Dear friends, customers, and partners,

As we bid farewell to 2023, a year of growth, transformation, and new milestones, the entire JUMP Technology team extends its warmest wishes to you for a magnificent New Year!

In 2023, our journey was marked by significant advancements and exciting endeavors following our integration into the Clearwater Analytics group. Your unwavering support, collaboration, and trust have been instrumental in making this transition a success.

As we step into 2024, we're invigorated by the possibilities it brings. We eagerly anticipate another year of collaboration, innovation, and shared achievements. Together, let's explore the opportunities and tackle the challenges that lie ahead.

May the New Year be filled with prosperity, success, and moments of joy for you and your loved ones. Thank you for being an integral part of our journey.

Here's to a fantastic 2024!

The challenges, opportunities, and key drivers of the investment management industry are constantly changing. In this article, we aim to provide an overview of the 2022 trends we are tracking so as to anticipate the changing needs of asset managers. 

Investment managers are replacing their outdated systems 

Over the past two years, the investment management industry has seen a massive shift in technology demands. Market volumes, volatility, rising fees, and changing workflows are forcing firms to look for viable replacements for their often inefficient legacy systems, which are expensive to maintain and upgrade. 

Investment managers need reliable solutions that offer the scalability and flexibility they need to optimize their current and future investment activities, as well as to manage extreme volatility. 

High demand for cloud technology 

Demand for cloud and mobile technology is at an all-time high, as remote working environments have made secure and convenient access to systems at any time on different devices a crucial factor. Today's investment managers are looking for tools that are intuitive, easy to implement and frequently updated. 

Cloud hosting and its continuous feature updates provide a location-independent solution to optimize processes without wasting valuable time and resources. 

Tendance gestion d'actifs cloud

Security is a priority

Cyber security concerns have been amplified by the growth of remote working as a result of COVID-19 and the continued development of digitized corporate infrastructures. Now more than ever, investors are asking investment managers about the security and resilience of their platforms, policies, and procedures. 

In order to be considered as a qualified investment partner today, investment managers must demonstrate that they have taken the necessary steps to become resilient in terms of cybersecurity, as well as to ensure the vendors who support their investment management software and services operate to the same standards. 

Simplification and cost reduction through partner consolidation 

With increased investor demands, investment managers are looking to minimize risk, simplify operational landscapes and reduce the total cost of ownership by reducing the number of outsourced relationships and seeking a flexible, versatile all-in-one investment management solution

Vendors that offer both comprehensive technology and operational solutions, such as managed services, are actively becoming market leaders. We expect the demand for these versatile and comprehensive investment management software solutions to continue to grow. 

Open and connected technology ecosystems

The industry is evolving rapidly, and to keep pace, today's investment manager needs a flexible and open technology to respond to increasing volumes of data, client demands for responsiveness, and connectivity with new systems and partners.  

These investment technology ecosystems will provide value far beyond the benefits of a single system, as they give investment managers a more holistic view of their businesses, and open the door to the actionable data they need to be the most effective. 

Start-ups are still growing

For many active investment firms, increased market volatility is good for business. Inflation is at its highest level for 40 years. The conflict between Russia and Ukraine is adding to these inflationary concerns, while energy and consumer prices are soaring. However, this is not necessarily bad news. Hedge funds that have placed bullish bets on commodities are making huge gains. 

In an environment where things are more volatile and the public more socially aware than ever, investment managers are having to rethink their investment and client attraction strategies, creating both challenges and opportunities for new players. 

ESG investment

Environmental, social and governance (ESG) investments have gained momentum in recent years and are expected to continue to grow in popularity. 

The growing popularity of ethical and green investments has led more and more investment managers to look beyond economic fundamentals when selecting assets. However, part of the logic of this investment is that a company's good performance on environmental, social and governance criteria has a positive impact on its economic performance. 

According to a Celent report, ESG assets are expected to exceed $53 trillion by 2022. 

Investissement ESG

Increased collaborative working 

One of the most notable trends we have seen over the past year is increased and improved collaboration both internally and with clients and partners thanks to video conferencing. This requires secure remote access to collaborative tools. 

For customers, this means even stronger customer-supplier partnerships, as it is easier for us to interact with key stakeholders, and more quickly incorporate customer feedback into our product and service roadmap. 

