2024 Fall Forum
Innovation as Art: Evolving to Improve
Kansas City, MO
October 21-23, 2024
Welcome to Kansas City!
Forums are not like other conferences you may have been to. They are designed to maximize the free exchange of experiences and interests amongst its member participants in a balanced way. You will find three types of engagement options in three different ways:
- General Sessions with everyone in a ballroom setting and a more formal, directed conversation.
- Breakout Sessions are a mix of topics and agenda items that are participant-driven discussions and working sessions.
- Social Settings such as meals, receptions, activities, and other events to allow more self-directed interaction and networking.
These represent the three key mechanics we use to help you and your organizations learn and grow at the Forums. Every breakout session at the Forum is a dynamic conversation and discussion between members in which to share best practices and successes along with learning from one another about beginning, implementing, and improving on your own efforts. The breakout sessions are purposely succinct in their titling and description to allow the participants to drive more of the content, priority, and overall direction of the sessions. Facilitators from each session you register for will be reaching out to you in advance to gain your input for that session and help ensure that you are able to maximize your participation in it.
In addition to member participants from a broad spectrum of asset management firms, a curated selection of Vendor Partners has been invited by members for showing deep understanding and dedication to this space in the financial services industry and in particular to Sales, Marketing, Client Servicing and the tools, technologies, and practices that enable them. However, unlike other conferences, our Vendor Partners do not have booths, tables, or other dedicated space at the events. On the contrary, we invite them to participate in the sessions as a means for them to continue learning about what we are tasked with, how they may be of help and how they have assisted others in similar situations as us. They are forbidden from making sales pitches but encouraged to share their accomplishments and experiences with you as source of expertise and broad exposure to our industry. As such please be open to learning and sharing with them. It’s free!
Check Out Highlights from Past Forums
Helpful Numbers During Your Stay
- Hazem Gamal: (917) 561-9553
- Hotel Front Desk: 1-816-531-3000
- Main Street Grill: 1-816-531-3000
Tuesday Offsite Reception Location and Directions
(tap address on your mobile for directions or print pdf)
The Kings Kitchen
129 W Trade St, Charlotte, NC 28202
Upcoming SME Forum Events
Global Roundtable for Asset Managers
Late November 2024 in London, UK
Spring 2025 SME Forum
April 21-23, 2025 in NYC, NY
2025 Global Forum
Late June 2025 in London, UK
Fall 2025 SME Forum
October 2025 in Denver, CO
2024 Spring Forum: By The Numbers
Attendees
Firms
Sessions
Speakers
Agenda
Monday, October 21
All Day: Arrivals and Check-in
Optional: Golf, Tennis, Kansas City area excursions
5:00 – 8:00 PM: Welcome Reception, Networking and Interactive Group Activity
Tuesday, October 22
8:00 AM: Registration and Networking Hot Breakfast
9:00 AM: Welcome and Opening Remarks Hazem Gamal, COO, SME Forum
9:30 AM: State of the Industry in view of Operations with Davis Walmsley, Broadridge
10:30 AM: Tuesday Morning Breakout Sessions:
Sales & Marketing Demonstrating Value: Sales Enablement Teams
Data & AI Paths to Success: Finding AI Projects with Business Results
Institutional Onboarding: Providing Differentiating Services for Retention and Growth
Wealth Building Capacity to Support a Distinguishing Wealth Business
12:00 PM: Networking Sit Down Lunch
1:30 PM: Lessons Learned in MDM Implementations AM Panel with Ken Keiser, SS&C
2:15 PM: Emerging Technologies Usage Panel Discussion with Loren Fox, Fuse Research
3:00 PM: Tuesday Afternoon Breakout Sessions:
Sales & Marketing Navigating Emerging Strategies, Products and Platforms
Data & AI Driving Adoption: Use Cases for Emerging AI Solutions
Institutional Improving the Buying Experience: Enabling the Sellers
Vendor Solution Hike2: A Data and AI Governance Framework to Consider
4:30 PM: Enriching Sales Enablement for Institutional Use
5:30 – 8:00 PM: Offsite Reception, Exhibition & Sit-Down Dinner for all participants, Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art (a five minute walk)
Wednesday, October 23
8:00 AM: Registration and Networking Hot Breakfast
9:00 AM: Opening Remarks Hazem Gamal, COO, SME Forum
9:15 AM: Harnessing the Power of Responsible AI an exploration with Kuldeep Singh, Hike2 and Rupi Bhamra, MSCI
10:00 AM: Wednesday Morning Breakout Sessions:
Sales & Marketing Customer 360 from your CRM Platform
Data & AI Data Before the AI: Getting Your Data Ready
Institutional Achieving Client Driven Experiences Efficiently
Innovation Innovating with AI: Are You Doing It Wrong?
