Steve Bernat and Frederic Van Ingelgom (ONE group solutions): From Entrepreneurial Growth to Connected Scale

ONE group solutions is combining the entrepreneurial culture on which it was built with a sharper commercial focus, a more connected proposition and a digital roadmap centred on the client. Group CEO Steve Bernat and newly appointed Group Chief Commercial Officer Frederic Van Ingelgom discuss what comes next.

What defines ONE’s next phase of development?

Steve Bernat: We started ONE because we believed clients deserved senior attention, practical answers and people who cared about their business. That has not changed. As we grow, we must protect that closeness while giving our teams better structure and support, retaining the energy and humanity of an entrepreneurial business while delivering more consistently. Our Net Promoter Score of 38¹ suggests that clients value the relationships we have built. We are proud of that, but expectations are rising, so we must keep listening, improving and staying close to what clients need next.

Frederic Van Ingelgom: Technology will definitely play a role, whether through our CRM or other internal tools that enable our people to focus on what we already bring to clients: solutions. We are also sharpening our focus on our core capabilities: AIFM and ManCo, corporate secretarial, regulatory compliance, advisory and directorship services particularly across Dublin, Luxembourg and London.

Technology improves information and execution. It does not replace judgement or accountability.

What role will technology play in ONE’s next phase?

Steve Bernat: Our market-leading technology was built around client needs from the outset, without the constraints of legacy systems. We are now taking it further to deliver greater connectivity, transparency and an even smoother client experience. Technology should make working with us simpler and give clients greater confidence. That means clearer access to information, better visibility of actions and deadlines, and stronger workflows and audit trails. It should support good governance, not add another layer of complexity.

Frederic Van Ingelgom: Our technology will help clients focus on their core investment solutions and the needs of their sophisticated investors. ONE will support the underlying infrastructure, whether directly or behind the scenes. Technology improves information and execution. It does not replace judgement or accountability. Those remain firmly with our people.

What does a more connected ONE proposition mean for clients?

Steve Bernat: A more connected proposition starts with understanding what clients need. Five of our senior people have previously held leadership roles within in-house ManCos, giving us first-hand insight into the pressures clients face and what they expect from their partners.

Frederic Van Ingelgom: A more connected proposition, supported by technology, should simplify the client’s operating model. There is a great deal of discussion about one-stop shops and open architecture, but what matters is the client experience and how easy the model is to navigate. That is what we are putting on the table: greater clarity and simplicity. The same principle applies to advice: it has to work in practice. Our focus is on clear recommendations, rigorous challenge and a credible route to execution. Where appropriate, we can connect advisory work with programme delivery, specialist capacity or ongoing services, closing the gap between the answer on paper and the outcome in the business.

Steve Bernat: Ultimately, the benefit for clients is a simpler, more joined-up experience: senior expertise, specialist capabilities and technology working together around what they need.

¹ Net Promoter Score based on an independent 2025 study benchmarking ONE against a peer group of fund services providers.