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- Is there ever a ‘single version of the truth’ for investment reporting?
- Managing the leap from vendor selection to service provider relationship
- Investment reporting: sophistication doesn’t have to mean complexity
- Three ways to tell if your client reporting is at the heart of your client servicing.
- Mandatory vs discretionary documentation: a tale of two processes?
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Is outsourcing client reporting still ‘losing control’?
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In the world of financial technology, the maxim is always to look forward. In such a fast-paced environment, learning from the past is often seen as less important (or less exciting) than the ‘next big thing’, be it SaaS, IBOR, Big Data, blockchain, digitalisation or whatever the latest concept is. Sometimes, however, in business as in life, we need to look back to see how far we have come and to learn important lessons...
Video – Mitigating the risk of your client reporting implementation
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There are a number of perils for any vendor going into a client reporting project on behalf of an asset management firm. One such problem area is what some in the industry call ‘data interfacing’ – handling data from external sources such as benchmark data vendors, third party administrators, other vendor systems (e.g. risk or performance applications) or various inhouse systems. There are three key reasons why this issue of interfacing with data sources is...
Lost in translation: the importance of getting your translation strategy in investment reporting right
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Investment reporting is a recognised component in the investment management lifecycle, but there is one area within this process that it often still overlooked – the translation, argues Abbey Shasore, CEO, Factbook and Jean Bernard Le Floc’h, Partner, Fastnet Translation. In the investment management world, investment reporting is, whilst not always given the highest priority, at least afforded a place of significance. Informing investors of their fund performance, satisfying regulators, or providing Marketing with key...
Time to circle the wagons and review your investment reporting process?
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Many investment management firms take a DIY approach to their investment reporting, relying on highly bespoke systems developed by the IT department. There is nothing inherently wrong with this approach – but can it only take the firm so far, asks Abbey Shasore, CEO, Factbook. A US investment management firm we were talking to recently characterised it beautifully: ‘’We are currently circling the wagons to get a discussion about this [automating our investment reporting...
Getting value from your investment reporting.
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There are now many middle or back-office tasks within asset management firms where there is little or no competitive advantage to be gained. Is investment reporting one of them – or can real value still be derived, asks Abbey Shasore, CEO, Factbook. As investment management operations (and software) becomemore commoditised, it is increasingly difficult for asset managers to derive real value from these activities. Middle and back-officeprocessing in particular has become very standardised and...
Want to keep your clients interested in your investment reports? Change the narrative.
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Why does it matter if your factsheets are issued like clockwork every month, if there is little thought being given to the narrative? Are there not more important elements for asset managers to consider when reporting on investments, asks Abbey Shasore, CEO, Factbook. The need to achieve or exceed service level agreements (SLAs) is obviously very important to asset management firms. Meeting client expectations is a fundamental part of any business and asset managers...
Client Reporting – Prepare to succeed
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Sustained acquisition of AUM will always be the holy grail for investment firms – for most it is the reason they exist and the essential manifestation of the excellence. This is no less so in the relatively attritional conditions we have seen in recent times. At the same time as they seek to grow AUM firms also look to stem outflows by developing both profile and reputation. Ever more sophisticated communication techniques must be deployed to...
Successful investment reporting: it’s always about the data
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Heads of Performance or Client Reporting at any asset management firm are responsible for the outputs to the end consumer. Their biggest worry is always: ‘Can I trust the numbers (and text) on those outputs? Is it ‘good to go’? Has it been brought in faithfully from multiple external sources?’ A good vendor will have all the tools and processes in place to ensure that it can take the data from the point of...
What price freedom? Asset managers, vendors and autonomy
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In these days where one of the main subjects for debate is the theme of ‘taking back control’, a question that recently struck me is just what should be the level of dependence between a software vendor and an asset management firm? Should the goal for every buy-side firm be to take control of any software deployment from the outset, with the objective of being entirely self-sufficient in as short a period of...
Software providers face ESG re-boot
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The tech industry’s reliance on offshore software developers – some of them working in “dimly-lit third world offices” – could become an ESG issue for fund managers who buy their services, says Abbey Shasore, chief executive of Factbook. A dam bursting in South America, killing hundreds and flattening communities, will trigger a wave of ESG protest at funds investing in the dam’s owners. ESG is a cultural phenomenon creating derision for asset managers investing...
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