Investment Product Development and Management
Innovate product strategy to capture assets.

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Why Cerulli Associates
Investment Product Development and Management
Analyze demand, distribution, and innovation across products and vehicles—including mutual funds, exchange-traded fund (ETFs), bonds, alternative investments, separately managed accounts (SMAs), and asset allocation models—for continuous innovation. Our experienced team of product consultants has helped clients thoroughly vet market opportunities, bring new products to market, determine pricing, and curate the optimal investment product offering. Learn more about Cerulli's advantages:
Data
For more than 30 years, we have captured critical data on the financial services industry and synthesized groundbreaking trends.
Independence
Our ownership structure provides us with an unbiased, objective approach to identifying new market opportunities.
Network
Our vast research network enables us to go to market quickly, testing market assumptions and developing accurate market sizing and sentiment analysis.
Consulting in Action
Client Success Stories
We provide our clients with the results they need to secure their competitive advantage.

CASE STUDY
Vehicle Suitability Analysis for Investment Manager
To retain its market position, a large asset manager rooted in mutual fund product development sought to analyze its product shelf with the identification of current and anticipated investment vehicle use by existing and prospective clients in target markets. The firm engaged Cerulli to generate a plan for enhancements to its product lineup, identifying gaps in manager coverage, investment vehicle offerings, and new potential target markets.

CASE STUDY
CIT Expansion Strategy for Retirement Recordkeeper
To expand its service offerings to asset managers seeking help with collective investment trust (CIT) product development, a prominent recordkeeper engaged Cerulli to develop a strategy to trustee CITs. Leveraging its existing research on the defined contribution (DC) and defined benefit (DB) spaces, as well as confidential interviews with DC executives, Cerulli built an actionable strategy to identify asset manager archetypes in need of trustee services, which services they find most valuable, and how to help them grow CIT assets post product launch.
SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS
Meet Our Consultants

Bing Waldert
Managing Director, U.S. Research
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Bing Waldert
Managing Director, U.S. Research
Bing Waldert leads Cerulli’s U.S. Research team comprising seven research practices that cover all elements of the U.S. asset management, wealth management, and retirement markets. He has authored Cerulli reports on the wealth management industry, high-net-worth market, the annuity industry, and retirement markets. He is a frequent board-level and C-suite speaker and well-regarded industry thought leader. He has spoken in front of the Investment Company Institute (ICI), the Asset Management Association of China (AMAC), the Investments and Wealth Institute (IWI), and the Money Management Institute (MMI).
He has worked on client projects on emerging manager expansion strategies, independent registered investment advisors (RIAs), multi-family offices (MFOs), investment platforms, and the outsourced chief investment officer (OCIO) industry. In addition, he has advised multiple private equity firms on acquisitions in the wealth management space.
Full biography here.

Andrew Blake
Associate Director
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Andrew Blake
Associate Director
Andrew is an Associate Director in the Wealth Management practice. He specializes in asset manager distribution strategies for products sold through financial advisors and is the author of The Cerulli Report—U.S. Intermediary Distribution. Before joining Cerulli Associates, he gained distribution experience at several firms, including Manulife John Hancock Investments. He also authored The Cerulli Report—U.S. Advisor Metrics, which explores trends in advisor practices, such as the use of investment products, client relationships, fees charged, and service offerings.
In his role, Andrew is also responsible for various strategic consulting engagements, focusing on key areas such as growth strategies, practice management, service expansion, M&A due diligence, product development, and distribution strategies.
Full biography here.

Asher Cheses
Director
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Asher Cheses
Director
Asher is a Director in the Wealth Management practice, specializing in research and consulting related to high-net-worth investors and advisory firms, including multi-family offices, RIAs, broker/dealers, private banks, and trust companies. As the co-head of Cerulli’s Wealth Management practice, Asher leads a team of analysts dedicated to developing data and insights to support Cerulli’s published research and consulting business. In his role, Asher is also responsible for leading various strategic consulting engagements, focusing on key areas including growth strategies, practice management, service expansion, M&A due diligence, product development, and distribution strategies.
Full biography here.

