Commentary: Beyond Products – Culture as the Real Disruption

The asset management industry is in the midst of unprecedented transformation: new products, partnerships, technology, and digital distribution models are reshaping the landscape at breakneck speed. But alongside these structural shifts, we see another, less visible disruption: a cultural one.

Across conversations with clients and candidates, one theme emerges consistently — the erosion of decency and respect in how business is conducted.

• Feedback from clients/investors is weak or missing altogether.
• Transparency is fading, with decisions changing at the last minute.
• Transactional behavior increasingly replaces long-term trust and dialogue.
• The time and effort invested is often disregarded.

This is more than a “soft issue.” It undermines credibility, damages relationships, and creates lasting reputational risk. In an environment already under pressure from cost, competition, and consolidation, losing sight of respect and professionalism is strategically short-sighted.

Our conviction: sustainable success will belong to those who combine strong products and distribution power with a culture of fairness, respect, and long-term partnership. In a world where machines may soon negotiate faster and more reliably than humans, it is precisely these human qualities that will define true differentiation.