Episode 213: How Vanguard is Modernizing Finance Through Digital Innovation with Marco and Amber

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Mar 5, 2025

Marco De Freitas, Chief Product Officer for Vanguard's Personal Investor Business, and Amber Brestowski, Chief Product Officer for the Retirement Business, discuss Vanguard's transformative digital journey. They emphasize aligning product strategies with business goals for improved client experiences. The duo reveals how Vanguard leverages AI and behavioral finance to enhance retirement readiness. They also share insights on creating a culture of experimentation to engage clients better and drive superior investment outcomes, making financial services accessible and user-friendly.

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INSIGHT

CX Alpha

Vanguard aims to deliver 'CX Alpha' by using the client experience to make investors better.
This involves incorporating data-driven insights and nudges to foster better investment behaviors.

ANECDOTE

Improved Retirement Readiness

Vanguard increased its "take action rate" for retirement plan participants from 60% to 72%.
This means more participants are engaging in positive actions to improve retirement readiness.

ADVICE

Aligning Strategy with Product Execution

Align product strategy with business goals by setting the right incentives and problems for product teams.
Empower teams to find solutions, don't prescribe features, and measure outcomes.

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Join us for an insightful episode where we explore the digital transformation journey at Vanguard with Marco De Freitas, Chief Product Officer for Vanguard's Personal Investor Business, and Amber Brestowski, Chief Product Officer for the Retirement Business.

Discover how Vanguard is modernizing client journeys, enhancing products, and building platforms that promise superior investment experiences. Marco and Amber share their strategies for leveraging AI and behavioral science to redefine client interactions, all while maintaining a strong focus on customer outcomes and innovation.

Whether you're interested in digital transformation, product management, or financial services innovation, this episode is packed with practical insights that you won't want to miss. Want to learn how Vanguard is leading the charge in transforming financial services? Tune in for the full episode.

You'll hear us talk about:

10:32 - Aligning Strategy with Product Execution

Amber discusses the importance of aligning product strategy with business goals at Vanguard. She emphasizes setting the right incentives and problems for product teams to solve, ensuring they focus on creating superior client experiences that drive competitive advantage.

22:56 - Experimentation in Client Modernization

Amber shares how Vanguard uses a North Star approach with key OKRs to drive outcomes. She outlines strategies for engaging clients and improving retirement readiness through behavioral finance and agile experimentation.

35:05 - Balancing Innovation and Optimization

Marco talks about Vanguard's approach to innovation, stressing the importance of client-centricity and empowering teams to innovate. He explains how a portfolio approach allows for both incremental improvements and moonshot projects, fostering a culture of continuous development.

Episode Resources:

Amber on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amber-brestowski-019b56ab/
Marco on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marco-de-freitas-80416714/
Vanguard website: https://investor.vanguard.com/

Timestamps:

00:00 Coming Up

01:05 Intro

09:10 Amber's Career Journey

12:11 Marco’s career journey

18:06 Modernizing Client Experience

22:56 Experimentation in Client Modernization

31:04 Aligning Business Strategy with Product Execution

37:43 Behavioral Science in Digital Experiences

46:50 Tackling Digital-First Transformation Challenges

49:58 Closing reflections