The Crew
JAKUB
NIEK
What unites all SIG-i associates is the relentless quest for excellence, genuine interest in the real economy and the sense of responsibility for thoughtful capital allocation. All team members boast exceptional academic record and are curious investment enthusiasts.
Before embarking on a joint entrepreneurial journey around seven years ago, the two co-founders collaborated informally by shaping each other's investment and life philosophy for almost twenty years.
ELENA
IVAN
OKSANA
Niek Stevens
Niek joined SIG-i in 2021 as an analyst. Prior to joining, he obtained internship experiences at distressed debt and special situation firms and public markets hedge funds in Germany and the Netherlands.
Niek is an prolific reader. Driven by curiosity about the history of military strategy, he even enrolled at the Royal Military Academy in the Netherlands to obtain formal education in the subject. Luckily for us, he eventually decided to pursue a career in finance and successfully completed BSc in Economics from Tilburg University and MSc in Finance (cum laude) from Utrecht University.
Ivan Peykov
Prior to joining SIG-i, Ivan spent almost six years working at illiquid credit principal investment team of VTB Capital. Elena and Jakub know Ivan since 2017 when they collaborated on a common investment in an Eastern European industrial company. Ivan's other experiences include investment banking roles at HSBC (London), VTB (Sofia) and Citi (London).
Ivan speaks four languages and carries an impressive collection of full-merit academic diplomas. He is an avid athlete, having tried himself at various sports including competitive basketball. Ivan holds MSc in Accounting and Finance from London School of Economics and BSc in Economics, Management and Finance from Bocconi University.
Ivan joined in 2021 and works as Vice President.
Oksana
Schweizer
Oksana combines her SIG-i duties with work at a Swiss family office. She brings a broad range of experience from office administrative work to customer service.
Oksana joined SIG-i in 2020.
Jakub
Topp CFA
Prior to founding SIG-i Capital, Jakub was a Managing Director and the Head of Special Investments Group within the Global Markets Division of Credit Suisse AG in Zurich.
Previously, Jakub was a Managing Director and the head of the single stock equity derivatives trading desk at Deutsche Bank and a portfolio manager at Cheyne Capital in London. Jakub started his career as an equity derivatives trader at Goldman Sachs in 2003.
Jakub holds B.A. in Applied Mathematics and Economics and M.A. in Statistics from Harvard University and is a CFA charter holder.
Jakub is an avid cyclist and hiker. He has many other interests from board games to history and politics.
Elena
Nikolaeva CFA
Prior to launching SIG-i Capital, Elena was a Director and a senior team member of Special Investments Group within the Global Markets Division of Credit Suisse AG in Zurich.
Before moving to Switzerland, Elena held investment roles at Boyer Allan Investment Management LLP, T Rowe Price Group and JP Morgan in London, UK. Elena started her career in the Banking and Capital Markets practice of PricewaterhouseCoopers in London where she qualified as an accountant.
Elena holds B.A. in Financial Services with First Class Honours and M.Sc. in Finance with distinction from London Guildhall University and London Business School. She is a qualified accountant and a CFA charter holder.
When not attending to the SIG-i business, Elena takes advantage of numerous outdoor activities that Switzerland has to offer. She recently took up ballet and resumed her piano playing after a twenty-year break.
