Frank Jons: chromatic explosions!
He could have ended up as a partner in an auditing firm, but a job interview convinced him to follow his true calling: painting. Interview.
Ian MacWilliams and Laurent Scherer (SEI): The Fine Wine of Talent in Technology and Operations
As the economy evolves, so do the needs of investors. We talked with Ian MacWilliams (managing director, SEI) and Laurent Scherer (business development director, SEI) about how SEI tackles these challenges.
What distinguishes SEI's service offering?
IM: First is our technology platform that allows straight through processing and full data transparency, so asset managers can focus on raising capital, creating new investment products, and driving alpha. The second is our operational platform, with 2000 financial professionals partnering with over 300 asset managers, SEI have the experience to service complex asset classes. SEI is the largest global fund administrator by assets for private credit funds1. We invest in our technology, fund operations, data transparency reporting, and regulatory reporting services, so that clients don't have to. And lastly, our culture distinguishes us - we don’t place low cost ahead of quality, our operational centres are conveniently located in Europe including in Dublin, Luxembourg, London, and further global scale in Oaks, Philadelphia. Our open collaboration creates partnerships with our clients.​
“If you select the best talents and you retain the best talents, you end up with an outstanding team.”
Laurent Scherer (SEI)
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How are your clients’ needs evolving?
LS: A common theme is data transparency. Our open technology platform is customised for our clients. We integrate best of breed technologies, with an aggregated data layer, so clients can manage their end-to-end process and develop scalable solutions for all asset classes. For example we have an interactive workflow tool where clients can log into our platform and see exactly what we do when they send the transaction. Not only do they trust that it's done, but they can verify it in real time.
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What risks and opportunities do you see for SEI, for Luxembourg, and for your clients?
IM: Risks and opportunities go hand in hand. NAV errors and incorrect statements can affect the evaluation on transactions or lead to misinformed decisions which raise the risk of missing investment opportunities. Partnering with a global fund administrator that has the operational platforms to merge data from internal and external sources allows fund managers to focus on their core competencies. SEI in Luxembourg is a true centre of excellence, SEI rank among the top 2 largest fund administrators for Luxembourg private credit funds 2 and there's good reason for that. The tech is there, the staff is there, the excellence is there.
LS: In winemaking, grapes are handpicked with care, selecting only the finest fruit to craft exceptional wine. We take a similar approach to building a remarkable team. We offer our people the best opportunities, comprehensive training and place them in high-performing teams. If you select the best talents and you retain the best talents, you end up with an outstanding team, much like crafting a superior wine.
1. As of Prequin, January 31, 2024, SEI are the largest by assets private credit fund administrator globally.
2. Prequin, based on AUA and exclusion of bank administrators, dataas of September 3, 2024