11:30 AM: Networking Sit Down Lunch
1:00 PM: Wednesday Afternoon Breakout Sessions:
Sales & Marketing Evolving Structures and Organizations to Meet a Changing Industry
Data & AI Emerging Skills, Experiences and Roles Required in an AI world
Institutional Leveraging Data Sources to Improve the Growing Wealth Mandate
Vendor Solutions Nasdaq/eVestment: Client Use Cases for Off-Platform Usage
2:30 PM: Brand: How Tech and Ops Help Drive Value Industry Discussion, Ashley Wood, ISSMI
3:15 PM: Closing Reception and Networking
5:00 PM: Forum Concludes
6:30 PM: Leadership Council Offsite BBQ Dinner (by invitation)
Thursday, October 24: SME Leadership Council (by invitation)
8:00 AM: Leadership Council Breakfast
8:30 AM: Leadership Council Meetings
11:00 AM: Meeting Concludes and Departures
TBA | TBA | TBA | TBA
Speaker & Panelist Biographies
Hazem Gamal
The SME Forum, COO
In 2018 Hazem took over the SME Forum and focuses most of his efforts there. Since its founding more than 15 years ago, The Forum has been a growing dynamic community of practitioners from the Asset Management industry who have roles in supporting the Sales, Marketing, Operations and Technology departments of their respective organizations. The deep degrees of trust in sharing best practices, avoiding pitfalls, and learning from one another are hallmarks of how valuable this community continues to be for each firm and the individual employees.
As one of the original members, he has been a continual driver of the Forum’s growth and maturity since its inception in 2003. Initially the senior representative for OppenheimerFunds, he grew to be a leader in the development of the CRM Forum, providing guidance, mentorship, facilitation and participation in various aspect of the organization’s events over the years. Hazem took over ownership and primary responsibilities for running the organization in 2018. He also continues to provide consulting services to the industry under his Thoth Advisory Services organization.
Prior to the Forum, Hazem spent more than fifteen years at OppenheimerFunds in several different roles, always as a proven change agent to help define and implement appropriate and necessary improvements to propel the business. He worked most closely with the sales and marketing divisions directing their technology needs and adoption, onboarding third-party services, in addition to portfolios such as data management, reporting and analytics, business continuity and disaster recovery, among other responsibilities.
Neeraj Arora
Head of Insights and Analytics North America, Invesco
Neeraj is an analytics and change management expert with over 20 years of experience in leadership roles across Asset Management, Consumer Finance, Insurance and Advertising. Over the past 15 years, Neeraj has successfully led teams of data scientists, analysts, management consultants, and visualization experts to foster a comprehensive data-driven decision-making mindset within organizations. Alongside this, Neeraj has maintained a strong focus on change management aspects. He has been invited to speak at numerous conferences, specifically addressing cultural and operational challenges related to adopting analytics and AI.
Most recently, Neeraj spearheaded the Analytics and Insights charge at Invesco. Neeraj helped to enhance net sales growth by gaining a deeper understanding of clients and their interaction with the company’s products, supporting the organization’s ongoing commitment to client-centricity. His team strategically utilized data, business intelligence, and advanced analytics across wealth management and institutional business in North America, enhancing effectiveness and efficiency through a combination of analytical insights, visualization, and on-the-ground implementation.
Before Invesco, Neeraj was a senior consultant at Citibank for their US Retail Bank and Credit Card business. Prior to that, he spent over a decade in leading the development of analytics as well as optimal infrastructure for data driven decision making at Farmers Insurance, AIG and Capital One.
Mario Barbato
The SME Forum
Mario began his career at Lord Abbett leading the firm’s effort to build Sales & Marketing data analytics functions, develop digital marketing strategies and create a comprehensive client touch point data analysis to facilitate client segmentation, predictive analytics, lead management, and CRM engagement. Through this work, he initiated a wholesaler training program to drive adoption of both the data & technology to help meet business plan goals.
Most recently Mario served as Chief Transformation Officer responsible for leading change management in Lord Abbett’s Technology and Operations areas in an effort to enhance agility throughout the firm. This included overseeing the integration of data management and analytics, reporting, and technology to increase efficiency, create an information advantage, and drive transformation across the organization. In this role, Mario led key initiatives such as; the migration of the firm’s Middle Office platform through a Strategic Partnership with a leading provider in the industry, provided strategic thought leadership, implementation planning & development for the firm’s move to a new Investment Management Solution and the development of a strategic product & client data platform for new product launches, customer acquisition/onboarding, lifecycle, and retention initiatives through interactive data analytics, visualization, & management tools.
Corey Beckerman
SVP, Head of Distribution Data: Intelligence and Sales Enablement, Voya Investment Management
Corey is a dynamic and accomplished leader with 23+ years of experience in the financial services industry. He began his career in 1999 as a Personal Financial Advisor with Ameriprise and has worked for other firms such as AIG Sun America, JPMorgan Chase and Legg Mason and Alliance Bernstein. Corey is currently the Head of Distribution Data, Intelligence and Sales Enablement at Voya Investment Management. In his previous role at Alliance Bernstein, he served as VP/Director of Business Intelligence and Sales Enablement where he was responsible for managing data initiatives to identify insights and present information to drive key decisions for the North America Client Group.
Corey graduated from The Ohio State University in 1999. He currently lives in NJ with wife Alissa and their two daughters. He enjoys spending time with his family and practicing Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
Tony Busacca
The SME Forum
Anthony Busacca is a highly accomplished business professional with more than 35 years of experience in the corporate world, as well as over 10 years of experience as an entrepreneur. He has a proven track record of success in driving growth, managing teams, and delivering results across a range of industries.
