Very few firms launched within the last decade can lay claim to a banking dynasty.

But J. Stern & Co. a boutique investment firm that launched in 2012, can not only make that claim, it is also part of one of the most influential and under-the-radar banking legacies, the Stern family.

The Stern trace their roots back to the 17th century, as merchants in the Free City of Frankfurt alongside the Rothschilds and Goldschmidts. In the 1800s, Jacob Stern created one of the most prominent banking institutions in Germany. Jacob S H. Stern & Co. His sons then followed in his footsteps, becoming founders and shareholders in major European banks such as BNP Paribas and Deutsche Bank. 

Christoph Rossbach is now writing the next chapter of the legacy as co-founder and chief investment officer of J. Stern & Co. alongside co-founder and managing partner, Jérôme Stern, who has links to the French branch of the family.

Investing with J. Stern & Co means clients are only exposed to investments the Stern family would also invest in. The most accessible way to invest alongside the Sterns is through the World Stars Global Equity, a concentrated portfolio of global companies overseen by Rossbach.

Rossbach searches for quality companies that fit a 10 to 25 year investment horizon and have a long runway of growth.

Since its inception, the fund has returned 146% to Investors compared to the MSCI World benchmark, which has returned 139%. Over five years, the fund has returned 91%, compared to the benchmark’s 72%.

Despite the long-term investing horizon, the fund has still fared well this year, returning 16% year-to-date to investors. 

“We’ve been able to outperform a rising market, which, with our conservative approach, we think is an important achievement.” Rossbach said, “And then we’ve really been able to outperform on in the adversity and in the market reaction that we’ve has this year. So we’ve been able to do it in both types of markets.”