INTRODUCTION The significance of change management cannot be overstated in today’s evolving business landscape. Do you genuinely value change management? How do you effectively drive change? What strategies do you employ to ensure success? Often, organizations miss the crucial opportunity to integrate change management at the optimal stage of their projects. When the tide of
Read Full ArticleEnhancing Efficiency in Corporate Actions for OTC Derivatives
INTRODUCTION Every time a portfolio manager says, “What do you mean I can’t do that?” a new derivative type is born. I’m half kidding, there are undoubtedly robust regulations to attempt to limit irresponsible decisions from having an outsized impact on the market, but when red tape or cost gets in the way of something
Read Full ArticleThe Value of Exception-Based Processing
For many in the asset management industry, their days are spent combing through sets of data looking for problems. This is often a result of legacy technology (or inadequately utilizing modern technology) and layered manual controls. There is a better way. Modern technology offers exception-based processing capabilities that bring the power of business rule-driven automation
Read Full ArticleReap More Value From Data in Operational Transformations
“SURROUNDED BY DATA, BUT STARVED FOR INSIGHTS.” – JAY BAER LEVERAGE CAPABILITIES AVAILABLE IN EMERGING CONVERSION TOOLS TO SUPPORT PLANNING INSIGHTS In the first paper, we said that Performance is Data, sometimes a daunting data challenge. Performance data generation happens in successive layers. Aggregation of holdings creates exposures; changes in market values or exposures create returns; returns lay
Read Full ArticleSolving for Scale: Thought Leadership Webinar
Ready to unlock the secrets behind achieving remarkable growth while maintaining operational excellence? Join four industry experts for a deep dive into the world of investment operations to find out how asset management firms are navigating the delicate balance between expansion and profitability.
Read Full ArticleDon’t Be Afraid of the Mesh
You cannot avoid hearing the term, but what is implied by the term ‘data mesh’? It is the latest step in architecture, governance, and data management evolution. We have lived (or view the history) through the databases to data warehouses, data virtualization, and then to data lakes and now lake-houses. Companies in our industry acknowledge the shortcomings of these frameworks, including accrued technical debt, ongoing and rising costs, and sprawling data lakes, which have not delivered the promised land to analysts and operational business users.
by Andrew Jacob, CFA
Read Full ArticleSolving for Scale: Transforming Investment Operations to Meet Rapid Growth
Meradia’s brand new research paper, “Solving for Scale: Transforming Investment Operations to Meet Rapid Growth,” is now available!
Leveraging insights from a national survey of asset managers about the impact of growth on their firms’ operations, the whitepaper explores:
• How today’s asset management firms are balancing growth and profitability
• Why most traditional avenues for business expansion result in sub-optimal operations
• How achieving efficiency at scale becomes possible through a proven operational framework
by Jonathan Boersma, CFA
Jose Michaelraj, CIPM, CAIA
The Cost of Reactive Controls
In today’s investment operations, errors are an unfortunate fact of life, and asset managers must have a comprehensive controls framework in place to manage them effectively. However, when an error occurs, the tendency for most firms is to react by implementing manual controls rather than taking a holistic approach to assessing their overall framework. This reactive approach can lead to an over-saturation of controls, resulting in lost productivity, increased costs, and an increased risk of human error. In this paper, we explore some of the hidden costs of manual controls and identify four key risks that firms should consider when implementing a new control.
by Jill Stassel, Senior Consultant
Read Full ArticleA Business Case for Fractional Performance Oversight
The mix of skills required to oversee investment performance includes regulatory compliance, complex mathematical models coupled with data management, and a variety of technologies. Fractional Performance Oversight is the concept of key elements of oversight and leadership being supported by partial allocated resources or fractional outsourcing. In what situations does Fractional Performance Oversight make sense? Jonathan Boersma and Alicia Spencer consider some scenarios which may warrant a different paradigm.
by Jonathan A. Boersma, CFA, Practice Lead, GIPS and Performance Regulation
Alicia Spencer, CIPM, Senior Manager
The Evolution of Client Experience and Client Communications
As private and institutional clients continue to demand greater technology, service, and ease of access, investment managers are under pressure to advance all aspects of the client journey. We tend to think of the client experience as business-to-customer interactions, yet the reality is there are aspects of your business the customer never “sees” but senses. This often stems from internal operating models and projects to deliverables such as account reporting and ongoing information availability.
For added perspective on how technology is adapting to fit a myriad of client needs, we spoke with Andrew Maynard of SimCorp, an independent provider of industry-leading, integrated investment management solutions.
by Tim Jager, Senior Manager
Andrew Maynard, Product Expert, Client Communications, SimCorp North America