The productivity gains from virtual collaboration are undeniable, and the way investment managers work and partner has changed forever. 

Need help with the technological evolution of your investment management business? Contact us! 

Since 2006, the JUMP teams have been pursuing excellence to provide the most technologically and functionally advanced solution for every regulatory, digital, or business challenges. 

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There has never been a better time for investment managers to make strategic technology commitments. Research by Deloitte University shows that investment leaders who invest significantly in technology achieve higher levels of growth and profitability. 

Since technology is a major factor in business performance, what criteria should investment managers consider when choosing their investment management platform? 

Read on to find out what your future investment management technology platform should look like

Plateforme technologique du futur pour la gestion d'actifs

1. It is a 100% integrated digital platform

The investment management platform of the future consolidates all data and investment management activities (fund management, discretionary management, direct management, etc.), as well as all Data, Front, Middle, Back, and Reporting processes.  

It can also manage all the company's asset classes (current and future) while interfacing with your entire internal and external ecosystem (asset servicers, market data providers, management companies, brokers, IS solutions, etc.) thanks to an open architecture and an extensive range of APIs. 

2. It is accessible from anywhere, securely

Cloud hosting means the investment management platform of the future can be accessed from anywhere by internal staff, allowing employees to work remotely with no loss of operational efficiency. 

These cloud-based solutions afford cross-device access (PC, tablet, smartphone) as well as via different applications (web browsers, smartphone applications, Microsoft Office plugins, etc.). 

It is accessible externally, to clients, vendors, and the distribution network

With real-time, self-service data access via a web portal or smartphone application, tomorrow’s investment management software provides customers and partners with a fuller experience.  

Open yes, but secure

The more open the technology, the more important the risk, security, and validation aspects become. 

When selecting the vendor with whom you will create your investment ecosystem, make sure to choose one who is a recognized leader in cyber security, operationally resilient, and with a long track record of delivering quality services and solutions you can trust. 

3. It uses Blockchain solutions

Blockchain has the potential to revolutionize the way assets are transferred. The technology allows for end-to-end tracking and verification of all asset movements between parties in a transparent and quantifiable manner. 

Managing assets on a Blockchain network helps to resolve disputes and data discrepancies more promptly. The technology’s consensual nature means that updates to asset records cannot take place without the agreement of all the parties involved. 

The shared Blockchain ledger lays the foundation for transparent, auditable, and reliable business processes, and it is clear that investment management technology platforms’ use of Blockchain solutions will grow over time. 

4. It enables AI-based investment management

The platform of the future uses new technologies to improve investment managers' productivity on several levels.  

All these new technologies are connected to the integrated platform via APIs.

IA gestion d'actifs

5. It enables responsible investments

ESG investments have become a mainstream strategy and most investment managers have adjusted their investment portfolios accordingly. 

ESG investments are playing an increasingly important role in shaping society, which means that the risks and opportunities of investment portfolios that include ESG investments need to be addressed as effectively as possible in the years and decades to come. 

From a platform perspective, this means that it is able to retrieve and use ESG analysis data and integrate responsible investments into investment analysis.  

In addition, it stands out by providing new and innovative ESG products via these in-house analyses and methodologies. It also provides legible performance indicators, especially in terms of sustainability. 

6. The service infrastructure is impeccable

In this new era of ever-changing investment technology, the level of support provided by your technology partner is extremely important. 

To be sure you are selecting a technology ecosystem partner who delivers a first-rate service experience, find out about their support infrastructure and the extent of their investment in these domains. The best service experience will come from a worldwide team of experts with the technology and industry expertise to solve any challenge you may face. 

In short: welcome to investment management 4.0

The latest generation of investment management platforms is better equipped to meet the changing needs of investment managers throughout the value chain, and there has never been a better time to leverage this technology to stay competitive through low risk, high profitability, and improved client service.  

Key investment management 4.0 features

The ideal foundation for your investment ecosystem

Transform your investment management operations and bring your entire ecosystem (in-house staff, clients, partners, etc.) into a digital world with cross-device and cross-channel investment management software.

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We at JUMP would like to thank the attendees at the latest edition of JUMP Club U' on September 30, 2022, which took place in a virtual format and was attended by several dozen JUMP solution users.

