Anja Hochberg

Investing in megatrends means identifying the winners of the future, a core part of what active portfolio management is supposed to do. What characterises a megatrend is that it is here to stay for more than a classical business cycle and will have a significant impact on the economy. 

Next to our established themes on water and climate, we are implementing key trends relating to the cyclical economy, healthy longevity and the digital economy. The IT sector, for instance, has seen twice as much growth as classical GDP over the last 30 years. It is a driver of economic welfare and affects all areas of social and economic life. In addition, it helps to improve sustainability. 

We are also exposed to a well-established trend toward longer lives. This has consequences for the demand for goods and services and things like working conditions. Currently, the share of people older than 64 years amounts to 10% of the global population. This is expected to increase to more than 16% until 2050. In real terms this will amount to a doubling of the number of people older than 64 years, among a global population of 9.7 billion people.