See you in September!

These last few months have been busy and intense and the time has finally come to rest and take a break: this is the wish for happy holidays and to find us again enthusiastic and full of passion in September to face the second part of this 2022 of our CEO.

Click here to read an English summary of the interview.

Fabrizio Rindi guest at the United Nations for Associazione Diplomatici

Associazione Diplomatici (already our partner last year for the launch of EMSE: the educational model of stock exchange) gave birth to the Change the World – World Program, considered as the most important international traveling forum in the world, for school and university students, which touches the cities of New York, Abu Dhabi, Rome, Singapore, Paris, Berlin and Brussels.

Our Chairman Fabrizio was invited as panelist to Change the World Model UN in New York which represents the most prestigious of all the scheduled events organized by the association. The three days of work, with the involvement of over 5000 students from more than 140 different countries as well as prominent international guests, took place last 23-24 and 25 July at the historic Millennium Broadway Hotel in Times Square and at the Secretariat Building, the headquarters of the United Nations.

“Changing the world by correcting past mistakes is not an easy task, because history teaches us that evolution never proceeds in a linear way. But the ambition I saw in the eyes of the young delegates sparked more hope in me. There is nothing more beautiful and satisfying, when you reach a certain stage of life, than to offer all your experience to the new generations who can use it and do better. It was an honor for me to actively contribute to this initiative” commented Fabrizio.

As announced in the last issue of this newsletter, the second session of YZK, the Kairos Junior Training Programme, was held from 9 May to 1 July.

Fabio, Federico, Filippo and Isaac, the four boys hosted in this session, were able to experience what it means to work in an asset management company, immersing themselves in the full dynamic and stimulating activities of our trading floor.

With the support of their mentors – Riccardo B., Mereme, Heidi and Roberta – the young freshmen were able to assist to the challenges that some of our colleagues face every day. A special thanks to the ESG & Analysis, Fixed Income, Asset Management, Venture Capital and Italian Equity teams for the patience and attention given to them and for the constant support in daily activities: a background that they will carry around for the next few years and a good showcase for the Kairos Group.

We wanted to greet the boys by recording a video to collect feedback from this experience directly from their voices and test them in front of our cameras.

YZK now goes on vacation and takes a little break. The new appointment with the next session of the course is set for September 19th with new young candidates to meet.

Have a good summer!

Last April, the Board of Directors of Kairos Partners SGR approved the establishment of the Sustainability Committee, a technical body with advisory functions that will have the task of proposing and supervising the company’s own sustainability initiatives.

The Committee will therefore be responsible for defining the corporate sustainability strategy, identifying the related pillars, or the main impacts that the organization has or could have on the economy, the environment and people; once the strategic objectives have been established, an action plan will be defined.

The Committee, chaired by Dr. Federica Barbaro, our Director, is composed of Daniela, Federica, Guido, Rocco, Rossana, Sabrina and Silvia.

The Committee met for the first time on May 25 with the participation of Oriana.

During the meeting, the approach to be adopted in the near future was discussed: the focus for the year 2022 is to set up Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), developing the sustainability strategy of Kairos. Considering that the company has already done and is doing a lot in various areas related to sustainability, the Committee has decided to start with the mapping of the activities carried out. This first exercise, now completed, was carried out with the help of various colleagues.

The next step will be to deal with industry trends and then complete the so-called “materiality analysis”, i.e. the company’s impact analysis on particular ESG issues. The goal for the end of the year is to define the pillars of sustainability and propose an action plan.

The Committee thanks all colleagues for the support given and invites everyone to contribute through its members by reporting any initiatives or ideas.

Ciao Roby

We will no longer see him wandering around the offices tirelessly in his impeccable uniform, buttoned jacket and tie even in August. We will no longer have your kind suggestions, your availability at any time, your competence. We will no longer enjoy his energy, that reactor he had inside and that endowed him with an omnivorous curiosity, the desire not only to study but even to reinvent science and technology. We will no longer listen to his original theories about the world, his stories about his Italian and German ancestors, his hypotheses as a good former hacker who knows how things go behind the scenes of officialdom. We will no longer be able to appreciate his great modesty, if not in memory, as we saw in the days following the death of his beloved father or in the composed enthusiasm with which he talked about his son. Roberto was a strong but never aggressive personality, an integrated outsider, a bilingual not only Italian-German, but above all in the desire to combine everything that is taken for granted with an openness without preconceptions towards alternative worlds. In other contexts, or times less cold than ours, perhaps in the nineteenth century, he could have been an inventor or a researcher capable of proposing new daring visions. He left us in his style, on tiptoe and with discretion. Remembering him will be sad, but also beautiful.

