In the not-so-distant past, asset management firms were product manufacturers of mutual funds, ETFs, separately-managed-account sleeves, and other portfolio products. Now, successful asset management firms must make the shift from product providers to solution-based providers. Wealth managers are taking a more prescriptive and consultative approach to wealth management, affecting how firms support and distribute solutions to advisors and shifting the role of wholesaling. What does it take to plug into the new wealth management ecosystem? How can firms take an institutional approach to gain shelf space and a flexible approach to consumption of portfolio expertise? Packaged products still exist, but growth demands new solutions through turnkey asset management platforms, model management, and investment sleeves. 

This panel will discuss:

• Who manages retail money in the future and how will firms of different sizes compete
• What the introduction of direct indexing does to the mutual fund, ETF, and separately-managed-accounts markets
• What opportunities exist for asset managers, and what risks persist for disintermediation
• How will economy-of-scale requirements impact consolidation trends