Institutional investment managers and superannuation funds are using investment data management to evolve and launch new products and better engage clients, according to senior executives from DST Global Solutions.
“Product development has to date been driven by regulation but we are at the start of a new product development push based on the management of investment data,” DST global head of data management and analytics Julian Webb said.
“Institutional managers and funds are using this data to dissect their database and better understand what their clients want and may use it to bring more investment capabilities in-house, which is a trend emerging in the US and UK.”
DST head of business development Australia and New Zealand Rhys Octigan said institutional managers and superannuation funds had already started down the path of measuring daily performance to find more areas of transparency and information to clients.
“At every touch point in the industry everyone is asking how to provide the right data at the right time to the right people,” Octigan said.
“As a result, in Australia we are seeing the larger superannuation funds looking more like retail funds in how they engage clients and broaden their services. This has come off the back of technology which is evolving and progressing what these funds look like.”
Super funds have built on early financial year momentum, as growth funds deliver strong results driven by equities and resilient bonds.
The super fund has announced that Mark Rider will step down from his position of chief investment officer (CIO) after deciding to “semi-retire” from full-time work.
Rest has joined forces with alternative asset manager Blue Owl Capital, co-investing in a real estate trust, with the aim of capitalising on systemic changes in debt financing.
The Future Fund’s CIO Ben Samild has announced his resignation, with his deputy to assume the role of interim CIO.