Nina Petrini, Head of Passive&ETF at UBS AM Iberia

Nina Petrini is our Fund Manager of the month, Nina joined UBS AM in September 2019 as Head Passive & ETF Sales Specialists for the Spanish and Portuguese markets. Nina Petrini stands out for her more than 18 years of experience in the Iberian financial sector, as a key member of local offices of large international investment banks. Previously, Nina was a Director in Global Equity Sales at Barclays Capital in Madrid. Over her 9 years there, her achievements included not only successfully launching the brand in the Iberian market, but also positioning the entity as a Top Tier Equity player. Nina started her career in 2001 at Lehman Brothers in Spain as a US Equity Sales, diligently ranking the entity in the region. She was also part of the transition to Nomura in Madrid, as a VP within the Investment Banking Division.

1. Could you explain us your background academically and how it pushed you into Asset Management?

Not long after studying economics in Rome, I started as Equity Sales within an Investment Bank in Spain. Slowly but surely I started working my way into the Spanish financial
market. The learning curve was steep and I had a lot of experienced and amazing professionals close by to lead the way. This created a solid basis for my career and assisted me when I recently moved to the asset management side of the equation.

2. What key principles drive your ETF investment processes and why?

When I look at the process behind the choice of an ETF, I see many moving parts. From an
ETf provider’s point of view, the choice of the index and the platform, the way it is
replicated, presented and then traded are all important stepping stones. As for the
Investor, the ETF’s solution should fit in with their market views, for a strategic or even
tactical approach.

3. Current market conditions and increased volatility have changed investor sentiment of late. What are you telling your clients and others troubled about the current economic climate?

The current volatile market conditions respond to an enormous amount of economic
uncertainty. So it is important to look for investment solutions that are likely to help
withstand this volatility. ETFs can be used to build global diversified portfolios consisting
not only of equities, but also other asset classes which are more defensive against such
drastic moves, such as fixed income. As an example, ETFs providing exposure to treasury
bonds, are defensive in nature, and they have delivered good returns over the recent
drawdown period.

4. Who are your biggest role models in the AM community?

The people I work with, inside and outside the firm. My colleagues who are always on the
forefront, persistently aiding and providing all parts of the business with their expertise
and accessibility. And my clients, whom I learn from constantly.

5. What challenges do you face as the head of ETFs on a daily basis?

The challenges I face usually depend on exogenous factors, such as market moves due to news headlines that are difficult to navigate, such as those created by recent events. However, this is also what makes this job really inspiring and interesting, you have to react quickly to interpret the market signals.

6. Where do you see passive investing moving over the next year? Will the current crisis affect this asset class on the long run?

The passive industry offers investors a convenient way to access a variety of asset classes
and market segments, offering ease and transparency to investment decisions. This is why
the adoption of ETFs will continue to grow, not only as short term solutions but also as
long term ones.