Mr. Busacca began his career in the financial sector, holding senior leadership positions in finance, operations, and business development at several prominent companies. He honed his skills in strategic planning, financial analysis, and team management, and gained deep expertise in industries such as banking, insurance, and investment management.
In 2009, Mr. Busacca made the leap into entrepreneurship, founding his own company focused on providing innovative solutions in the financial services industry. As the CEO of his own firm, he demonstrated his ability to identify new opportunities, develop effective strategies, and build high-performing teams.
Over the course of his career, Mr. Busacca has earned a reputation as a dynamic and results-driven leader. He is known for his ability to think strategically, execute effectively, and drive growth in even the most challenging environments. He has a proven ability to develop and motivate teams, and to build strong relationships with stakeholders across all levels of an organization.
In addition to his professional accomplishments, Mr. Busacca is also actively involved in his community. He has served on the boards of several non-profit organizations, and is committed to giving back and making a positive impact in the world.
Overall, Anthony Busacca is a seasoned business professional with a diverse range of experience and a proven track record of success. Whether in the corporate world or as an entrepreneur, he has consistently demonstrated his ability to drive growth, deliver results, and create value for stakeholders.
Maureen Byrne
The SME Forum
Maureen is a tenured financial services marketing leader most recently, as Senior Director, Investment Product Marketing at NJ-based fintech FLX Networks, responsible for content creation and executing lead-generating marketing programs for 10+ asset manager members. Prior to FLX, her career spans from SMA product support at broker-dealer Prudential Securities to many subsequent years at asset management firms – predominantly OppenheimerFunds and PGIM Investments, where she led sales enablement, channel and integrated marketing bringing mutual fund solutions to financial advisors, gatekeepers, analysts and RIAs. Maureen also has membership-centric, B2C marketing experience as she recently headed up media, digital marketing and product growth at Affinity Federal Credit Union.
Maureen earned a B.A. in Communications and Marketing from St. Bonaventure University and has various leadership certifications and licenses.
Steve Casey
Vice President Market Leader Greater North Carolina and Southern Virginia, Franklin Templeton
Steve began his career in financial services in 2005 and joined Franklin Templeton in 2020. Prior to joining Franklin Templeton, he spent over 15 years as a financial professional with Legg Mason.
As an advisor to financial professionals, Steve provides a valuable perspective in the areas of market insights, practice management, and portfolio construction. He consults with financial professionals to help them deliver better outcomes for their clients and grow their business. Steve has a wealth of industry knowledge and a deep understanding of Franklin Templeton investment solutions including mutual funds, ETFs, separately managed accounts, model portfolios, 529 plans and alternative products. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Finance from Loyola University in Baltimore and holds FINRA Series 7, 66 and 24 licenses.
Steve currently resides in Charlotte, North Carolina with his wife, Adina, and their sons, Drew and Kellan. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his family and focusing on his philanthropic work for the community as member of the Charlotte Pancreatic Cancer Action Network.
Brett Cohen
Director, Janus Henderson Investments
Brett Cohen is the Director, Advisor Solutions Group of the Carolinas. In this role, he consults directly with financial professionals on all Janus Henderson-related products and curriculum that centers on high-impact
business and life-enhancing programs. Prior to joining Janus in 2004, he was vice president at Scudder Investments covering the wirehouses in northern New Jersey and before that he held the position of investment specialist at New England Securities.
Brett received a bachelor of science from Ithaca College. He holds FINRA Series 7 and 63 securities licenses and has 30 years of financial industry experience.
Andy Dennison
Director, Distribution Intelligence, Franklin Templeton
Mr. Dennison is Director of Distribution Intelligence in Franklin Templeton’s Global Advisory Services. He leads the teams responsible for partnering with US Wealth Management (Retail and RIA), including the teams who partner directly with sales leaders and market leaders nationally. In addition, Mr. Dennison leads Advanced Analytics and AI applications globally for Distribution in partnership with Franklin Templeton Technology.
Prior to joining Franklin Templeton, Mr. Dennison spent over twenty years in various roles at Putnam Investments, most recently as Director of Global Business Intelligence.
Rachel Dorris
Director of Distribution Enablement and Analytics , Principal Asset Management
Serving as Director of Distribution Enablement and Analytics at Principal Asset Management, Rachel leads client-centric transformation initiatives, overseeing vision, strategic design, execution, and benefits realization for sales activation, digital engagement, and go-to-market analytics capabilities.
With over a decade of experience, Rachel has held various roles of increasing responsibility, including Assistant Director of Client Analytics at Principal Asset Management and Business Implementation Manager at Macquarie Group, where she spearheaded internal consulting for Distribution Intelligence and Sales Enablement. Rachel’s expertise extends to program management, business architecture, and strategic planning, demonstrated by her contributions at Lincoln Financial Group and SunTrust. Her commitment to excellence, coupled with exceptional communication and problem-solving skills, has earned her commendation across multiple projects and roles. Additionally, Rachel recently served as co-chair of the Associate Advisory Board of Girls, Inc. of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey.
