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About this Website

The content of this Website (including microsites) has been prepared by Cape Capital AG, with its registered address at Utoquai 55, 8008 Zurich, Switzerland (“Cape Capital”), duly registered at the commercial register of the Canton of Zurich with number CHE-109.617.147. and contains the views and opinions of the particular individuals and is for general information and marketing purposes only. All copyrights and other rights, included but not limited to logos and registered trademarks relating to the entire content of the Website are reserved exclusively to Cape Capital or the specifically designated right holders. Any use, in particular the reproduction or publication in full or in part is permitted only with the prior written consent of Cape Capital. Cape Capital may from time to time suspend the operation of this Website for repair, maintenance or improvement work, or in order to update or upgrade its content or functionality. Cape Capital may also change the format, content and/or access of this Website at any time at its sole discretion without notice. Although Cape Capital believes that information provided on this Website is based on reliable sources, content on this Website is presented only as of the date published or indicated, and may be superseded by subsequent market events or for other reasons. Therefore Cape Capital cannot assume responsibility for the quality, correctness, timeliness or completeness of the information contained herein. Unless otherwise stated, the numbers/figures on the Website are unaudited.


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Nothing contained on this Website constitutes a solicitation, an offer or a recommendation to buy or sell any Cape Capital Funds or other financial instruments, nor does it constitute any form of personal investment advice which takes into account your personal circumstances. Cape Capital does not provide investment, legal, tax or other advice through this Website and nothing herein should be construed as such advice. Cape Capital does not represent that any Cape Capital collective assets or financial instruments mentioned on this Cape Capital website are suitable for any investor. Investment or other decisions should be made solely on the basis of the relevant product and/or service documents (prospectus/offering memorandum, fund contract/articles, key information documents, financial reports) of the respective collective investment. If not a Cape Capital client, it is strongly recommended to contact a professional financial advisor, tax consultant or other qualified expert in order to determine whether an investment in a Fund or other financial instrument corresponds to the specific requirements and preferred level of risk of the investor.


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The provision of financial services and investments in Funds and other financial instruments involve opportunities but also bear risks, including the risk that the value of investments and the income therefrom may fall or rise and investors may not get back the full amount invested or may even lose all of their investment. Investors should ensure to have fully understood such risks before taking any investment decisions. Cape Capital strongly advises to consult the brochure “Risks Involved in Trading Financial Instruments” of the Swiss Bankers Association (SBA) as well as  the relevant documents of the respective Fund or financial instrument and to seek professional investment advice before taking any decision to invest. Investors should note, that these Conditions do not represent a complete statement of risks associated to a Fund or a financial instrument. Past performance is no indication of current or future performance. Performance data do not include commissions and costs incurred by investors when subscribing or redeeming Fund shares.Investments, in particular collective investments in private equity, venture capital and other illiquid assets involve an above-average degree of risk, including the risk that losses may even exceed the original investment and should be seen as long-term in nature.


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The access and use of this Website, and these present Conditions are governed by substantive Swiss law with the exclusion of the conflict of law principles. The place of jurisdiction is Zurich, Switzerland.

Last Update: October 2024

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‘There was no roadmap for this’

FOLIO Edition I
Innovation & Technology

Marco Gercke—one of the world’s leading experts in cybersecurity—shares his hacks for staying cyber-secure in an interconnected world

Not many people can say that they fell into cybersecurity by accident but for German Professor Marco Gercke – a world leading expert who has spent the last 15 years advising governments, international organisations, and Fortune 500 companies on issues around how they can protect themselves online – that’s exactly what happened.

One of his first companies utilised machine learning to develop software solutions for medical diagnostics; another, a media agency, used artificial intelligence for user interaction. Digitalization, its uses and effects on society is also a specialism. Yet, it wasn’t until he applied to study for a PhD and suggested focusing on cybercrime to a professor that his career path was inadvertently set. 'There was no roadmap for this: the PhD attracted the attention of the United Nations and from there, I started advising governments,' he notes. 'It’s such a fascinating area. I deal with ministers in high stress situations, guiding them through the process if something happens. We build up a very special, close connection.’

