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RFA: Best Outsourced IT Provider – While security has always been at the forefront for funds, this year has tested defence practices and security frameworks utilised by the sector globally. The Covid-19 pandemic has pushed firms to identify and quickly mitigate any new security gaps. This new landscape has accelerated the adoption of advanced security and control measures to survive.
“Covid-19 and the impact of social distancing have become the ultimate tech disrupter, driving investment and digitalisation innovations,” says George Ralph, managing director, RFA, ”This growth has been reflected in an increase in the need to manage distributed workforce transformations and
Ogier: Best Offshore Law Firm – The continued growth of global regulations will continue to have an impact on every aspect of the investment funds industry, including the Cayman Islands as a jurisdiction. In this environment of rising regulation investment managers are increasingly looking to law firms like Ogier to provide them with support and help bring consistency across jurisdictions.
“Clients need our assistance not only on Cayman Islands regulatory matters. They are also looking for cross-jurisdictional support from our other offices in Luxembourg and the Channel Islands, as well as our BVI and HK teams,” says James Bergstrom, Ogier’s Global
Eze Castle Integration: Best Cybersecurity Provider – In today’s remote world, firms now more than ever need to ensure the security of their distributed workforces. The Covid-19 pandemic had a profound impact on global businesses as well as their employees who have had to adapt to new environments and adopt new collaboration methods.
This rush to the edge of the network has also brought significant security challenges. As a result, firms are taking a closer look at their security postures and investing in technology to not only better secure their organisations but also make employees more productive.
Commenting on these developments, Steve
DMS Governance: Best Offshore Regulatory & Compliance Firm – Regulation is changing rapidly across all jurisdictions and as hedge fund managers look to capitalise on increasing institutional investor interest, they are reaching out for the global support to facilitate this. As well as ensuring that they adhere fully to the current rules they must also be well primed for any future amendments.
“Clients are no longer looking for single jurisdictional support from DMS and to that end, we are focusing keenly on providing global support to our clients,” comments Matthew Brown, Managing Director, DMS Governance.
Present in multiple financial centres across
Align: Best Cloud Services Provider – The changing needs of fund managers, driven by regulatory and industry progress, means Managed Services Providers are in a strong position to capitalise on these developments. The increased demand for regulatory-compliant IT services, increasing focus on operational standards and controls as well as the abrupt shift to a decentralised workforce have contributed to Align breaking the 350 client threshold in just about three years of going to market.
BTIG Prime Brokerage: Best Boutique Prime Broker – In the last year, BTIG Prime Brokerage has experienced tremendous growth in the number of funds on its platform. “Whether established hedge fund, newly launched business or family office, managers are selecting BTIG as their prime broker for multiple reasons – better client service, customised solutions, a robust portfolio reporting system and seamless integration with our Outsource Trading and Electronic Trading offerings. Our high levels of client satisfaction lead to referrals not only from existing clients but also from other service providers – accountants, attorneys and even bulge brackets for small and mid-sized accounts that don’t
CohnReznick: Best Audit Firm – In the current environment, launching a fund requires more preplanning than ever before. Along with successfully raising capital, there are various other key factors which play a crucial role in making sure the launch is successful. Establishing adequate operational support is a critical part of the process. Bill Pidgeon, Co-Leader of CohnReznick’s Financial Services Industry practice, comments: “Launching a fund takes more than just knowing how to gain investment alpha. Planning around achieving operational alpha is just as important. Managers need to be able to identify compatible partners; having a strong supporting cast at launch is
BNY Mellon’s HedgeMark: Best Managed Accounts Platform – Institutional investors are changing the way they access the hedge fund asset class. Their desire for increased control, customisation and transparency is driving an increase in the use of managed accounts.
“We believe we are still in the early innings of the shift to managed account structures,” comments Joshua Kestler, Global Head of HedgeMark, “Market volatility and macro uncertainty will drive an increase in the use of managed accounts as a means to maintain tighter control of assets and increased transparency which allows investors to more effectively manage their portfolios from a risk
Arcesium: Best Data Management Solution – As investment managers become more comfortable with making use of new technology, firms in the financial services industry are now reaching out to providers of fintech platforms, services and infrastructure for supporting in sustaining their operating model. They also understand both the need to be more agile and the role technology plays in making this happen.
Investcorp-Tages: Best Seeding Platform – Investors have been increasing their focus on diversifying away from traditional assets and gaining exposure to solid and consistent alpha generation. This has translated into an increased need for steady and new sources of alpha above and beyond a well contained market risks exposure.
According to Lionel Erdely, Co-CEO and CIO of Investcorp-Tages, this focus will create an increased appetite for solid emerging managers, who have demonstrated their capability to deliver on these objectives. It will also increase the need for customised solutions.
These have been two key areas of expertise of Investcorp-Tages since inception.
“Our