Loren Fox
FUSE Research Network, Director of Research
Loren Fox is the Director of Research at FUSE Research Network, a provider of business intelligence and consulting for investment management firms. He’s responsible for leading the research team and managing client support, as well as contributing to the firm’s research publications and interfacing with industry executives.
Before joining FUSE, Loren spent nearly 10 years as the director of Ignites Research, a unit of the Financial Times and complement to the Ignites news site that produced original research on strategic issues in the asset management industry; he also created and ran the annual rankings of US financial advisors that appeared in the Financial Times from 2013 through 2020. Previously, he was a senior research analyst at Strategic Insight, producing market intelligence on the mutual fund industry. Prior to that, Loren was a business journalist for many years, having worked at Institutional Investor, Business 2.0, and other publications, and he is the author of the book Enron: The Rise and Fall (2002).
As an industry expert, Loren has spoken at numerous conferences and has been quoted in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and other publications. He earned his BA from Johns Hopkins University and his MS from Columbia University.
Dennis Gallant
ISS Market Intelligence, Associate Director
Dennis Gallant is an Associate Director and Product Engagement Specialist at ISS Market Intelligence.
Dennis is an industry expert with over 25 years of diverse experience providing research and consulting services for the asset management, wealth management, and financial advisor markets. His coverage includes investment product distribution, advisor portfolio construction, model portfolios, the TAMP marketplace, the independent advisor/RIA market, direct indexing, retirement income, digital/hybrid advice, advisor recruiting, and the transition to advice/planning. Prior to this, he was a Strategic Advisor with Aite Novarica Group’s Wealth Management practice, managed his own consulting firm (GDC Research), and was a Director at Cerulli Associates.
Dennis conducts numerous presentations for client and industry conferences and is often quoted in industry trade publications, including WSJ, Investment News, Financial Advisor Magazine, Financial Planning, Ignites, and Institutional Investor
Blake Hood
Senior Director, Wealth Advisory Solutions, Principal Asset Management
Blake Hood began his career in financial services in 1997 and joined Principal Asset Management in 2010. As a seasoned professional in the financial services industry, Blake brings over two decades of expertise to his role as Sr. Director, Wealth Advisory Solutions at Principal Asset Management, combining his industry knowledge and deep understanding of Principal Asset Management’s investment solutions including mutual funds, separately managed accounts, ETFs, and Alternatives to provide tailored solutions that meet the unique needs and goals of Financial Professionals and their clients.
Blake earned a Bachelor of Science from the College of Management at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, NC. He holds FINRA Series 6, 7, 63, 65 and 66 licenses and the AIF® Designation.
Beyond his professional endeavors, Blake finds joy in various hobbies, including golfing, fishing, and cheering on both the Carolina Hurricanes and North Carolina State Wolfpack. He is happily married to his wife Angel, and the proud parent of three wonderful children, Brooke, Alexis, and Camden. With a commitment to excellence and a dedication to fostering meaningful relationships, he strives to make a positive impact in both the financial industry and the lives of those he serves.
Bill Hortz
Institute for Innovation Development, Founder and Dean
Bill Hortz is a business innovation writer, independent business consultant, and Founder/Dean of the financial services business innovation focused Institute for Innovation Development.
Bill has over 30 years of experience in the financial services industry including creatively restructuring and developing internal/external sales and strategic account departments for 5 major financial firms; entrepreneurially pioneering new markets in the early days of the financial advisor fee-based movement and financial alliance programs in the US; and created many non-traditional and engaging advisor educational events with major financial firms including OppenheimerFunds, Neuberger&Berman, Peregrine Asset Management (HK), and Templeton Funds Distributors.
His wide-ranging experiences have led Bill to a strong belief, passion and advocation for strategic thinking, innovation creation, and strategic account management as the nexus of business forces needed to address a business environment challenged by an accelerating rate of change.
Bill loves working with senior executives, sales/strategic account departments, and financial advisor teams in developing effective ways of using innovation resources and developing innovation skills. He considers himself a life-long “student of human nature” and is well known for his enthusiasm, creativity, and resourcefulness.
Bill is married, with two grown children (and 2 grandchildren!), living in the Tampa Bay area. He enjoys reading, engaged conversation, bicycling, spelunking, and traveling with his family.
Little known facts: Bill worked on the last remaining docks of NYC as an underage teen, worked for the man in Hong Kong that the book Tai-Pan was based on, and constantly seeks out off-off-off broadway theatre, performance art, live music performance, and modern art museums.
Lee Kaworski
SS&C Technologies, VP, Head of Distribution Solutions
Lee Kowarski is a Vice President with SS&C Technologies, overseeing the firm’s Distribution Solutions products and services, including data management (SalesConnect), analytics (WalletShare), research, and consulting. This team is focused on helping asset and wealth managers find opportunity amongst disruption.
A graduate of New York University’s Stern School of Business, Lee entered the asset management industry as part of RSM McGladrey’s consulting practice before co-founding kasina in 1999, which was subsequently acquired by DST Systems’ in 2015 and then a part of SS&C’s acquisition of DST in 2018.
Lee and his wife, Melinda Miller, live on Manhattan’s Upper West Side and are active in the hospitality world, including supporting Rethink Food and the James Beard Foundation.