Below, you will find a summary of the topics discussed during this event:

User experience: presentation of new features and UX innovations that users can enjoy with the latest version of the JUMP Web solution

Increased connectivity with asset servicers: presentation of our new cloud-based custodian and valuator Hub

New user experience

JUMP is constantly striving to improve the interface and overall user experience within the JUMP Front-to-Back suite, in particular with the addition of new customization features.

Smart Dashboards

The Smart Dashboards feature allows users to configure activity tracking environments within the JUMP suite for all players in the Front-Middle-Back management chain.

JUMP Smart Dashboards enable:

Improved spreadsheet feature

The spreadsheet feature, which is central to the JUMP solution, and essential for all users, now provides even greater flexibility and customization possibilities. These improvements provide, in particular:

New Reporting Designer

JUMP users can now take advantage of the intuitive reporting designer features from their web interface, with full access to:

The inclusion of all of these core JUMP features into the web interface enables simplified and more visual construction of custom reports and a reduction in their overall processing time. Our users can now:

PPT Plugin

Microsoft PowerPoint has become one of the most important tools for asset managers’ daily business activities. The PowerPoint plugin to JUMP’s software suite addresses the following key requirements:

JUMP Hub Asset Servicers

For 16 years, JUMP has interfaced with more than 50 asset servicers in Europe (custodians, valuation agents, etc.) to help its users automate and optimize front, middle, and back-office data flow management. 

To provide simpler, faster connectivity with asset servicers, JUMP has implemented a new cloud-based JUMP Hub, enabling direct and secure connection to the asset servicers' communication infrastructure, with the following benefits for our customers:

TCO (Total Cost of Ownership) is the method for evaluating the direct and indirect costs of a product in order to quantify its real value and everything that is required to make it work. TCO provides better economic predictability before making an investment or purchase. 

The concept of TCO from a business perspective dates back to the early 19th century, when engineers tried to assess the effectiveness of their cannon through an analysis of their service life and repair requirements. 

Since then, TCO has been used by companies to understand production costs more accurately and therefore better determine whether or not the acquisition of a new tool makes sense for their business. In this article we will focus on the importance of calculating TCO as an investment manager, and how to do it. 

TCO solution asset management

The importance of knowing the TCO for an investment management solution

Before you buy a house, you don't just view houses in relation to their price. You look at a variety of factors, such as location, energy efficiency, structural soundness, maintenance costs, and whether it meets your family's future needs. 

When looking for an investment management solution, the same methodology applies. To get the most out of your technology spend, look beyond the price and core features for the hidden costs that add up over the life cycle of the solution. 

Rising costs and investor demands have led to a greater focus on how resources are allocated within investment firms and finding the optimal balance between cost and value has become more important than ever. When it comes to an investment management tool, calculating the TCO is crucial to determining its long-term value and feasibility. 

There is a lack of transparency from some investment management solution providers

When evaluating different investment technology providers, there is a general lack of transparency regarding costs, which can be frustrating and confusing for an investment manager.  

Much of this confusion stems from the fact that the price quoted on a vendor's proposal is almost never the TCO of the solution. Regretting an investment management solution is not uncommon for investment management companies that are hit with unexpected costs that push them over their budget expectations. 

The devil is in the details

The source of the price gap between a solution's proposal and its total cost of ownership comes from hidden costs, which are not disclosed upfront, and can have a significant impact on the total cost over time.  

However, there may also be 'hidden values' that provide compounded benefits over time without any unpleasant cost surprises. 

Hidden costs and hidden values need to be taken into account so as to be able to accurately compare vendors and understand which solution offers the best value. 

How to calculate the TCO of your investment management solution

We have developed a simple way of calculating the TCO of an investment management solution to help you find out both the true total value and the true total cost. 

Basic requirements - hidden costs + hidden values = TCO 

Basic business requirements

Core business requirements are the capabilities you expect from any investment management software provider. They should be the minimum set of features that vendors offer to meet your most basic business needs. Any potential candidate who cannot meet these requirements should be ruled out early in the selection process. 

The core functional requirements for investment management technology solutions may include the following: 

Hidden costs

Hidden costs are not initially indicated in a supplier's price proposal, but nevertheless, accumulate throughout the lifetime of the solution in your organisation. 

