In the section Backstage, interesting personalities from the financial sector and beyond provide insights into their personal preferences every Wednesday.

What do you do first in the morning?

In summer, I usually start the day with a 45-minute run or a personal training session at a boxing gym. In winter, I take a much more relaxed approach and review the key news of the day over an espresso.

What is the best part of your job?

The privilege of meeting inspiring people and experiencing fascinating places and cultures around the world in a highly dynamic industry.

A moment that changed your life?

The birth of my son 23 years ago in Dubai.

Which cars do you own? What is your favorite?

I do not view cars as an investment, and in my current day-to-day life I hardly drive anymore. During the week, I travel extensively by train and plane to meet clients and visit our offices across the DACH region. On weekends, however, I do enjoy driving a sporty model from time to time. That said, I have not covered many miles with it — only around 20,000 kilometers in seven years.

What advice would you give to your 20-year-old self?

Follow the same path, but learn earlier not to spend too much time on things you cannot influence.

What are you particularly proud of?

My son, my long-standing friendships — some dating back to kindergarten — and former employees who have gone on to achieve great success.

What do you do when you have doubts?

Take a breath, seek more information and advice, sleep on it, and only then make a decision.

What is your favorite wine?

Barolo, without question.

What projects are you currently working on?

Broadening Capital Group’s positioning in Switzerland is one of our core projects. In wealth management, we aim to expand our footprint and establish ourselves not only as a product provider, but also as a partner to globally active financial institutions and regional Swiss banks. Among institutional investors, we are increasingly positioning ourselves as an expert in global and emerging-market fixed income.

What do you admire in other people?

Conviction and authenticity in situations where these qualities are not easy to uphold. I admire people who recover from setbacks and adversity and go on to succeed.

What would be the biggest surprise for someone who had to take over your job for a day?

That naturally depends very much on the person and the day — there are few routines in my role. Some people would probably be surprised by how many variables and discussions are involved in certain decisions. Others would likely find the diversity and volume of daily communication with clients and colleagues remarkable.

What is your personal drive?

Our relevance to clients. The best moment is when a client confirms the value our team delivers.

What are you afraid of?

I have a slight fear of heights. In the longer term, I fear losing my curiosity — it has always broadened my horizons.

Your favorite watch brand?

There is not just one. I like IWC watches because they are well made and understated. I like Rolex because it is a reliable and enduring classic.

Is there an unfulfilled dream you would still like to realize?

Yes — to travel to FC St. Pauli’s first away match in the Champions League.

Your best investment?

My best investment in financial markets was learning how to build an asset allocation that I could maintain through every market environment — before that, most successes were only snapshots in time.

My best personal investment was the years I spent working in Dubai and Hong Kong. Those experiences later paid a significant dividend by opening many doors that would otherwise have remained closed to me.

Arne Tölsner has been Head of Client Group Germany, Austria and Switzerland at Capital Group since 2023. He has more than 30 years of experience in the investment industry. Prior to joining Capital Group, he held various leadership positions at Allianz Global Investors, most recently as Head of Distribution DACH and Global Head of Product Specialists. Tölsner studied business administration at the Frankfurt School of Finance & Management and completed executive programs at Harvard Business School and ESMT.