Craig Lieb
Director, CRM, Sales & Marketing Enablement, NA & EMEA, Invesco
Craig has over 10 years of experience in technology change management in the financial services sector and currently leads the North America and EMEA Distribution Enablement capability at Invesco. He and his team develop and execute the strategy for ensuring the sales and marketing organizations have the right technology capabilities, content, data, training, and support to efficiently and effectively deliver superior client experiences.
David Master
Global Financial Services Business & Marketing Executive
Dave Master is a 30+ year veteran of the asset management business, most recently having served as the Global Chief Marketing Officer of Janus Henderson Investors. Prior to that he has served in executive roles at Legg Mason, Prudential Financial and the Chase Manhattan Bank, as well as having spent over a decade consulting to numerous financial services firms. He specializes in business strategy, strategic and tactical marketing, and organizational evolution.
Dave has an AB from Dartmouth College and an MBA from Yale University. He currently lives in Norwalk, CT with his wife.
Patrick Murphy
Founder, XALT
Patrick Murphy is an innovator in the financial services industry. Prior to launching XALT he was at the forefront of the transformation of OTC derivative markets to electronic markets at both GFI Group and IMEX, a commodities exchange backed by the Qatari Sovereign Wealth Fund.
As the founder of XALT, he has revolutionised sales operations and client interactions with his groundbreaking platform. With a deep understanding of asset management, his expertise has driven digital transformation and exceptional results. Patrick’s passion for innovation and empowering clients has garnered prestigious awards and recognition. Through XALT, he enables sales teams worldwide to deliver exceptional value and win more assets. His leadership and contributions are reshaping the future of asset management.
Todd Neese
The SME Forum, Facilitator
Trained in engineering, research, and psychology (B.S. in Psychology, Kansas State University), Todd Neese has worked at a psychiatric research and training hospital (coordinating treatment outcome studies), a variable annuity company (coordinating customer information management), a major research university (coordinating business intelligence for the Vice Provost for Research), an insurance and asset management company, Athene / Aviva / AmerUs (leading business intelligence, sales and marketing related reporting and analytics, and data governance), and for the most recent eight years at Janus Henderson Investors as the Global Head of Business Intelligence and Distribution Operations. In each of these opportunities, he was responsible for building out and improving business intelligence capabilities. The central theme of his career has been using information to drive better decision making.
While at Janus Henderson for the past 8 years, Todd has been responsible for building the Business Intelligence and Distribution Operations function globally – transforming the focus from sales reporting of what has happened to suggesting what we could do to acquire more clients, to serve, grow and retain our existing clients, and to enable our sales and marketing teams to optimize their time and efforts by presenting the right idea to the right client at the right time. His Teams focus on delivering Competitive and Market Intelligence, Data and Solution Driven Selling Opportunities, Outcomes Analyses, Distribution Enablement and Advanced Analytics, CRM Training and Support, AUM & Flows Processing and Reporting, and Sales Reporting.
Career development (his own and those with whom he works), community involvement, and corporate responsibility are extremely important to Todd. He led the establishment of the Insuring a Future Program at Aviva, which provided two “retroactive life insurance” awards for uninsured or underinsured non-customer recipients in need, through a corporate and community agency team. He led an enhanced employee leadership development team, which delivered 11 department-wide Finance continuing education sessions, expanded employee recognition, and launched a mentorship program. His teams are regularly involved in Habitat for Humanity-type events; and he has chaired the Leadership Level Giving effort within the Aviva United Way Campaign for three years. In the past, he has served as the president of the Board of Directors of a (United Way sponsored) Crisis Counseling Center.
Todd’s daily goal is to improve the company and his team in everything that he does – with the desired impact being increased collaboration and insight. Innovation, integrity, fairness, humor, and quality are central values driving his actions. His Real Deal cards (PEAK Learning) are Being Challenged, Contributing to a worthy cause, Freedom to innovate, Respect, and Humor/Laughter; and his Deal Breaker is Enthusiasm / Passion. With his roots in academic settings, he views a central part of his role as a leader to help develop the next generation of leaders and to help those on his team achieve their aspirations.
Todd and his wife, Barb, have been married for 15 years and have no children of their own. However, they have many nieces and nephews whom they adore and spoil. Outside of work his passions include music, culinary adventures, and art.
William Safarik
Director of Client Platform Mgmt and Analytics/Sales Enablement, Wellington
As the Director of Client Platform Mgmt and Analytics/Sales Enablement, Bill is responsible for the program to drive growth and better retain business through the development and implementation of sales enablement technology and analytics across the Client Platform. Bill is an experienced leader in sales enablement solutions and client data and analytics with a strong track record of effective global leadership – successfully implementing numerous sales enablement solutions to help drive new business and effectively retaining existing clients, including: Relaunching a sub-optimal global enterprise Salesforce CRM and gaining 100% adoption by enhancing the data and building functionality and making the CRM the golden source of truth and a beneficial and necessary tool in serving clients, prospects, and consultants. Establishing a centralized data source for all client data and analytics by bringing together siloed data elements to better support management reporting, data-driven insights, and business insights, enabling management to run the business more effectively and understand business trends and allow client-facing teams to enhance the client experience. Developing or streamlining multiple operational processes, including a new process used to effectively segment clients and differentiate servicing needs and more effectively evaluating customized service requests, resulting in a more efficient use of firm resources.
