Strategies to Cope with a Changing Asset Management Landscape (Strategy Focus)

Introduction

Following improved financial market conditions, asset management firms find themselves at a delicate stage as they attempt to cope with the changing regulatory and competitive landscape. Industry consolidation has highlighted the need for not only operational structures to be enhanced through the use of technological solutions but also platforms to shift focus to the most profitable products.

Scope

• Discusses current business strategies being employed in the asset management industry globally
• Discusses implications for new product development and distribution techniques

Highlights

The movement to create and develop alternative, differentiated products is placing increased focus on maintaining strong asset allocation strategies and effectively how best to choose between alpha and beta to optimize performance.

Traditional asset management custodians such as State Street and Bank of New York have had considerable success in transforming back office operations into efficient utilities and as the process becomes commoditized these competitors have begun to branch out beyond traditional custody.

In Europe, the introduction of the UCITS III Directive and its implementation has cemented the drive towards greater transparency in fees and charges within member states. In addition, best practice laws were laid down for fees, expenses and cost structures to be disclosed so that investors can make informed decisions.

Reasons to Purchase

• Learn about current business strategies in the asset management industry
• Gain an insight into the operational issues in portfolio management, product development and investment distribution

• • CATALYST
  • SUMMARY
  • METHODOLOGY
  • ANALYSIS
  • introduction
  • The drive to enhanced performance is pushing the rise of new product segments
  • Asset allocation techniques rising in importance to provide platform for alpha growth
  • New products target diversification and uncorrelated returns
  • Emerging markets provide another route to profitability
  • Outsourcing trends are growing in popularity in a bid to achieve efficiency gains
  • Emphasis continues to be placed on the placement and charging of investment products
  • Transparency is placed high on the agenda
  • Distribution via wraps are on the rise
  • Conclusion
• Appendix
  • Extended methodology
  • Further reading
  • Ask the analyst
• List Of Figures
  • Figure 1: Strategies differ for firms across the investment spectrum
  • Figure 2: Operational efficiency is the major driver behind back-office change