No ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach to supporting institutional asset owners

In navigating an increasingly complex investment landscape, institutional asset owners face many of the same challenges, both in the short term and longer-term trends shaping the future landscape further still.

Yet there is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach to supporting all asset owners, whether they are an insurer or pension fund, an endowment or foundation, family office or wealth manager. Each have their own unique challenges to overcome, requiring a more nuanced understanding and tailored approach to effectively support them.

In the case of family offices, one of the big shifts in this segment is the desire to ‘institutionalize’ their approach. There are different drivers within each family office, but common factors include the need for better governance processes and oversight on the exposure to different assets, as they increasingly turn to alternative assets to enhance portfolio diversification and long-terms returns. 

In the case of endowments and foundations, there is an emphasis on ensuring there is a steady revenue stream that supports their overarching mission, with the focus on how they can optimize their investments to potentially achieve their objectives. Additionally, given the nature of these institutions usually having a focus on environmental protection and social issues, aligning their investment practices with their core mission, and ensuring robust environmental and social standards can help them create long-term investment opportunities and real sustainable outcomes.

Meanwhile, wealth management is now one of the largest and fastest-growing client segments in Europe in terms of assets under management. Wealth managers and financial intermediaries are increasingly seeking to meet the developing needs of their client base, particularly with respect to greater exposure to private markets.

Clients of wealth managers have traditionally been under-allocated due to structural, regulatory, or complexity issues, but with these being addressed by innovation within the industry, wealth managers are working to gain exposure to previously inaccessible investment opportunities to stay competitive.

At the same time, greater regulation and a battle to retain investment talent is making it more expensive for wealth managers and financial intermediaries to run an investment function end-to-end in house. As a result, they are increasingly looking to assess areas of the value chain they want to own, and areas where it might be more cost-effective to outsource. Whether that’s in terms of research, product manufacturing, portfolio construction, risk management, or other areas of implementation.

Mercer elevates Marieke de Roo and Conor Power to leadership roles

In recognition of the need for a dedicated focus on client segment-specific challenges, Mercer has elevated two of its highly experienced team members. Marieke de Roo has been promoted to European Sales Leader for Endowments, Foundations & Single-Family Offices, and Conor Power, who has been promoted to European Sales Leader for Wealth Management & Financial Intermediaries.

Marieke and Conor will continue reporting into Andrew Thorn, Partner, Head of Investment Sales, Europe, working closely with each other to ensure all clients can benefit from the experience of the team across Mercer, where there is an overlap in the challenges and opportunities facing different investors.

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