Ruben Sanchez
Director, Business Intelligence and Reporting at Janus Henderson Investors U.S.
Ruben is a seasoned leader with over 20 years’ experience in data and analytics within the asset management space. He currently leads the North American Distribution Analytics and Competitive Insights Team at Janus Henderson Investors. His team is responsible for supporting Distribution strategy and providing actionable insights to the Distribution and Marketing teams. Ruben also has experience supporting Investments, Operation and Transfer Agency functions.
Emilio Vastola
Vice President, Revenue Operations & CRM Strategy
Emilio is a highly motivated strategic fintech leader with experience in revenue operations, SaaS management / development, and financial services. He has effectively led global teams providing outstanding customer experiences and directing projects to completion using critical thinking and a data-driven approach to deliver results on mission critical program initiatives.
Emilio began his career in 2005 in Data Integrations for Princeton Financial Systems (Acquired by State Street), where he strengthened client support, training, consulting and demos for global insurance and institutional clients on PAM® for Investments portfolio asset management and accounting software. In 2015 he was selected by State Street to participate in their inaugural global Leadership Development Program which consisted of 3 8-month rotations in diverse business units, functions, and geographical locations (Princeton, Boston, & London). In his last role at State Street, Emilio built out and led a high performing global team within revenue operations, providing 24/7 support on CRM, marketing, and analytic solutions. Emilio is now looking for his next opportunity in Strategy, Revenue Operations and/or Change Management.
Emilio currently resides in Raleigh, NC with his wife and 2 kids where he enjoys being outside and its nature. He loves music, museums, and the culinary arts.
Davis Walmsley
Principal, Broadridge Global Asset Management Strategy Consulting
Davis has more than 15 years of experience advising investment managers as a consultant and investment banker. He has partnered with managers to address strategic issues related to distribution, marketing, and product development. Prior to joining Broadridge, Davis led the Investment Management practice at Greenwich Associates and was a Director in Barclays Investment Banking FIG practice where he provided M&A and capital markets advice.
Davis received his BS in Finance and Economics from Lehigh University and his MBA from the Harvard Business School.
Anthony Whitford
Olmstead Associates, Managing Director
Anthony leads Olmstead’s efforts to empower data-driven asset managers. He is an accomplished technologist with 20 years of driving technology and data initiatives for large and small asset managers.
He was Head of IT Common Services at Western Asset, where among other responsibilities, he enhanced the firm’s data architecture and developed its cloud strategy, leveraging data virtualization, Snowflake cloud data warehouse, a data science platform, and data lakes. Anthony was CTO at Fischer Francis Trees & Watts (now BNP Paribas Asset Management), where he built a sophisticated global investment management platform that elicited digital transformation across the firm.
At his core, Anthony is a software and data architect/engineer driven to enable asset manager innovation and agility. He is a problem solver who delivers and moves the needle.
Solutions Providers
HSO
For more than 30 years, HSO has focused on helping organizations get sustainable results through the use of technology. We have grown into one of the world’s leading Microsoft partners, supporting local and international businesses in pursuit of digital transformation…
HSO/AKA
For more than 30 years, HSO has focused on helping organizations get sustainable results through the use of technology. We have grown into one of the world’s leading Microsoft partners, supporting local and international businesses in pursuit of digital transformation. We use state-of-the-art technologies, including Microsoft Dynamics 365, Azure cloud platform, and our unique, industry-specific solutions, along with expert cloud services, business process consulting, and custom application development to help you get to where you want to be.
Ready to pave the way to innovation? Whatever you’re ready for, we have the people, experience and solutions to make it happen.
Learn More: https://us.hso.com/
Broadridge
Broadridge, a global Fintech leader with over $4 billion in revenues and part of the S&P 500® Index, enables corporate governance, powers capital markets and helps wealth and asset management…
Broadridge
Broadridge, a global Fintech leader with over $4 billion in revenues and part of the S&P 500® Index, enables corporate governance, powers capital markets and helps wealth and asset management firms grow. We provide communications, technology, data and analytics that help enrich engagement, navigate risk, optimize efficiency and drive revenue growth. We process $5 trillion in fixed income and equity trades daily, manage shareholder voting in 90 countries and deliver essential communications for 5,000 brands. From our unique vantage point, working side by side with our clients, we help businesses get ahead of today’s challenges and capitalize on what’s next.
Learn More: www.broadridge.com
eVestment
The Source for Institutional Intelligence
eVestment, a part of Nasdaq, provides institutional investment data, analytics and market intelligence covering public and private markets. …
eVestment
The Source for Institutional Intelligence
eVestment, a part of Nasdaq, provides institutional investment data, analytics and market intelligence covering public and private markets. Asset managers and general partners reach the institutional marketplace through our platform, while institutional investors and consultants rely on eVestment for manager due diligence, selection and monitoring. eVestment brings transparency and efficiency to the global institutional market, equipping managers, investors and consultants to make data-driven decisions, deploy their resources more productively and ultimately realize better outcomes.
