Michael Stutz

2Xideas AG (Research Firm) (2Xideas-Research) is the investment research division of 2Xideas AG, an independent, partner-owned investment firm headquartered in Küsnacht, Switzerland. The firm was founded by Dr. Roger Meister and Thomas Schwarzenbach in 2013. 2Xideas-Research conducts deep-dive research on global investment universe which consists of 4,000 liquid mid to large-cap companies. They employ conventional screening and machine-learning techniques on their proprietary technology platform to select their research targets on which they perform fundamental analysis. Their primary research approach includes frequent management meetings to build knowledge on the long-term viability of their research targets' business models. The firm aims to identify high-quality mid cap companies with 2X return potential over 5 to 7 years, equivalent to a 10-15% return per annum.

Baillie Gifford & Co. is an independent, global investment management firm headquartered in Edinburgh, UK. The firm was founded in 1908 and is wholly-owned by their partners. Baillie Gifford manages assets for pension funds, institutions, corporates, foundations, charities and retail investors. They are a socially responsible investor which works with their fund managers to assess ESG concerns both before and after investing in companies.

Sanlam Investment Management (Pty) Ltd. (SIM) is the asset management subsidiary of Sanlam Life Insurance Ltd., which in turn owned by Sanlam Ltd. (JSE: SLM, OTCMKTS: SLLDY) in South Africa. Headquartered in Bellville, the firm offers a wide range of investment and financial planning solutions and a comprehensive range of local and offshore investment products to end investors, financial planners and institutions. SIM is a signatory to both the Code for Responsible Investing in South Africa (CRISA) and its forerunner, the United Nations-backed Principles of Responsible Investing (UNPRI).

Raiffeisen Schweiz Genossenschaft (Raiffeisen Schweiz) is an independent asset management firm headquartered in St. Gallen, Switzerland. Founded in 1899, Raiffeisen Schweiz provides investment advice and manages funds for Swiss citizens.

Piper Sandler & Co. (Broker) (PSC-Broker) is the full-service brokerage division of Piper Sandler & Co., a financial service firm headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They are a subsidiary of Piper Sandler Companies (NYSE: PIPR). The firm was founded in 1969 and previously known as Piper Jaffray & Co. They became Piper Sandler & Co. when Piper Jaffray Companies and Sandler O’Neill & Partners, L.P. merged to become Piper Sandler Companies in 2020. PSC-Broker provides brokerage and investment banking services to financial institutions, corporations and other financial investors. Their core focus sectors are Agriculture, renewables & cannabis, Business services, Chemicals & Materials, Consumer, Diversified industrials & services, Energy, Financial services, financial sponsors, Healthcare, and Technology.

Longbow Research LLC is an independent investment research firm headquartered in Independence, Ohio. The firm was founded by David S. MacGregor in 2003 to provide the institutional equity research market with a high quality, independent product, free from the many conflicts of interest that plague bulge-bracket research. Longbow Research provides insights and research coverage on publicly-traded mid-cap companies in the industrial/basic materials, consumer and technology sectors.

Aegon Asset Management UK PLC (Aegon AM UK) is the asset management subsidiary of Aegon Asset Management UK Holdings Ltd., ultimately owned by AEGON NV (AMS: AGN) in The Netherlands. The firm's roots date to 1831 when the Scottish Equitable Life Assurance Society was established. In 1994, Scottish Equitable sold a significant minority stake to Aegon NV, becoming a wholly-owned subsidiary in 1998. In 2001, the firm was re-branded as AEGON Asset Management and changed their name to Kames Capital in 2011. They became Aegon Asset Management UK PLC in 2020. Headquartered in Edinburgh, Aegon AM UK manages assets on behalf of clients internationally, which includes public funds, pension plans, financial institutions, endowments, foundations, wealth managers, family offices and individuals. The firm is a signatory to the United Nations Principles for Responsible Investment (UNPRI).

BeA-HVV AG engages in the production and distribution of professional devices and fastening technologies. Its product portfolio includes nailers, staplers, hot melt adhesive pistols, compressors, nails, and brackets. The firm also provides repair and maintenance services. The company was founded in 1966 and is headquartered in Moenchaltorf, Switzerland.

Denker Capital (Pty) Ltd. (Denker Capital) is an independent South African asset management firm which was established in 2015 when Sanlam Investments boutiques SIM Unconstrained Capital Partners and SIM Global merged. Denker Capital is based in Cape Town and specializes in local and offshore investments.

SAFE Investment Co. Ltd. (SAFEIC) is the Hong Kong-based investment management subsidiary of the State Administration of Foreign Exchange (SAFE), an administration agency headquartered in China. Founded in 1997, SAFEIC is the Hong Kong branch of the Chinese sovereign wealth fund, which serves primarily as a foreign currency reserve. Officials from the SAFE serve on the firm’s Board of Directors.