Berenberg Investment Consulting: Innovation at the Heart of Institutional Advisory

With centuries of banking tradition, Berenberg continues to evolve, combining deep expertise with technological innovation. Under the leadership of Michael Kreibich, the bank’s Investment Consulting platform is redefining asset allocation and liability management for institutional and ultra-high-net-worth clients.

Berenberg, one of Europe’s oldest banks, offers a full spectrum of financial services spanning wealth management, asset management, corporate banking, and investment banking. Collaboration is central to its approach. “We are connected and work as one team,” notes Klaus Naeve, Head of Wealth and Asset Management and Member of the Extended Management Board. “Not only with our colleagues but also with our clients.”

Leadership Spotlight: Michael Kreibich

Among Berenberg’s leadership is Michael Kreibich, who joined the firm in 2009. For a decade he worked as a portfolio manager and product specialist, overseeing bespoke mandates and mutual funds. In 2019, he founded and became Head of Investment Consulting, building a team focused on strategic asset allocation and asset liability management services.

In June 2025, Kreibich was appointed Head of Institutional Clients, uniting Berenberg’s Institutional Sales and Investment Consulting functions on a centralised advisory platform.

Kreibich’s academic foundation includes a diploma in business administration from the Frankfurt School of Finance & Management, where he also qualified as a Chartered Financial Analyst and a Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst. Today, he lectures at his alma mater on portfolio management and strategic asset allocation, underscoring his commitment to knowledge-sharing and industry development.

Berenberg Investment Consulting

Since its launch in 2019, the Berenberg Investment Consulting team has been designing and implementing customised strategic asset allocation (SAA) and asset liability management (ALM) studies across the bank’s investment platform, which oversees approximately €40 billion in assets. Its clients include institutional investors, corporate pension funds, single-family offices, endowments, and ultra-high-net-worth individuals.

The consulting team has continuously refined its in-house infrastructure to provide precise, data-driven strategic advice. Its platform allows for the rapid preparation of tailored studies that are highly valued by sophisticated investors.

Driven by Innovation

At the centre of this proposition lies the SAA & ALM Innovation Hub. This interactive dashboard enhances investor engagement by enabling real-time collaboration with senior consultants to test different investment strategies. Its back-end engine simulates asset and liability trajectories over a 40-year horizon, generating detailed projections of performance, risk, and balance-sheet outcomes.

The platform is now supplemented by “flight path management,” a dynamic monitoring system that tracks investments and liabilities daily. This capability enables near-real-time ALM, adjusting portfolios in line with client-defined targets such as funding ratios. The system provides investors with the agility to respond swiftly to market shifts, helping mitigate risks and secure long-term goals.

Maximising Value for Investors

Berenberg Investment Consulting supports investors in defining optimal asset allocations aligned to their specific objectives. The team considers expected returns, future cash flows, regulatory frameworks, and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) requirements while minimising risk exposure and ensuring long-term planning security.

Combining extensive financial expertise with advanced technological tools, Berenberg provides clients with the confidence to navigate complex financial landscapes and maximise the added value of their strategies.

A recent milestone was Berenberg’s appointment, together with Lurse Deutsche Pensions Treuhand GmbH, as full Outsourced Chief Investment Office (OCIO) for a German corporate with pension plan assets amounting to several hundred million euros within a German trust (CTA). The mandate reflects the confidence of institutional investors in Berenberg’s ability to deliver sophisticated, high-impact solutions.

Tradition Meets Transformation

Berenberg’s heritage is rooted in banking tradition, but its trajectory is firmly future-focused. Through its innovation hub, flight path management, and expanding institutional advisory platform, the bank demonstrates how a centuries-old institution can adapt and thrive in today’s evolving financial landscape.