Alessandro F.

Diego S.

I have been lucky enough to talk to him a lot in the last two years for many and many reasons. I had discovered a profound, cultured, courageous, good person! Very good! I will miss him very much and I will miss our conversations about the world and those talks that today can only be done with a few. As Alessandro wrote, He knew what was behind the scenes of officialdom but did not flaunt any skills, knowledge, or anything else. Robi was more than he seemed. I am dismayed and I suffer for the pain of his son who will not be able to know everything that his father was and for the great loss for all of us.

Roberta V.

Roberto was my friend who just happened to also be my boss. As bosses and friends go, I could not have asked for a finer one. He was kind, intelligent and had an aura about him that encompassed you when you were near him. Will miss you my brother, see you on the other side.

Akthar C.

I have so many memories of yours that come back to my mind and tear me a melancholy smile … from the postcard in Bigli with the words “Greetings from La Isla Blanca”, your beloved Ibiza, to your elegant light blue suit a little angelic, to the absurd stories that you told about conspiracies, hidden truths, aliens, travels and kidnappings and so on and so forth. With you there were always conversations beyond any common logic. We will even miss your indecipherable internal alert messages (“Kairos is under attack!” who could forget? and how many laughs you have unintentionally snatched from us) I will also miss your incomprehensible IT gobbledygook, the ones that made me feel a NASA technician at the end of our long phone calls. What about your bizarre purchases like that time you showed up in your Minority Report blue light gloves or cochlear headphones, that it took a week to figure out what they were. Yet, you were like that, weird but good, with hair more afro than your Ale that when we pointed it out you laughed heartily, all proud. Rest in peace Bobby, we will turn it off and on once again …who knows, maybe this time will work.

Stefania S.

I am shocked, like everyone, Roberto was a special person, that kind and polite way of doing his will remain forever in my heart, I hope that we will all be able to keep within us at least a little of that goodness and kindness that he expressed in his gestures and in his actions, taking an example.

Alessandro P.

I would like to remember Roberto in the words of a writer who dedicated his book to the importance of remembrance: “The man whose name is pronounced remains alive” and we have often said your name and will continue to do so.

Giulia C.

Roberto’s story left everyone speechless. At first the disbelief of the news, then the dismay, the thought for his family and his child and then the emptiness … today you are there, but a moment is enough to stop everything. So, if we have to learn anything from Roby’s untimely death it is that it is not worth getting angry, holding a grudge, holding back … At least we still have time – as long as God wants – to fix it, to make that phone call, to give that hug and say “I love you”. Thanks Roby for this lesson, we will miss you.

Laura C.

A madman who lived his life in his own way, as a hacker, IT manager … the one of tantric love before Sting, that of the shootings in Colombia, that of “did you try to turn it off and on again?” The one you looked at his son’s photo on his desk and said nothing, just smiled. The one in a suit and tie with 45 degrees. For me this is (I use the present tense) Roberto.

Gianluca S.

I remember his emails which were very difficult for me. I called him and said: “Robi, talk to me easy, it is required that I do something or can I pretend to have understood and that’s okay?”… And he laughed heartily.

Oriana B.

Roberto is a rare curator soul that I had the honor to know. Master of meditation and energy, he has the gift as well as the ability developed over time to know how to read people through their behaviours and their soul, the most intimate fears and desires, understanding and restoring their strengths helping them to free themselves from the weight of fear and negative feelings, guiding them on the way. I believe that many people are still unaware of this help but the smile on their face, after years, is a clear sign of it. Robi is good, joyful, serene, simple, truthful, compassionate, full of hope, kindness, humanity, empathy, humility, generosity and faith. He has always fed the positive wolf within himself. I remember with a smile: “keep your thoughts positive because they will fuel your actions, they will become your behaviours and therefore your long-term goals.” Robi gave his vital energy to others, without asking for anything in return, always present never intrusive, recharging himself through meditation and his biggest lights, Daba and Alessandro and friends and family. His smile, sonorous and colorful, his inner peace are a gift. Meeting you was a great gift: you gave me the tools to recolor my life. Dear Robi, we imagine you on the overboard or on a bike with Ale, preparing a barbecue for everyone, smoking meat, or preparing a delicious dinner … we greet you with smiles, admiring the great work you have painted in our souls. See you, dear friend, with love…

Silvia S.

