Tech It Up

In this episode of Tech It Up, we discuss an increasingly popular star of the investment management world: personalized and diversified portfolios through managed accounts Today, personalization and flexibility across assets and strategies are top investor demands that managers can meet through strategic structures such as portfolio sleeves, separately managed accounts (SMAs) and unified managed accounts (UMAs). However, implementing those account structures at scale without the right technology isn’t easy. Join host Jasmin Conner and guest Tim Duffy of SS&C Advent as they explore the context, capabilities and challenges surrounding these fund structures and the technology that makes them possible. Tune in; it’s worth a listen.

Steve Leivent, Senior VP and Co-General Manager of SS&C Wealth & Investment Technologies, shares insights on the bold rebranding to SS&C Black Diamond Wealth Solutions. He emphasizes the importance of a unified brand identity to support advisors in a changing fintech landscape. Steve highlights how this strategic transformation aims to enhance client experiences by integrating legacy products and streamlining technology solutions. Future initiatives, including a partnership with Morningstar, signal exciting developments in wealth management.

This special edition of Tech It Up features a conversation between industry experts Catherine Daly of SS&C Advent, Kevin Gallagher of Bain Capital Credit, and Nick Libertiny of Sound Point Capital Management, where they sat down to discuss the transformation of the loan data market. They cover the critical role that data serves for fund managers, influencing everything from investment decisions to accounting and advanced analytics, and how ensuring the data is clean, current, accurate, and consistently formatted across the technology ecosystem poses challenges for funds investing in loan-based instruments. Tune in to deepen your understanding of the challenges and opportunities surrounding both syndicated and private loan data management, and how to leverage technology to automate data flows in the back-office.

Leslie Martin, Director of Product Management at SS&C Black Diamond, and Michael Persin, Manager of Product Management, dive into enhancing client engagement. They discuss how personalized portals and real-time collaboration tools can transform advisor-client relationships. The duo emphasizes the significance of innovative tools that promote transparency and streamlined communication. Listeners will discover strategies to modernize their practices, deepening relationships and improving client experiences through tailored interactions.

The traditional 60/40 investment model is fading as multi-asset and multi-strategy portfolios soar in popularity. With assets under management growing from $2 trillion to $16 trillion in just two decades, new strategies are adapting to market volatility. The shift to sleeve-based portfolios offers transparency and confidence to investors. The conversation also highlights the crucial role of technology, like the Advent Genesis platform, in optimizing these modern investment approaches.

Eddie Russo, Senior Director of Product Management for Geneva at SS&C Advent, discusses the exciting updates from the April release of their platform. He dives into key improvements in portfolio fund accounting and a new web-only user experience that enhances efficiency and lowers costs. Eddie highlights innovations like the REST API architecture and tools designed to streamline operations. The conversation also touches on the vital role of client feedback and a playful segment on NBA playoff predictions!

Doug Fritz, Co-Founder and Executive Chairman of F2 Strategy, shares his insights on the evolution of wealth management. He discusses the shift towards personalization and predictive tools, revolutionizing advisor-client relationships. Fritz emphasizes the importance of addressing tech stack gaps and prioritizing modernization despite budget constraints. He also highlights the significance of effective communication and vendor stability to enhance client satisfaction, crucial for multi-generational wealth retention. His expertise offers valuable guidance for the future of WealthTech.

The lines between different asset classes continue to blur. Firms with roots in hedge funds or private equity are branching into private credit, real estate, venture capital, or infrastructure funds. In this episode, our hosts are joined by Raya Gabry, Senior Director of Product Management, SS&C Eze, and John Berthiaume, Director, Product Management, SS&C Advent, as they unpack the drivers of this latest trend and discuss why it's essential for firms to have a holistic investment ecosystem to achieve diversification and growth.

This week, Jeffrey Cohen, Patton Weber, and our hosts Trent Berry and Jasmine Conner cover how advisors can streamline K-1 season using automation, integration, and industry expertise to ease tax season pressures and enhance client service. Topics discussed: The challenges of alternative investment tax reporting and K-1 retrieval How SS&C Accord automates document management and integrates with Black Diamond Vault The role of fund administration experience in delivering accurate, reliable tax data

Every asset manager uses performance measurement and attribution to communicate results and understand performance drivers, but one size doesn’t fit all. Active investment managers especially benefit from deep performance analytics and meaningful attribution methods that go beyond the basics to fully understand what drives their returns, leading to actionable insights. They also help to present a clear picture of their value vs. passive investing alternatives and downward fee pressure. In our latest Tech It Up podcast, performance solutions director Mark Elliott joins hosts Trent and Jasmin to discuss why deep performance and attribution capabilities are needed, what those capabilities should be able to do, and how best to utilize them to highlight investing success and identify investment risks and opportunities.