Examples of hidden costs are: 

Hidden values

The 'hidden values' of a solution add value either upfront or as your business grows but are often overlooked when assessing the total cost of ownership of investment management software. 

The TCO of an investment management solution

By assessing the TCO of a solution, rather than simply comparing upfront costs, you can more accurately compare vendors and determine which solution will deliver the most value to your business over the long term. 

JUMP | Flexible solutions and personal service that delivers long-term value 

Since 2006, JUMP has been developing and marketing innovative business software for investment management professionals. The JUMP software platform is designed to meet the current and future needs of our customers. 

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It is with much pride and emotion that I share with you the news of a huge milestone in JUMP Technology’s journey.

After 15 years of uninterrupted and unassisted growth, and a further year of strong growth in 2022, we have finally found the partner who will enable us to take the next major step in our development and bring us closer to our mission: to become the most innovative, reliable, and comprehensive technology platform in the world.

That partner is Clearwater Analytics, a leading investment management software provider in the United States with a worldwide reputation, more than 1,700 employees, and over 1,100 clients and prestigious references (JP Morgan, Franklin Templeton, Aegon AM...).

I am therefore extremely proud to announce that we have reached an agreement to join the Clearwater Analytics group.

Emmanuel Fougeras, CEO of JUMP

Why did we decide to join Clearwater Analytics?

In Clearwater Analytics, we have found a team with whom we share the same vision, the same ambition for global leadership, and the same obsession with customer satisfaction.

We are very proud of our JUMP solution and have always believed that it has the potential to be recognised as the best-in-class investment management solution worldwide. With Clearwater Analytics, we have finally found a partner who both shares our vision and is able to give us the tools to achieve it.

With Clearwater Analytics, we have also found a totally complementary partner:

  1. Functionally, Clearwater is a financial software company specialising in the back office with an extremely advanced and powerful solution for accounting, financial data centralisation, and regulatory reporting
  2. Geographically, Clearwater is predominantly based in the United States and is starting to expand into Europe
  3. Technologically, Clearwater is already a fully SaaS player and, like us, is moving to fully cloud- and web-enable its software package

Personally, I'm excited about the new and innovative features we'll be able to develop with the new resources we'll be given. Expect to see a whole new level of technology and business innovation in our solution in the coming years!

Finally, becoming a more global organisation will allow us to increase our service standards beyond what our customers have come to expect from JUMP and maximise our resilience as we know how important it is for our customers to be able to rely on us in the long term.

So, what will change in concrete terms?

First, what will NOT change:

With Clearwater Analytics, we plan to:

Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to thank all our customers and partners for their support and trust.

I am fully aware that we would not be where we are without them.

There will be more announcements to come. The future looks exciting!

Building a Comprehensive, Trusted Full Investment Lifecycle Platform

By Sandeep Sahai, CEO, Clearwater Analytics

Clearwater Analytics aggregates, reconciles, and reports on more than $5.9 trillion in assets across thousands of accounts daily. Our single instance, multi-tenant investment reporting software allows our global clients to radically simplify their operational processes and gain greater accuracy, speed, and scalability with their investment assets.

To continue to give our clients the cutting-edge technology solutions that allow them grow, optimize and scale their operations, we’re thrilled to announce that Clearwater has announced its has entered into an agreement to acquire JUMP Technology. What makes this acquisition especially exciting is that it accelerates our new expanded vision to bring a unified platform for the entire investment lifecycle to the marketplace.

While the deal isn’t done yet and is subject to customary closing conditions, we’re excited to share a preview of what you’ll be able to achieve with this powerful, comprehensive front-to-back offering.

Key Acquisition Benefits 

JUMP offers advanced, robust capabilities for Clearwater Analytics’ customers to unlock significant additional value from a full suite of offerings, including: 

Once the deal closes, we hope to share more of our plans to come. We are beyond excited to be joining forces with the JUMP team and welcoming their esteemed customers to the Clearwater family.

If you’re interested in learning more about our unified platform for the entire investment lifecycle, we’d love to tell you all about it!  Contact us here -> https://clearwateranalytics.com/talk-to-an-expert/ or take a look at https://clearwateranalytics.com/.

Looking ahead, we’re ready to grow our Clearwater and JUMP communities and look forward to meeting each of you.  It only gets better from here. 