Learn More: www.eVestment.com
ForwardLane
ForwardLane is an applied artificial intelligence company that accelerates digital advisory and distribution in wealth management, asset management and commercial banking. We do this by…
ForwardLane
ForwardLane is an applied artificial intelligence company that accelerates digital advisory and distribution in wealth management, asset management and commercial banking.
We do this by synthesizing vast quantities of collective firm intelligence and market data, dramatically accelerating the productivity of financial services professionals.
Learn More: http://forwardlane.com/
Hey Dan
Serving 5,000+ wholesalers in the asset management industry from firms with over $7.6 trillion in total market capitalization, Hey DAN (formerly Dial-A-Note) is the premiere voice to CRM solution…
Hey DAN
Serving 5,000+ wholesalers in the asset management industry from firms with over $7.6 trillion in total market capitalization, Hey DAN (formerly Dial-A-Note) is the premiere voice to CRM solution. Salespeople simply dictate and Hey DAN deposits the information directly into your CRM. Drop-down menus, check boxes and other unique fields are quickly filled out, without the salesperson’s help. Hey DAN is the first voice to CRM solution that combines technology and intelligence, ensuring meeting note entry is fast, accurate, and complete.
Hey DAN is also the only voice to CRM solution that passes all security requirements within the asset management industry.
Beyond CRM entry, Hey DAN has built a sterling reputation for low-cost, high quality data management solutions. From expense entry to data scrubbing, list building and data mining, Hey DAN does the work behind the scenes so your sales team and support staff can work on high value tasks resulting in a phenomenal ROI.
Hey DAN was founded in 2006 specifically to support the asset management industry. It has since launched its own nonprofit foundation helping deliver relief to the poorest of the poor around the globe. To learn more visit http://www.feathersproject.org/
Learn More: https://heydan.ai/civicom/
ISS Market Intelligence
Institutional Shareholder Services group of companies (ISS) empowers investors and companies to build for long-term and sustainable growth by providing high-quality data, analytics and insight. ISS Market Intelligence (MI) division provides critical data and insight to global asset managers…
Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS)
Institutional Shareholder Services group of companies (ISS) empowers investors and companies to build for long-term and sustainable growth by providing high-quality data, analytics and insight. ISS Market Intelligence (MI) division provides critical data and insight to global asset managers, insurance companies and distributors to help them make informed, strategic decisions to manage and grow their business.
Through its industry-leading combination of proprietary and integrated datasets, in-depth global research and reliable executive engagement, ISS MI delivers solutions for market sizing, competitor benchmarking, product strategy and opportunity identification across a wide range of financial products including funds, annuities, insurance, mortgages, and other instruments. The ISS MI group includes the industry-leading data platforms Simfund, BrightScope, Local Market Share, and Financial Clarity, as well a full collection of global research and analytic services including Investor Economics, Market Metrics, and Plan for Life.
Learn More: https://www.issgovernance.com/si-joins-iss/
Kyloe
Kyloe is a software provider with an exclusive focus on Salesforce solutions for Asset Managers. Kyloe’s offerings include end-to-end Salesforce overlays and modules for Institutional and Intermediary Distribution Sales and Marketing, as well as pre-built Salesforce integrations…
Kyloe
Kyloe is a software provider with an exclusive focus on Salesforce solutions for Asset Managers.
Kyloe’s offerings include end-to-end Salesforce overlays and modules for Institutional and Intermediary Distribution Sales and Marketing, as well as pre-built Salesforce integrations for many of the leading data providers servicing the Asset Management Industry. Our team has been delivering Salesforce solutions since 2004 for many of Salesforce’s leading financial services clients.
Learn More: www.kyloe.digital
Mertius Business Solutions, Inc.
Meritus focuses on large, enterprise-sized, complex engagements with strategic customers in Financial Services, Healthcare, and Manufacturing. Co-Founders, Barney Holmes and Bill Zarbock…
Meritus Business Solutions
Meritus focuses on large, enterprise-sized, complex engagements with strategic customers in Financial Services, Healthcare, and Manufacturing. Co-Founders, Barney Holmes and Bill Zarbock have more than 40 combined years of CRM and business process experience. We were Infor CRM Partner of the year in 2016, 2017 and 2020 and are a top-tier Creatio partner (formerly bpm’online).
Founded in 2010 and headquartered in Bedminster, New Jersey. Meritus has built a reputation for time-to-value delivery and high levels of customer satisfaction. End users are at the heart of our delivery and service processes.
We have the largest and most tenured team of certified Infor and Creatio employees. We hire skilled Software Engineers and train them on supported CRM product suites and our unique service methodologies. Each consultant is degreed with at least five years of applicable business experience.
For large customers, consultant teams cross-train to learn their implementations, organizational and business processes. Our focused service offerings include; Customer Relationship Management (Infor CRM and Creatio), Mobile Solutions, Business Process Management and Workflow Automation, Service Integration, Big Data/Data-Driven processes and Machine Learning/Artificial Intelligence.
Meritus blends elements from Agile and Waterfall methodologies. We have found that this approach lowers overall delivery costs, reduces future rework and provides insight into end-state delivery budgets as Sprints take into consideration broader views of workflows and future anticipated integrations. Our highly experienced analysts’ partner with you to understand and utilize the most appropriate process to meet your needs.
