August 2022

Welcome to Sionic's third asset management client update of 2022.  As you will see below, the team has been busy across a range of different activities. A few highlights:

• We ran a survey and wrote a white paper (commissioned by Instinct Digital), exploring the future of client reporting. This was debated at a well attended event where finding ways to improve the customer experience was top of the agenda. CX is becoming the new battleground for firms to differentiate themselves, and we are now working with our colleagues at Davies to offer diagnostic reviews to help firms address their customer operating model, sourcing arrangements and technology services to be successful in this highly competitive and rapidly evolving digital marketplace.
• We are increasingly involved in implementation assignments covering both technology and outsourced services. To support this growth, we are delighted to announce a recent addition to the team, Anna Harris who will head up our Delivery Services, evolving this part of our business.
• Asset managers and asset owners continue to be active in making changes to their operating models, often driven by Responsible Investment requirements and by the growth in Private Markets. There is also the need to improve efficiency, which is causing an increased demand for our benchmark services: firms want to ensure they are getting value for money from their outsourced services, driven by, for example, fund restructuring and rationalisation; foreign exchange optimisation and securities financing.

If you would like more information on any of our services, please get in touch. Enjoy the rest of the summer and on behalf of all my colleagues, we hope you enjoy the read, welcome your feedback and look forward to seeing you soon!

Ashley Sheen, Managing Partner, Sionic

Creating an exceptional client experience - the future of client reporting

In June, we published the results of our survey of asset owners and asset managers, sponsored by Instinct Digital and led by Clare Vincent Silk and Rebecca Gashi. The headlines show the industry at the start of a surge in the digitalisation of client communication, where it's widely understood that creating an exceptional client experience is key.

Our findings show that 
•       72% of asset managers want to provide clients with a unified experience across marketing, sales and client servicing; 
•       72% also want to provide bespoke reports tailored to clients' specific requirements, and the majority of recognise the value of a digitalised approach to client communication;
•       88% of asset managers either consider the digitalisation of their client reporting a core need and/or are embarking on change programmes to develop this capability;

• However 71% are struggling with dispersed and fragmented data and 69% battling with out of date and inflexible technology.

Please get in touch with Clare or Rebecca if you would like to find out more about the report and how we can help firms with their CX journey. 

Welcoming Anna Harris 

We're delighted to announce the appointment of  Anna Harris into the newly-created role of Asset Management Delivery Lead.  Anna has over 25 years’ experience working for some of the largest organisations in the financial industry, with a particular focus on asset management, working with investment managers, service providers and pension schemes. Read more here.

Staying Competitive – A Guide to Provider Benchmarking

How do you know what you should you be paying providers – and what you should expect in return? Dan Sharp and James Tasker discuss the importance of evidence in enabling you to assess suppliers and get a better deal for your business. Read more here.

If customer experience is the question, are portals the answer?

Building on the findings from our industry survey on the Future of Client Reporting, Rebecca Gashi looks at the shift from static reporting to two-way, digital client communication as the industry seeks to adapt and thrive. Read more here.

The Power of Purposeful Work

Organisational behaviour expert Carl Hewitt explores how organisations with purposeful cultures are amongst the highest performing in their respective industries. Carl also introduces our brand new Power of Purpose Learning Series, Purpose Equation and Power of Purpose survey. Read more here.

Crypto custody: same game, new rules?

Digital assets and crypto-currency regulation experts Allen Lewis and Nikhil Gandesha explore the key areas firms should address as they face and embrace the digital world. Read more here.

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