Sandeep

An outdated investment management solution can cost you time, money and inevitably make your services less attractive than those of your competitors who are prepared to adapt quickly to changing customer expectations by adopting the latest technology. 

Once you have decided to change your solution, the challenge is to find the perfect solution for your business. It is important to take the time to weigh up your options by using a methodical approach and asking the right questions of the potential solution provider. But what are the right questions? 

Asset management solution

1. How have you helped other investment management players?

Find out about the investment management tool’s references and current client base, as well as the type of businesses the provider primarily serves. Needless to say, it's best if they already serve similar clients to yourselves, as they will have a better understanding of how your business operates, as well as its needs.

You can simply go to vendor websites and look at case studies, relevant press articles, blog posts, and industry awards, but few things are more revealing and objective than feedback from other customers that use the solution in question. By all means, ask for several references you can contact.

2. Does your tool integrate easily with existing and future systems?

Investment management solutions that implement cloud usage, microservices architecture, and API technology can help integrate easily and securely with your existing systems, without costing a fortune or disrupting your workflow. Native and advanced connectivity with your business ecosystem (asset servicers, market data feeds, brokers, trading tables, etc.) is also critical: ask vendors about their connectors' functional and technical coverage with your key counterparties, and the extent of their API catalog.

In addition to your existing systems, a cloud-based platform will allow you to easily integrate with any external services you may decide to integrate in the future.

3. How do you maximize security and minimize risk?

Choose an investment management solution that makes cybersecurity a priority and protects your company's data adequately. Regular monitoring and continuous improvement to keep up with changing security challenges should be a key demand. 

You should also ask whether the system provider meets your regulatory requirements, has been audited for compliance, and follows industry standards. The International Standardisation Organisation issues and publishes international standards to ensure sounder operations, better regulation, and more efficient products and services. 

Sécurité gestion d'actifs

4. Do you offer production backup and ITO services?

Whether or not you need business and IT backup services now, it is important to know from the outset whether your provider can offer these services, in case your company needs additional support in the future. 

Business and IT backup services can help your company to successfully tackle unexpected challenges or projects (e.g. a transformation of your target operating model or a process digitalization project) without having to bear excessive additional costs. In general, it is better to have a provider with too many services and functionalities than not enough, even if it means taking a ‘lite’ version at first and expanding it later. 

5. How often do you release product updates?

It is important to choose a supplier that anticipates future challenges and is committed to keeping its solution at the cutting edge, both functionally and technologically. Ask the vendor in question how often they update their solution, and how much time and money they invest in research and development.  

The more frequently they make significant improvements, the more likely they are to become your trusted partner for years to come. 

6. What does the implementation process looks like

Before approaching suppliers, you should first ask yourself whether you want to adopt the solution wholesale (use the solution's standard processes and forget about your own) or adapt it (set up the solution to meet your own needs). This will determine the type of solution and implementation. Then see how quickly they can implement their solution and make it operational. A solution with an extensive library of standard settings (ratios, controls, reporting, imports, etc.) will require less manual configuration and waiting time. 

If you are moving from a legacy system to a new solution, you will also want to ask how complex the changeover process is, how it works with your current infrastructure, and how your daily workflows will change. 

7. What are the "hidden" costs?

Hidden costs such as maintenance, updates (version upgrade prices), user training, and integration fees can add up over the system’s lifetime, and it is important to understand these before choosing a solution. 

Devote funds to an investment management software that can grow and evolve with you while saving you money and frustration rather than the contrary. While the up-front costs of a system may seem attractive or more competitive than another solution, you need to understand what the overall costs are going to be so that there are no unpleasant surprises. 

8. Can you help us achieve our long-term goals?

Instead of just comparing the price tags of potential investment management solutions, you want to choose a provider that will help you achieve your long-term goals. 

For example, if you are considering perhaps implementing new asset classes, new functionalities, or working in new countries or with new counterparties (asset servicers, brokers, management companies, ESG data feeds, etc.), you want to make sure that the new system can accommodate these upcoming strategies with the necessary technology and regulatory compliance features for the investment manager of today and tomorrow. 

9. Is your service as good as your solution?

This is a question that will be answered indirectly. It is up to you to test and see how their service team is structured and how well they answer your initial questions about their investment management software. 

