InvestOps USA 2025
March 10 - 12, 2025
JW Marriot Grand Lakes, Orlando
InvestOps Day 1- 03/06/19
7:15 am - 8:30 am
Conference Registration & Networking Breakfast
8:30 am - 8:35 am
Welcome Address: Liuba Pignataro, Editorial Director, InvestOps USA
8:35 am - 8:40 am
Chairperson’s Opening Remarks: : Andy Burgin, MD, Client Account Director, Accenture
Andy Burgin -
MD, Client Account Director,
Accenture
8:40 am - 9:00 am
Buy Side COO Keynote Address: Driving transformation through collaboration- How can you best collaborate with the rest of the value chain to drive the required change within your business?
Tobias Fritsch -
Chief Operating Officer,
Allianz Investment Management
Ø Grabbing the bull by the horns- Pinpointing when it’s right for collaboration to feed the pace of transformation in the industry
Ø How can you best drive change not only in the middle office but through the whole operational model and remove silos?
Ø Collaborative approach- Why operating in a joint operating model is the only way to reduce complexity, increase data quality and reduce operational costs
Ø Leading through transformation- What are the best ways to get your team to embrace change initiatives to help your firm seize new opportunities?
9:00 am - 9:40 am
All Star Panel: Overcoming operational efficiency challenges- What are the top 3 critical success factors for building a streamlined, cost-efficient investment operations division?
Sergio Capanna -
Director, Head of Asset Management,
Calypso
Dave Winter -
Head of Investment Operations, Americas,
Aberdeen Standard Investments
Scott Wybranski -
President and CEO,
Meradia
Dominic Flanagan -
Chief Development Officer,
SS&C
Ø How does streamlining processes help to ensure that you are meeting current customer demands, improving operational efficiencies and reducing the bottom line?
Ø New Ways to streamline operational processes- How can you ensure you have the right technology and processes in place now to meet your current and future objectives?
Ø Intelligent process automation- How can you use these initiatives to enhance productivity and efficiency whilst reducing operational risks?
Ø Consolidation and modernisation- Reducing costs and maximising the value of technologies and innovations through consolidations
Ø Realizing the value of new initiatives- How do you measure and rationalize the ROI and measure the success of any new technologies you on-board?
9:40 am - 10:00 am
Sell Side Keynote: Go Beyond Surviving Market Shifts – How can asset managers thrive amidst changes in asset flows by outsourcing front and middle office services?
Marc Mallett -
Director of Strategy for Asset Servicing, Americas,
Northern Trust
Ø Preparing for the future – The market experienced strong asset flows and returns in recent years but what plans can you put in place to thrive in an unstable market
Ø How to buffer operational expenses to prepare for the possibility of weaker asset returns
Ø Save on technology maintenance, regulation support and compliance requirements by outsourcing front and middle office services traditionally completed in house
Ø How can the benefits of outsourcing including cost control and risk reduction allow managers to achieve best execution?
10:00 am - 10:40 am
Morning Refreshment break
10:40 am - 11:00 am
Fireside Chat: Where the rubber meets the road - The practicality of industry transformation and how you can take advantage of the future, now
Vincent Pasqualicchio -
COO - Investments,
American Family Insurance
Eric Bernstein -
President of Asset Management Solutions,
Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc.
This fireside chat will explore the real life practicalities of trying to transform operations so that managers can focus on their investment strategy, amidst a backdrop of fee pressure, passive investments and increasing client demands for transparency and reporting. The conversation will be focused on how firms can be more agile to take advantage of market opportunity to generate alpha and grow AUM.This fireside chat will explore the real life practicalities of trying to transform operations so that managers can focus on their investment strategy, amidst a backdrop of fee pressure, passive investments and increasing client demands for transparency and reporting. The conversation will be focused on how firms can be more agile to take advantage of market opportunity to generate alpha and grow AUM.
Ø How are AI, ML and Robotics beginning to shape a new path for investment operations and how can they help to achieve your cost and efficiency objectives?
Ø What opportunities does robotics present to the buy side and how can you measure the ROI?
Ø What aspects of the investment operations workflow does AI, ML and RPA best lend itself to and how can you implement this?
Ø Combining humans with machines- How can you build AI, ML and RPA into your existing enterprise architecture?
Ø How can you ensure you have a comprehensive governance structure over the deployment of automated workflows and solutions?
11:00 am - 11:20 am
Keynote Interview: From hype to reality- How are AI, ML and RPA being implemented across investment operations to increase performance and re-direct human resources to where they are truly needed?
