Mercury Control (MC) is a virtual global Swiss regulated hedge fund manager founded in 2008 with a singular niche focus on investing in volatility strategies. MC has run a non-leverage FX option strategy over the last 14 years.
MC develops customized and optimal investment strategies for funds for institutional investors, focusing on each client's risk profile, financial goals and risk tolerance.
MC is a member of AOOS/AO and registered with FINMA.
The short option strategy takes directional views of the equity and fx market by collecting risk-efficient volatility premiums and time decay of plain vanilla short options while managing the delta and vega risk.
The risk parameters allow us to stay within the fairway navigating smoothly avoiding the rough with the high and low limits set. The strategy is based on a reinsurance business model and similar to an insurance book collecting time decay of options with a strict risk management. Each opportunity event is evaluated against our internal rulebook to meet required risk parameters. Directional views are based on continuous macro, central bank decisions, political and flow analysis across all financial markets and are combined with technical forecasting tools developed by Dr. Soenning over 25 years. We are never only "naked" volatility short; our delta exposure is in all cases higher than the volatility risk.
The strategy can be implemented by financial instruments, such as plain vanilla options, spots, forwards and fx swaps. The portfolio can be constructed with single or multiple G7 currency pairs, equity indices or single stocks.
The goal of the short option strategy is to seek risk-adjusted return (Alpha) without correlation to other asset classes.
Our annualized return over 14 years is 9.86
Geir Ilstad has 30 years of extensive venture capital experience out of Silicon Valley, dealing with all aspects of establishing, funding, strategizing, and growing global market penetration. He has successfully assisted over 40 emerging companies and venture funds across multiple industry sectors. This rich background of experience provides a natural platform to reach and communicate with institutional relationship globally.
Marion Kreft has extensive foreign exchange market experience. She has worked for international banks in London, Frankfurt and Munich as a currency trader and advising companies on efficient hedging strategies. At Munich Re and MEAG she was responsible managing the currency exposure and overlay strategies for the group as head of a team of highly professional FX international bond portfolio managers.
Eric Haener has 25 years of extensive experience in international asset management as Swiss portfolio manager focusing on structured products. He has many years experience with international banks with an outstanding track record in option trading and responsible for family offices and high-net-worth individuals. He joined MC in 2017 as an important option investor contributor.
Christine Soenning is a Swiss asset manager and founded Mercury Control AG in spring 2008 and has over 25 years repeatedly demonstrated her ability to generate above-average performance in fx and equity proprietary trading and active currency overlay management. She developed her skills working in top tier investment banks and corporations.
MC selects all its long standing global multinational suppliers and partners carefully.
