Culture is pivotal because it plays a key role in determining how firms make decisions to achieve their business objectives. Culture is at the heart of competitive advantage today; this is particularly the case for investment firms where people and their judgments are the chief assets. A firm’s culture creates the context and incentive structure to support an investment process based on a longer time horizon, a collaborative team approach that can integrate diverse insights and robust risk management. Culture also underpins business decisions, including talent management, strategy and capacity management. A strong culture in investment management firms is a requirement for sustainable alpha-generation.
Research in collaboration with SS&C Advent found that financial advisory firms that invest strategically in technology, and make the most use of it, tend to outperform other firms significantly on a number of financial and productivity measures. This document explores how technology is transforming the client experience for investors and how firms are positioning themselves to capitalize on this trend.