Andy Burgin -
MD, Client Account Director,
Accenture
Uday Kiran Bolusani -
Vice President, Global Product & Clearing Services,
Fidelity
Don Maciag -
Managing Director – Middle/Back Office Technology and Data Management,
Charles Schwab
Ø How are AI, ML and Robotics beginning to shape a new path for investment operations and how can they help to achieve your cost and efficiency objectives?
Ø What opportunities does robotics present to the buy side and how can you measure the ROI?
Ø What aspects of the investment operations workflow does AI, ML and RPA best lend itself to and how can you implement this?
Ø Combining humans with machines- How can you build AI, ML and RPA into your existing enterprise architecture?
How can you ensure you have a comprehensive governance structure over the deployment of automated workflows and solutions?
Don Maciag
Managing Director – Middle/Back Office Technology and Data ManagementCharles Schwab
11:20 am - 12:00 pm
All Star Panel: Best practice use cases for cutting-edge data management approaches- Which new strategies and technologies should you implement to gain the information edge?
Rich Lane -
Senior Manager,
Accenture
Harry Chopra -
Chief Client Officer,
AxiomSL
Jim Kearney -
Head of Investment Operations,
Vanguard
Ø Under regulations, growing technology, big data and advanced analytics how are global firms addressing the need for a new approach to data management?
Ø Creating a uniform code for data: How to ensure your data management is consistent across the business to fully reap the reward of standardisation
Ø How to decide which specific technologies can help you streamline your global data processes
Evaluating ways to resolve data processing issues without having to reinvest in legacy technology and infrastructure
12:00 pm - 12:20 pm
Oxford Style Debate: To outsource or not to outsource- Do the efficiencies gained from outsourcing outweigh the risks of loosing control?
Andy Burgin -
MD, Client Account Director,
Accenture
Jeremy Gagnon -
Head of Sales Engineering- North America,
Rimes Technologies
Marc Buonomo -
Head of Asset Management Operations,
DWS Investment Management Americas
Moderator: Andy Burgin, MD, Client Account Director, Accenture
For: Jeremy Gagnon, Head of Sales Engineering, North America, RIMES Technologies
Against: Marc Buonomo, Head of Asset Management Operations, DWS Investment Management Americas
- Establishing the pros and cons- What are the arguments for and against outsourcing your middle and back office operations?
- Vendor management vs. building internally- Where should you allocate resources and what factors should be considered?
- In an era of increased regulatory scrutiny does outsourcing your investment operations give you enough effective oversight and supervision?
- Assessing the trade off between cost and time- Does outsourcing always remove the burden?
Jeremy Gagnon
Head of Sales Engineering- North AmericaRimes Technologies
12:20 pm - 1:20 pm
Lunch and Networking Break
Track chaired by John Clark, Head of Consulting, Cutter Associates
Track A Operations Tech: Improving Operational Efficiency
1:50 pm - 2:10 pm Case Study: Taking a holistic approach- Building for the future, but delivering today. Delivering value in meaningful pieces while not losing sight of the longer term perspective Charles Kim - SVP, Head of Data Governance & Strategy, Voya Investment Management-How do we operate in a fast paced world that requires quicker turnarounds to build credibility and momentum?
-How should you think about data with the myriad of options out there?
-Thinking strategically while delivering tactically. How to find a balance between the ideal and practical?
-How to help ensure alignment with strategic objectives while delivering near term wins?
Charles Kim
SVP, Head of Data Governance & StrategyVoya Investment Management
Track A Operations Tech: Improving Operational Efficiency
2:10 pm - 2:30 pm Case Study: Creating the Data-Driven Enterprise – how to make the transition from operating in silos to creating an agile, enterprise-wide responsive data hub that improves information sharing. Dr. Giles Nelson - CTO, MarkLogic- What does the ideal digitalized investment operations division look like and how can this be achieved?
- How can you ensure you have the right data infrastructure in place to respond in an agile way to new business requirements?
- How do you deal with the wide range of data types, both structured and unstructured, that are needed to provide a 360 view?
-How do you ensure that data is of the right quality and that it can be shared widely and securely?
Track A Operations Tech: Improving Operational Efficiency
2:30 pm - 2:50 pm Case Study: Harnessing Data as a Business Asset – Do you have the right operating model in place? Liz Blake - Global Head of Managed Services, Eagle Investment Systems-How can investment managers face the challenge of harnessing data as a business asset, turning data into fuel that can help to enable growth?