Ultimately, you want an investment management solution with a team of people behind it who treat you as a partner and make your goals their goals. 

Do you have other questions about investment management solutions? 

Since 2006, JUMP has been developing and marketing innovative business software for investment management professionals. We aim to meet the current and future needs of our customers. 

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If you were to ask asset managers if their company is truly data-driven, enabling them to turn their data into an asset to gain a competitive advantage, only a few will say yes. 

According to an Accenture study, 66% of investment managers say that data management within their company needs to be improved. 

Turning data into a long-term competitive advantage requires focusing on two aspects concerning companies and their use of technology. 

Data gestion d'actifs

Define a robust data management program 

Establishing a data management program is key to turning data into an asset, achieving business goals, and successfully completing complex projects. This data management program should include: 

Data Governance 

An effective data governance program establishes reliable and certified data for all business users, regardless of their department. It also sets standards for data transparency, data protection, and audit trail integrity. 

Data governance is defined by an organization–process–technology triptych. The organization requires the establishment of a data committee and the assignment of roles and responsibilities, for example identifying data owners who manage a defined perimeter of data. Processes define the complete end-to-end data lifecycle, from initial data capture to the delivery of reporting and/or analytical views where the data has been normalized to meet the needs of the business users and data consistency across the company. Technology underpins the organization and processes. 

Master data management 

Centralized and shared data in a Master Data Repository increases efficiency in terms of data acquisition, validation, and enrichment. 

Ultimately, all sources are standardized and consolidated into a single standard model that meets all data users' requirements. 

Data quality and accuracy 

Across all industries, data scientists spend more than 80% of their time preparing and cleaning data to make it usable for analysis purposes. 

Implementing a data quality validation approach is necessary across the data ecosystem. A comprehensive set of validations can provide end-to-end guarantees. 

In data quality, the goal is data veracity. "Veracity" refers to the state of data quality in terms of what is fit for purpose and ready for the data consumer. 

Using the Cloud 

To stay competitive and reduce costs, companies must establish a modern technology platform with scalable data integration technologies, including the use of the cloud

Cloud-based data drives business and technology transformation for an investment manager in several ways: 

Enterprise data warehouse modernization 

In this case, "modernization" means accelerating the ability to capture, store and publish data for operational and analytical reporting purposes. 

Digitize your customer/partner relationships 

Cloud-based CRM solutions can increase efficiency and effectiveness, help firms to better manage customer relationships, and create a central repository of customer relationships and contacts. 

Cost savings

Cloud-based shared services accessed on a pay-per-use basis can help reduce costs and facilitate more effective enterprise data transformation. 

More sophisticated risk management 

The scalability of on-demand cloud-based solutions makes them ideally suited for complex risk calculations. 

Data Supply Chain Management 

In asset management, we know that a supply chain requires a coordinated effort to search and run data through key enterprise systems. 

Establishing a supply chain-focused database helps companies move forward with confidence and quickly ingest external data sources to proactively propose new use cases. 

2. Leverage new technologies 

An investment manager's ability to make large-scale use of emerging technologies is critical to increasing efficiency and driving growth. 

Reporting 

Few firms are truly leveraging analytics to the full. According to a Forrester cross-industry study, between 60 and 73 percent of all data in an organization is not used for Reporting and Analytics. 

And yet, analytics technologies are revolutionizing the way asset managers conduct research and evaluate opportunities. 

Investment management software allows investment managers to access previously inaccessible or unreadable datasets, helping them inform their analytics and research platform to experiment and validate investment ideas. 

Machine Learning

Machine Learning can help create highly contextualized customer experiences. Machine Learning combined with new customer analytics records can result in predictive models for precision targeting, including not only acquisition, but also cross-selling, retention, and repurchase risk. 

Machine learning gestion d'actfis

Artificial intelligence 

AI can improve decision-making processes for portfolio management, by automating the identification of buy/sell opportunities as well as the comprehensiveness of order information in the order management solution (OMS), based on criteria that comply with the asset investment strategy. 

Need help with your data transformation? 

Our investment management software will enable you to automate data quality control (presence, uniqueness, consistency, and compliance) upstream of reporting using customized workflows. 