'This is not solely an economic issue: it can touch core democratic principles'

As the founder and director of the Cybercrime Research Institute, an independent think tank based in Cologne, his role involves giving advice; not just on economic issues but also in the fields of strategy and politics too. 'I was in the US in 2016, around the election and it was heavily influenced by cyber,' he notes. 'Therefore, we need to be aware that this is not solely an economic issue: it can touch core democratic principles, push voters into a certain direction and influence elections.’

The main focus of Marco’s work is in the development of innovative approaches to tackling what has become a central problem for governments and business in recent years—cybercrime. However, for some clients, low-tech prevention methods are still the best. For instance, he recollects a trip to visit a government minister in the Pacific. ‘On my last day, I was in his office and at one point, he asked if I had swimwear with me. We made a plan to meet up again in two hours… in the lagoon. Later that day, we stood waist deep in the water together. He smiled, and said, you know, the machines in our offices are all bugged. Here, you can’t have a phone, I can’t have a phone and nobody is around.’

Of course, arranging to meet someone in a deserted spot on a tropical island isn’t realistic for everyone and Marco has other, more practical tips that he says are ‘way more effective than installing the latest software on your phone.’ For starters, think about what you’re saying on your phone when in public.‘It's funny when people are so concerned about cybersecurity yet they're on the phone on the train or wherever and then shocked when someone hacks it,’ he says. 'Also, don't come up with passwords; let the machines do that for you. And don't use the same password everywhere. If there is a security breach, your password will be disclosed and if you're using the same credentials for every service, criminals can access them all.’

'The future will determine to what extent such new technologies can offer opportunities for users'

Marco also cautions against thinking that insurance is the overarching solution to the problem.‘There was a time when insurance was available for a reasonable price, and in some cases offered solid coverage. However, the fact that insurers had to cover significant damages—especially in the US market—led to rising fees and increasingly limited overall coverage. So companies should carefully evaluate if, and to which extent, insurance can be a building block of their cybersecurity strategy.’

Asked to give his view on how modern advancements in tech such as web 3, the metaverse, blockchain, and how they will affect cyber security, Marco’s first point is that these are all buzz words. 'Similarly to what Apple’s CEO Tim Cook said recently, I do not believe that there is a harmonised understanding of what the 'metaverse' is or will be. The future will determine to what extent such new technologies can offer opportunities for users.'

When pushed on the topic though, he explains, 'I suggest those responsible for innovation should be open-minded about new technologies, but also investigate and monitor to what extent they can benefit from them. I do not believe that the fact that they are buzz words automatically makes them relevant. The days when adding 'blockchain' to a service description led to the stock price of a company doubling, seem to be over. That said—out of the three megatrends, blockchain is the one where I see most relevance in the field of cybersecurity. Blockchain technology could be one that we can utilize to enhance transparency and identify modification and alteration threats—both of which are relevant approaches that can play a crucial role in developing a safer cyber environment.'

'Every opportunity comes with risks'

Marco has worked in over 100 countries across Europe, Asia, Africa, the Pacific and Latin America where he war-games cybersecurity incidents with governments and board members of large enterprises (this includes the World Bank, the European Central Bank and the Munich Security Conference).

Having spent so much time in cybersecurity it would be easy to imagine that Marco has a negative outlook on digitisation but in fact, he is overwhelmingly positive. ‘Every opportunity comes with risks. There are risks related to enterprises and risks related to individuals who are often easy targets, which need to be identified. But in general, I have a very optimistic view about the future. If you look at technology, I believe we're living in an interesting time,’ he concludes. ‘It's very difficult with the war in Ukraine, food shortages and energy crisis but despite all of this, there are a lot of things happening that have the chance to take us into a slightly brighter future.’

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