-What adjustments are needed to help sharpen the focus on investment analysis, market strategies and client needs in order to drive and preserve revenue?
-What options are available to capture and manufacture the data needed to drive business results?
-How can managed services or outsourcing augment your team to support the management of investment data, tailoring the right solution for your organization?
Track A Operations Tech: Improving Operational Efficiency
2:50 pm - 3:10 pm Case Study: Overcoming legacy technology and systems – How to address moving forward with the changing business landscape and business strategy with aging applications. Ed Selker - Director - Data Management Operations, Federated InvestorsØ How can improving legacy architecture allow you to more easily capture opportunities for digitalization?
Ø Choosing between integration or overhaul – which is best to help you resolve data processing issues?
Ø Whether replacing or integrating legacy systems -which steps can you take to minimize the disruption and ensure business continuity?
Ø What are the best ways to shrink costs whilst combing new technologies and best practices in legacy decommissioning?
Track A Operations Tech: Improving Operational Efficiency
3:10 pm - 3:50 pm Afternoon Refreshment BreakTrack B Derivative Operations: Enhancing Your Derivatives Workflow
1:50 pm - 2:30 pm Panel Revolution: Streamlining OTC derivatives- What are the building blocks for using STP to achieve operational efficiencies? David Nable - Managing Director and the Head of Commercial Strategy, Arcesium Charles Dwyer - Former Director, Global Technology and Operations, IndependentØ Bridging the gap between where we are now and where we should be- How are advances in automation and STP improving efficiencies and reducing the regulatory burden?
Ø How can you embrace automation to maximise your chances of best execution in your derivatives trading workflow
Ø Where is it realistic to incorporate automation across your middle and back office to allow for real-time trade reporting?
Ø Does the high cost of manual processes mean STP in derivatives is inevitable?
Track chaired by Charles Dwyer, Former Director, Global Technology & Operations, Deutsche Bank AM
Track B Derivative Operations: Enhancing Your Derivatives Workflow
2:30 pm - 3:10 pm 360 Perspective: New horizons in collateral management- How are the application of smarter data driven intelligence helping to unlock new opportunities? Eric Bolisay - Vice President- Head of Derivatives Strategic Operations, T.Rowe Price Ky Dong - Senior Complex Securities Specialist, Franklin Templeton Investments Armando Hernandez - Director, Business Development, CloudMargin Jim Kearney - Head of Investment Operations, Vanguard Charles Dwyer - Former Director, Global Technology and Operations, IndependentØ Efficiency drivers in collateral management- How can you employ forward looking innovations and AI to a more central role in the ecosystem?
Ø What are the best ways to deal with reporting and collateral requirements as directed by derivatives regulation?
Ø Enterprise wide collateral- How can you integrate OTC derivatives, securities, treasury and other asset classes to save costs and increase automation?
Ø Control and optimization beyond operations- How is this evolving to find opportunities across the business at pre-trade, trade and post-trade levels?
Ø How can you integrate traditional silos into a company wide collateral management model to reduce costs, automate processes and avoid operational duplication?
Track chaired by Charles Dwyer, Former Director, Global Technology & Operations, Deutsche Bank AM
Track B Derivative Operations: Enhancing Your Derivatives Workflow
3:10 pm - 3:50 pm Afternoon Refreshment BreakTrack chaired by Charles Dwyer, Former Director, Global Technology & Operations, Deutsche Bank AM
Track C Workshop: Embracing The Latest Digitalization Innovations
1:50 pm - 2:50 pm Boardroom: The results are in – what’s driving transformation in asset management and which initiatives should you focus on for maximum results? Paul Migliore - CEO, Citisoft David Bates - Managing Partner, CitisoftØ Which forward looking technologies are the sell-side utilising in order to improve profit margins and in what ways are these being passed on to the buy side?
Ø How are sell side business models adapting in order to differentiate for the needs of the buy side
Ø How can the sell-side help the buy-side engage digitalisation and how will this help buy-side operations meet their objectives
Ø Are there lessons to be learned from how the sell side are reacting to increasing regulation?
Track C Workshop: Embracing The Latest Digitalization Innovations
3:10 pm - 3:50 pm Afternoon Refreshment BreakTrack D Boardroom: Achieving Global Consistencies
1:50 pm - 3:10 pm Boardroom: Achieving global operational efficiencies- How to overcome regional nuances whilst making the transition towards increased standardisation Deborah White - VP Asset Operations, Aegon Tom Phipps - Principal – Practice Lead, Operational Strategy, Cutter AssociatesØ Pinpointing key challenges and opportunities in the operating model- How can the buy side overcome obstacles around supporting a global business including regulatory issues
Ø Which innovative solutions you should be investing in to ensure your operations are truly global in scope?
