Evaluate the maturity of critical business capabilities along comprehensive dimensions of talent, process, technology and operating model.

The must-have capabilities to deliver strategy – and how to configure them – are choices; there are no ‘right answers’ for how to develop and maintain capabilities for a pension fund or investment manager. Our Capability Assessment approach provides leaders with a thorough evaluation of individual or a core group of critical capabilities – delivering rich insight into the choices made, their impacts and the relative maturity of a capability compared to the broader organization or relevant peers. We take a comprehensive view of capabilities, seeking to understand the relevant elements to measure across talent (team size, skills and succession, recruitment/retention factors, performance management), process (efficiency, automation, compliance, documentation, resilience and value add), technology (UX, functionality, security, flexibility, scalability, and resilience) and operating model (structure, integration with other capabilities, sourcing choices). We can compare the choices made by an organization to relevant industry and broader market peers, gauging maturity and informing future investments in capability and operating model design.

Design operating models that align with business strategy, improve efficiency, and enhance organizational agility.

What is an Operating Model? It is a conceptual framework for the interaction of capabilities across people, processes and technology – and critical to coordinating complex activity. Our Operating Model Design service helps pension funds and institutional investors create operating models that support strategy and enhance overall performance. Operating Model Design allows organizations to: determine whether an organization is optimally configured to execute its strategy; design each function to operate in the most effective construct; make fulfillment decisions (e.g., outsourcing); and, explore the impacts of potential change. We begin with a comprehensive assessment of the current operating structures, identifying inefficiencies and areas for improvement. We then design operating models for efficiency, effectiveness, agility, and scalability, incorporating strong governance, process optimization, organizational structure design, technology enablement and performance measurement. This holistic approach ensures that operating models support strategy and become intuitive to implement in the organization.

Guide organizations in developing actionable plans and aligning resources to achieve desired outcomes.

Our Business Planning service supports pension funds and institutional investors in translating strategic choices to actionable plans. We facilitate business planning workshops, engage with key stakeholders, and provide tools and frameworks to support the planning process. By aligning resources, capabilities, and initiatives with objectives, we ensure that organizations can execute their strategies effectively and achieve their desired outcomes. This structured approach to business planning helps organizations navigate complexities, mitigate risks, and seize opportunities for growth.

Build better business cases to frame, fund and finish mission critical initiatives.

How can we answer the questions ‘why this investment or change?’ and ‘for what outcome?’ without a clear, compelling business case, documented in advance and testable against results. Too often pension and investment management initiatives drift along as well-intentioned busy work, uninformed by current state metrics and a clear view of the inputs required to achieve targets. Our Business Case Development service supports pension funds and institutional investors in articulating a compelling, detailed and well-structured business case. We consider the key challenges and drivers for change across both business and technology, alongside the value, benefits, and strategic fit of a project, in the context of industry trends and organizational implications.
Our approach can be complemented with industry research of peer experiences and, where applicable, vendor offerings. Our process involves rigorous analysis to validate our assumptions and hypotheses, cost benefit analysis and financial projections, and comprehensive risk assessments to demonstrate the feasibility and impact of an initiative. This exercise can validate that the business case aligns with organizational goals and priorities, providing the clarity and confidence needed to obtain governance approvals, build organizational alignment and realize planned value.

Provide oversight and support during strategy implementation to ensure objectives are achieved.

Our Implementation Oversight service supports the effective execution of strategy, on time, and within budget. We work closely with pension funds and institutional investors to provide project management support, performance tracking, and risk mitigation throughout the implementation process. By maintaining a focus on key objectives and performance indicators, we help organizations achieve their desired outcomes and realize the full benefits of their strategy implementation and transformation initiatives.

Ensure that strategic programs are executed effectively, on time, and within budget, delivering the expected benefits.

Our Program Execution service delivers comprehensive support for the successful implementation of strategy. We assist pension funds and institutional investors in planning, coordinating, executing and monitoring program activities to ensure they are completed on time, within budget, and deliver the desired outcomes. Our approach includes detailed program planning, resource allocation, delivery capacity, performance monitoring, and continuous improvement. By providing end-to-end support, we help organizations deliver strategy and drive sustainable growth through effective program execution.

Help organizations navigate and adapt to change, ensuring successful transformation and minimal disruption.

The complexity of the stakeholder environment for pension funds and institutional investors creates unique challenges in change management. Our Change Management service helps these organizations manage the human side of transformation in this context, ensuring that changes are adopted smoothly and effectively. We employ a structured, adaptable, and repeatable approach that addresses the W5H of Change—Who, What, Where, When, Why, and How. Our approach involves leaders and aligns them to the change process, conducting stakeholder assessments to understand potential reactions and performing impact assessments to clarify what is changing and when. We perform change readiness assessments and ongoing monitoring to identify where support or mitigations are required to address barriers to change. We develop and deliver change action plans, including stakeholder engagement and communication plans, training plans, coaching, and resistance management plans. By addressing the cultural and behavioral aspects of change, we help organizations minimize disruption, enhance employee engagement, and achieve successful transformation outcomes. We work to ensure that change initiatives are supported at all levels of the organization, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and adaptability.