of CEO and Chairman at several renowned financial institutions in both Paris and Luxembourg.

In recent years, Philippe has dedicated his time and expertise on a voluntary basis to a significant foundation based in Luxembourg. Additionally, he has taken on advisory and non-executive director roles for several wealth and asset management companies in the region. His contributions extend to facilitating Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A) activities in Luxembourg for foreign groups seeking to expand their financial operations.

Despite his busy schedule, Philippe manages to find time for his personal interests, particularly his passion for golf, which he indulges in whenever possible. He also holds the role of Chairman at MCEI (Marketing Communication Executive Internat) in Luxembourg.

Ben is an Investment Banking Analyst with a unique talent for uncovering hidden gems in the financial landscape. With an insatiable curiosity and a knack for spotting opportunities where others might miss them. As an Investment Banking Analyst, Ben’s day-to-day tasks involve dissecting financial data, crunching numbers, and identifying trends. But what truly sets him apart is his ability to see beyond the surface. Ben looks for the hidden details, the undervalued assets, and the untapped potential that others may overlook.