Ø Is it best to roll-out a technology platform that can span globally or to apply different technology initiatives in different geographical locations?
Ø Cultural considerations- Where do you draw the line between leading and being led and how much can you dictate?
Ø Expanding your operating model across different global locations- Should you stick with your core competency in new markets or test other areas?
Ø What aspects of global regulation should you be monitoring and how can you navigate the regulatory minefield?
Track D Boardroom: Achieving Global Consistencies
3:10 pm - 3:50 pm Afternoon Refreshment BreakTrack A Digitalization- Creating An Agile Operating Model
3:50 pm - 4:30 pm Case Study Revolution: What makes a robust change management strategy that is agile enough to keep up with the pace of new innovations and on-going regulatory change? Elise Bourret - Vice President, Global Investment Services, Manulife Asset ManagementØ What practical steps can you take to create an agile change management strategy that can react to technological advances and changes in market infrastructure?
Ø Top down approaches to change management- How can you create a culture that embraces change throughout the division and ensures everyone is working towards the same goal?
Ø What is the best way to structure your organisation to encourage innovation bottom-up as well as top-down?
Ø Constructing a plan for longevity- How can you ensure continuation by aligning new strategies across the entire business?
Track A Digitalization- Creating An Agile Operating Model
4:30 pm - 5:10 pm 360 Perspective: Embracing the latest digitalization trends- How can you take the lead with implementing new innovations to ensure your organization is not left behind? John Clark - President of the Consulting Division, Cutter Associates Tony Warren - EVP, Head of Business and Solutions Strategy Institutional and Wholesale, FIS Jim Keogh - Head of Operations, Brigade Capital Management Dr. Philip Pyburn - Principal, TechPar GroupØ What are the top trends in digitalisation and how should you rank these in terms of commercial viability?
Ø How can you utilise powerful automation tools to take over repetitive tasks and focus your people on areas requiring human insights and judgement?
Ø Data and analytics- How can you ensure you have the right technology and automation tools in place to build readily accessible data lakes?
Ø Artificial intelligence- How can you put your data to work in the form of algorithms and machine learning to compliment your human talent?
Ø In which ways can you set yourself apart from the rest by pioneering efforts in digitalisation?
Jim Keogh
Head of OperationsBrigade Capital Management
Track B Workshop - Building Winning Teams
3:50 pm - 4:50 pm Workshop: Building the next-generation operations team- What skillsets are now essential to thrive in the highly data-driven and automation-led landscape? Laurie D Battaglia - MS-OD, PCC, CEO & Workplace Strategist, Aligned at WorkØ How do you navigate finding the best talent- Devising a practical plan to create a winning operations team
Ø Addressing the digital skill gap and the need to innovate- What skills should you now be looking for when hiring for the future?
Ø How do you justify the ROI of long-term solutions intended to draw in the best talent?
Ø Which learning and development strategies can you employ to retain staff when there is not an already specialised training programme in place?
Ø What new roles and job titles need to be developed on the buy side to keep up with the pace of change across investment operations?
Ø Internal cultures are paramount if real change is to be implemented – what strategies can you put in place to ensure that everybody is driving change?
Ø Can you use external training and development programmes or is it essential to create your own based on individual needs?
Track D Boardroom- Leveraging Transformation Initiatives
3:50 pm - 5:10 pm Survey Results: The Current and Future State of Client Reporting and Communications Iain Smith - Marketing Principal, Simcorp CoricSimCorp Coric commissioned WBR Insights to conduct research with 100 senior finance buy-side executives responsible for Investment Reporting and Client Communications. This session will explore the findings of the survey and offer practical insights into how firms can reduce complexity and increase consistency and efficiency in the client reporting and communications function.
- What are the biggest operational challenges firms face with investment reporting and communication?
- What steps can asset managers take to reduce complexity, and improve efficiency?
- Where can firms look to streamline their operational landscape and technology stack to improve consistency of data?
- Looking forward, where are organizations looking to invest, including digital channels, to improve the experience delivered to clients?
- What role can analytics play in optimising client communications and reporting operations?
- How can you centralize operations to deliver global investment reporting communications?
Iain Smith
Marketing PrincipalSimcorp Coric