Learn More: https://www.meritusbusinesssolutions.com/
Olmstead Associates
Olmstead is a data-centric consulting firm with an exclusive focus on the asset management industry. We provide consulting expertise to help with operational transformation and sales enablement solutions. We have the data management expertise that makes all those solutions play nicely together…
Olmstead Associates
Olmstead is a data-centric consulting firm with an exclusive focus on the asset management industry. We provide consulting expertise to help with operational transformation and sales enablement solutions. We have the data management expertise that makes all those solutions play nicely together.
Our experience is deep and includes sales and marketing enablement, client reporting and communications, CRM, distribution & customer intelligence, and digital/web projects. Our Operations, Technology, and Data experts, along with proven methodologies and leading-edge tools help our clients make better decisions and lower project risk.
Seismic
Olmstead is also the only certified Seismic implementation and development partner. Our focus on the asset management industry allows us to deliver best practices and develop industry-specific solutions based on practical use cases. We have a deep understanding of how the Seismic solution can integrate with your suite of distribution solutions and deliver the full value of the tool.
Salesforce
Seismic
Marketo
PowerBI
Tableau
Solution Architecture
Data Lifecycle Management
Data Warehouse
Data Governance
Modern Data Strategies
If these ideas resonate with you, please contact Scott Kasper. Scott is a 15-year member of the SME Forum and recently joined Olmstead. Please visit the Olmstead website for additional information about our practice and blog entries about many of these topics.
Learn More https://www.olmst.com/
SalesPage
SalesPage Technologies helps asset managers utilize data to retain and grow their asset base more effectively. SalesPage solutions function within each client’s data architecture, providing data management, sales operations, and reporting…
SalesPage
SalesPage Technologies helps asset managers utilize data to retain and grow their asset base more effectively. SalesPage solutions function within each client’s data architecture, providing data management, sales operations, and reporting—all while integrating with their sales enablement solutions such as CRM, BI platforms, and other systems. The SalesPage family of products includes SalesPage distribution data platform solutions, SalesStation outsourced data management, Advisor Atlas team data, LumaSuite data service, and Clarity Compliance for 22c-2. SalesPage’s total value combines our industry-specific solutions, a staff with deep industry knowledge, and a close-knit client community who help guide our product development. SalesPage works directly with over 90 asset managers.
Contact:
Learn More: https://www.salespage.com/
SS&C Technologies
SS&C is a global provider of services and software for the financial services and healthcare industries. Founded in 1986, SS&C is headquartered in Windsor, Connecticut, and has offices around the…
SS&C Technologies
SS&C has been helping investment and financial firms of all types gain that advantage for more than 30 years. Grounded in our deep knowledge and understanding of your business, our technology-powered solutions and services help you run your operations more efficiently, compete more effectively and grow more profitably. Through data management, market share services, advisor practice analysis, industry research and consulting, we provide you with distribution intelligence and expertise to manage your data, gain insights and ignite growth in your business.
Learn More: www.ssctech.com
Synthesis Technology
Synthesis Technology is an end-to-end content automation and publishing platform that empowers investment companies to improve their marketing efficiencies and grow AUM. Since 1998, Synthesis Technology has leveraged its industry expertise to enable global asset managers to…
Synthesis Technology
Synthesis Technology is an end-to-end content automation and publishing platform that empowers investment companies to improve their marketing efficiencies and grow AUM. Since 1998, Synthesis Technology has leveraged its industry expertise to enable global asset managers to automate, scale, and improve the efficiency of their data-driven content across their enablement and regulatory documents. Our flagship solution, Synthesis Publisher, is proven to improve content automation and publishing processes by 50%.
To learn more about how Synthesis Technology can transform your business, visit: https://www.synthesistechnology.com/
XALT Sales Optimisation
XALT is an industry-leading sales optimisation platform for global Asset Managers which puts data and insights at the heart of Asset Management distribution and enables digital-first sales teams to deliver maximum value to their clients…
XALT
XALT is an industry-leading sales optimisation platform for global Asset Managers which puts data and insights at the heart of Asset Management distribution and enables digital-first sales teams to deliver maximum value to their clients.
Winner of Best Use of Data at the Investment Week Innovation Awards 2020 and a FinTech Start-Up award at the Digital Client Engagement Summit 2019, XALT currently supports global Asset Managers with over $4tn of assets across 15 countries and 5 continents, transforming sales teams so they have greater insights, can go further for their clients, and deliver asset growth.
XALT delivers three core benefits to global Asset Managers:
1. Deeper sales intelligence – providing the technology to unite all relevant data to generate timely and relevant insights.
2. Stronger client experience – enabling more personalised, digital-first client-specific communications before sales opportunities are missed.
3. Better business results – delivering data-led insights that help maximise impact on asset retention and growth.
XALT helps its clients stand out from the crowd and achieve profitable growth through a combination of technology and human insights powered by deep industry expertise and data knowledge.
XALT is a PureGroup application. PureGroup is a UK-based financial technology business focused on empowering global Asset Managers to grow assets, increase profitability, and become tomorrow’s leaders.
PureGroup was established in 2013, has its HQ in London, and development centres in Portugal and Lithuania.
Website: https://xalt.io/
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