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.”
The proposed reforms have been described as a key step towards delivering better products and retirement experiences for members, with many noting financial advice remains the “urgent missing piece” of the puzzle.
Jim Chalmers has defended changes to the Future Fund’s mandate, referring to himself as a “big supporter” of the sovereign wealth fund, amid fierce opposition from the Coalition, which has pledged to reverse any changes if it wins next year’s election.
In a new review of the country’s largest fund, a research house says it’s well placed to deliver attractive returns despite challenges.
Chant West analysis suggests super could be well placed to deliver a double-digit result by the end of the calendar year.