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In these volatile times, the Cloud is seen by many investment managers and asset owners as a fundamental part of a sustainable growth strategy

Investment management firms must make significant changes to their strategies and operating models if they are to succeed in an increasingly competitive environment. They must seize multiple growth opportunities, and invest in data and new technology, including the Cloud. 

Implementing the right migration strategy is critical to getting the most out of the Cloud. A smart approach will ensure accelerated innovation, improve efficiency, and create a competitive advantage. 

In this article, we look at how to best approach cloud migration. 

Define a clear strategy and migrate for the right reasons 

Rushed migrations without value-creation goals, incomplete planning, or poor execution end up costing the business. 

Migration cloud asset management

A successful cloud migration strategy has two key priorities

1. Improving efficiency and resiliency of information systems

Improved operations and quicker time-to-market through Cloud architectures and applications will provide significant cost savings and increased scalability for investment managers and asset owners. This scalability is particularly useful when dealing with market volatility and other disruptive events. Fenergo's research reveals that cloud technology is the second-highest investment priority (58%) for investment management players, just below cybersecurity (63%). This prioritization is driven by the strong growth in remote working. 

2. Increasing the value of your business

The ability to try new things faster is critical to your investment management business. This is where the innovation, experimentation, responsiveness, and agility of the Cloud come into their own. Do not settle for automating what you have but aim for a complete digital transformation where you can benefit from new Cloud capabilities. 

Know why you're moving to the Cloud in the first place 

Migrating to the Cloud is often seen as a cost-cutting measure. However, instead of focusing solely on cost savings, also concentrate on creating value and improving customer service; the cost savings will follow as a matter of course. 

Cloud technology translates into better data management. Migrations to the Cloud offer investment managers enhanced security, borderless data sharing, and the ability to extract insights from their data more quickly. 

All of these migration-related features and benefits save time, increase profitability, and make investment management stakeholders more agile than ever. 

Manage Beta 

In-house IT is set up for the worst-case scenario, but the Cloud means you only pay for what you consume. However, with the Cloud it is not a case of all or nothing. 

The cost of migrating some applications may far outweigh the benefits of running them in the Cloud, and it's important to plan for workloads that will remain on-premise

Set a hard deadline for migration 

This point may seem counterintuitive, but it enables people to be more productive. Everyone will be more focused if the deadline can't be moved. If you don't have one, your migration can end up drifting. 

Cloud migration

Create cost flexibility 

Assess your current fixed costs and determine which ones can be turned into variable costs and when. 

For example, if you have a limited software license in purchase mode, rather than renewing it, you could switch to a per-user rental rate which may be slightly higher but will allow you to reduce the cost sooner. Without these changes, you can burden your business case with additional fixed costs over three to five years. 

Start with security 

The Cloud can be much more secure than a proprietary data center, but security personnel needs to be closely involved in a migration to the Cloud from the start. This includes defining platform-level and application-level checks, approving Cloud architecture choices, and identifying the best candidates that can provide sufficient security natively. 

To avoid any Cloud security breaches, investment management leaders define security metrics and controls up front, automatically correct any deviations from those metrics, and establish a lightweight governance process to manage the evolution of security, technology, and the Cloud over time. 

Involved both IT and business staff 

When it comes to investment management, Cloud migration cannot be purely an IT exercise. It changes the way the business operates and must be handled with care. 

Most migration pitfalls occur when IT and business teams are not on the same page. It is vital to demonstrate value to the business, provide scope and timelines, and be prepared for any changes in their work processes. 

Maximize Automation 

To execute the migration quickly and with minimal disruption to normal business, you need to be able to industrialize. 

In other words, maximize automation and use organizational structures such as a dedicated migration factory, as well as migration tools that use AI, to smoothly and quickly drive the journey from start to finish. 

Many companies turn to "asset manager" software to do this, leveraging their experience and expertise to identify potential obstacles and overcome them. 

Consider outside help 

There is no substitute for experience. The key is to find the right partner to check that your migrations are designed with broader strategic value. 

Investment managers can bring partners on board as an experience boosters that can accelerate their Cloud ROI, reduce risk, and deliver greater overall value. 

Need help with your investment management migration to the Cloud? Contact us! 

Transform your investment management activities and bring your entire ecosystem (in-house staff, customers, partners, etc.) into a digital world with cross-device, cross-channel investment management software. 

Request a demo 

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