Maria Luisa Gota: investors are getting back into asset management
2 April 2025
In an interview published by la Repubblica Affari&Finanza, Maria Luisa Gota took stock of the activities of Eurizon Capital Sgr - of which she is Chief Executive Officer and General Manager - and its prospects, also in light of the company's leadership on the Italian market, with €394.6 billion in assets at the end of 2024.
Intesa Sanpaolo is in fact a Wealth management, Protection and Advisory leader also thanks to the full ownership of its product factories such as Eurizon, a leading player in the national and international asset management scene.
Gota emphasised that, in 2024, investors have moved back into savings due to better macroeconomic conditions and “the industry's ability to renew itself”.
While the reorganisation of the product factories in the Group is proceeding, with the aim of establishing an increasingly specialised and coordinated Asset Management presence, Gota also anticipated the development of “the first fully Italian ETFs” in 2025.
Eurizon's commitment in ESG was also confirmed, with the engagement of issuers in portfolios reaching 71% of financed issues, as part of the Net Zero Asset Management Initiative (NZAMI).
Gota went on to say that she "welcomes the EU’s return to focussing on savings", which should be channelled into investments for the benefit of European economic growth.
The following is a summary of some of the topics discussed in the interview:
Eurizon's results at the close of 2024
- Assets reached €394.6 billion. Net profit up 16% year-on-year to €573 million, with net fee and commission income up 9.7%.
- Both group and external networks as well as institutional customers contributed to the results. Significant results were achieved by Banca dei Territori and the Eastern European hub.
- The first inflows came from the partnership with the Greek Eurobank.
New in 2025
- Upcoming launch of the first fully Italian ETFs, to be used to “complement” the existing offer. By the third quarter, passive instruments are expected to be launched, followed by active ETFs.
- Agreement signed with Blackrock, for which third-party asset managers will be selected.
ESG commitment
- Eurizon confirms the ESG targets set and, as an adherent of the Net Zero Asset Management Initiative, has contacted 71 companies in the engagement plan, i.e. 71% of the financed issues (target of 70% by 2025 and 90% by 2030).
- Eurizon signed the Global Investor Statement to Governments on the Climate Crisis.
- "We confirm our ESG commitment as Eurizon and as a Group and continue to work towards the intermediate and 2050 targets".
Use of Artificial Intelligence
- Progressive integration of platforms that support all phases of work and are in direct communication with the networks.
- Automation with the use of robots started in some areas.
- First experimentation with tokenised units of mutual funds that will continue: it is “a strand that needs to be governed but that looks to be very promising in the modernisation of the operational phases of asset management”.
European savings
- European savings need to be channelled into European growth.
- Using a tax incentive “is necessary” but the tax lever is not the same in all countries.
- Refocusing the EU on savings is appropriate but “the success of the strategy will depend on implementation”.
Funding and markets in 2024 and 2025
- In 2024, funding rebounded due to better macroeconomic conditions and the industry's ability to innovate.
- Investors returned to asset management with a predominantly bond offering and window solutions. The current challenge is to restore interest in continuous products.
- On the stock market, “we have a moderately positive outlook, but we suggest that networks offer accumulation plans (PAC) as a solution even in the face of volatility peaks”.