Bye Pezza, we will miss you

Travel tips

Summer has begun and with it the desire to escape increases. We have therefore decided to share with you some travel stories or experiences lived by our colleagues. What are you waiting for? it’s time to backpack and plan your next excursion!

Flying over the peaks by Marialaura S.

I organized this birthday surprise for my partner’s 40th birthday and I must say I managed it perfectly, also thanks to the beautiful weather. On Friday evening we slept in Chiesa Valmalenco from which we left early on Saturday morning towards Campo Moro, where we parked our car. We flew over the mountains by helicopter, an adrenaline-pumping experience! The pilot left us at the Marinelli-Bombardieri cabin at about 3000 meters above sea level and from the refuge we then left for a hike on the path that crosses part of the Alta Via of Valmalenco surrounded by the Bernina. The walk, which lasted about 5 hours, continued with a small intermediate stop at the Carate Brianza cabin and a lunch break at Muselli further on. We spent the night at the Motta refuge, a unique location that boasts a breathtaking view overlooking the Palù Lake and the entire Valmalenco. After a well-deserved rest, and also after an equally deserved tasting of typical dishes of the Valtellina tradition, we left the next day for the last 3 hours of trekking. Between steeper sections and parts for families, we finally reached the end of our mountain “circuit” returning to our base camp to get back to the car. An adventurous and unforgettable experience that I highly recommend to all nature and mountain lovers.

Getting lost in Venice by Francesco Z.

Given that Venice is nice to visit when there are not too many people, therefore outside the “commanded” appointments or the major international exhibitions (cinema, art, etc.), I also advise not to plan your visit during summer: Venice implies great walks and the dozens of bridges that we are called to cross under the summer sun would leave you covered with sweat.

Having said that, Venice has a lot of places, off the main tourist routes, that can be visited. I list a few, without claiming to be exhaustive:

• The Jewish ghetto: it is the first ghetto in history. Founded in 1516 in the place where an ancient foundry stood, hence the term “getto”, or casting. It is a place rich in history and evocative tales, which are intertwined with the events of the Serenissima. One of the most important institutions of the ghetto were certainly the “pawn shops”, set up in number of three, each with a specific color: red, black and green (still visible today) to carry out credit activities against a pledge. These institutes played a not secondary role in financing the Republic itself. They were so successful that Shakespeare set “The Merchant of Venice” there.

• The foundations of Misericordia: if you visit the ghetto it is mandatory to take a tour here. The foundations start right from the ghetto and run along the entire Rio della Misericordia to the east. They are a meeting place for Venetians, characterized by a succession of bars and “bacari” (typical Venetian restaurants) overlooking the river and very charming. Many arrive directly by boat after a day spent in the lagoon or at the beach. There is nothing more Venetian than to take the typical “aperitivo” seated directly in one of the boats moored along the river.

• The cultural corner: to fully experience the eighteenth-century splendor of the Serenissima in a real journey through time, the Ca ‘Rezzonico museum must absolutely be seen: one of the most important palaces of the Grand Canal, built by the homonymous and powerful Widmann-Rezzonico family aimed at hosting, among others, sumptuous dance parties. To date, the entire main floor preserves original paintings and furnishings, including paintings by Longhi, Tiepolo or Canaletto and still today makes us a cross-section of those Venetian atmospheres and intrigues so admirably told by Casanova in his works.

A pearl embedded in the rocks of Marche by Sara B.

One of the places I recommend you to visit at least once in your life is the Tempietto Valadier which is located in Genga in the province of Ancona in the Marche region: it is an architectural excellence set in the rocks and which dates back to the early 1800s. The temple, a perfect fusion of man and nature, is part of the complex of the hermitage of Santa Maria Infra Saxa, an ancient monastery of female cloister.

I recommend reaching the temple in the morning avoiding the hot hours of the day to find even fewer tourists and fully enjoy the particularity of the place. The Valadier is easily reachable on foot by going up the paved pedestrian street that starts from the road to the Frasassi Caves. The path is quite steep and I must say challenging if faced in the scorching summer heat of the Marche region. However, in less than a kilometer you can reach this magical place that offers a unique atmosphere of its kind.

Obviously, the advice is to include in the visit also the nearby caves, equally suggestive.