Moving to expand its pension performance measurement business, Deutsche Bank AG agreed on Thursday to buy InterSec Research, a Stamford, Conn.-based company that services both U.S. and international assets.
The acquisition of InterSec would add some 3,000 portfolios, containing $20 billion of assets, to Deutsche Bank's performance evaluation business. All told, the Frankfurt company provides services to over 25,000 portfolios, valued at $2 trillion.
Terms of the deal for the privately held company were not disclosed. The deal is expected to close by the end of March.
InterSec measures portfolio performance of corporate pension plans against certain market indexes. Companies use the information to gauge how well their investments are doing and to choose which pension fund manager they want to work with.
InterSec would broaden Deutsche Bank's geographic reach in this area into Japan, Canada, and Australia, all countries with growing pension programs, said John Tudor, Deutsche Bank's London-based head of global investment analytics.
The acquisition would also let Deutsche bank provide its customers with "research and consulting on trends in the industry," Mr. Tudor said. "Our customers are increasingly asking us for these services."
InterSec, which will report to Mr. Tudor, will keep its name and headquarters. Founder and president Christopher Nowakowski and the remaining 40 employees will be retained.
The acquisition would increase Deutsche Bank's knowledge of the pension consulting business and provide tools to seek out new business, one analyst said.
"From a fiduciary standpoint, I can't see this as an avenue to sell more pension products," said Dennis Dellago, research director with Optima Group of Fairfield, Conn. "But it will give them a better sense of the pension fund marketplace and the opportunities that are out there."
Separately, Deutsche Asset Management Americas, a New York unit of Deutsche Bank, has hired two professionals in research and client services.
Lawrence Abele, 33, joined as senior researcher for global asset allocation and Eve Siekierski, 32, joined as senior client service representative for corporate clients.
Mr. Abele will help develop strategies based on global equity, bond, and currency market valuations. He will report to Janet Campagna, head of global and tactical asset allocation.
Ms. Siekierski will assist clients on strategies, research, and projects through Deutsche Bank's corporate services division.
She will report to Marco Veissid, head of client services for corporations, endowments, and foundations.