Michele Giuditta, CFA
Director
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Michele Giuditta, CFA
Director
Michele is a director in the Institutional practice, specializing in research and consulting related to institutional investors and third-party allocators, including defined benefit plans, endowments, foundations, insurance companies, healthcare organizations, investment consultants, and outsourced chief investment officers (OCIOs). As the co-head of Cerulli’s Institutional practice, Michele leads research for annual reports and strategic consulting engagements. During her tenure at Cerulli, Michele’s research has covered topics including investment consultants and OCIOS, responsible investing, alternative investments, and institutional distribution trends.
Prior to joining Cerulli Associates, Michele worked at Cambridge Associates as an Associate Director in the Client Relationship Management Group. Additionally, she worked at Manulife Asset Management in the Institutional Investment Sales & Services Group, holding roles in Product Management and Client Relationship Management. She began her career as an analyst in the Investment Policy & Research Group at John Hancock.
Full biography here.

Brendan Powers, CFA
Director
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Brendan Powers, CFA
Director
Brendan is co-head of Cerulli’s Product Development and Institutional practices.
The Product Development practice focuses on trends related to asset managers’ product strategy, development, and management functions. This broadly includes assessing the opportunity for product line expansion, evaluating emerging product trends, assessing optimal pricing strategy, and understanding distribution and product positioning for investment products across retail and institutional channels.
The Institutional practice specializes in research and consulting related to institutional asset owners, including defined benefit plans, endowments, foundations, insurance companies, and healthcare organizations as well as third-party allocators including consultants and outsourced chief investment officers (OCIOs).
Full biography here.

Michael Rose, CFP, MST
Director
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Michael Rose, CFP, MST
Director
Michael is a Director and co-head of Cerulli’s Wealth Management practice where he leads a team of analysts dedicated to developing data and insights to support Cerulli’s published research and consulting business. Michael specializes in research and consulting related to the delivery of wealth management services by broker/dealers in addition to wealth management technology utilized across all channels and he is the lead author of Cerulli’s U.S. Broker/Dealer Marketplace and State of U.S. Wealth Management Technology reports. Michael regularly engages with key constituents across the wealth management ecosystem, including financial advisors, wealth management firms, asset management firms, and technology providers, in order to measure key market characteristics and to advise executives.
Prior to joining Cerulli, Michael spent eight years working as a financial advisor, providing comprehensive wealth management services to high-net-worth individuals and families. Prior to his role as a financial advisor, Michael served as a market researcher and consultant for IDC, where he was responsible for researching trends within the infrastructure software marketplace and advising senior business executives on technology and product strategy.
Full biography here.

Scott Smith
Senior Director
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Scott Smith
Senior Director
As the Senior Director of Advice Relationships, Scott leads Cerulli's coverage of fee-based managed accounts and investors' engagement preferences. With more than 25 years of wealth management experience, Scott adds valuable context and perspective in assisting Cerulli's clients with optimizing their advisors' and investors' platform experiences, given the evolving demand for financial advice.
During his tenure at Cerulli, Scott’s research and consulting work has covered the full spectrum of wealth management topics, from product development and wholesale distribution to portfolio management and comprehensive financial planning.
Full biography here.

James Tamposi, CFA
Associate Director
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James Tamposi, CFA
Associate Director
James (Jack) is an Associate Director in the Institutional practice, specializing in research and consulting related to institutional asset owners – including defined benefit plans, endowments, foundations, insurance companies, and healthcare organizations – and third-party allocators such as consultants and outsourced chief investment officers (OCIOs). Having contributed to reports across Cerulli’s suite of institutional research, he is the lead author of Cerulli’s North American Institutional Markets report, and he leads a team of analysts dedicated to developing data and insights to support Cerulli’s published research and consulting business. Supporting the firm’s consulting business, Jack has led institutional market entry strategy and pricing optimization projects for U.S. and non-U.S. asset managers.
Jack serves as President and Treasurer for the Massachusetts Air & Space Museum, a non-profit focused on fostering education through the preservation of aviation history. Prior to joining Cerulli, Jack worked as a Research Associate for Chatham Partners.
Full biography here.

Jared F. Baucom
Managing Director, Global Sales & Marketing
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Jared F. Baucom
Managing Director, Global Sales & Marketing
Jared is responsible for global sales, business development, and client service, including oversight of and coordination with the marketing team.
Prior to joining Cerulli, Jared worked as an equity analyst at Baring Asset Management, where he was responsible for the U.S. Utilities sector and also contributed to the U.S. Industrials sector. Prior to Barings, Jared spent two years at State Street Bank.
Full biography here.
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Thought Leadership
Explore Our Perspectives

Advisors Ramp Up Use of Asset Allocation Model Portfolios
Evaluate the factors driving advisors to outsource client portfolio construction

The Future of Customization in Asset Management
How will demand for customization shape product development efforts across the retirement and retail investor channels for the foreseeable future? Gain Cerulli's projections for demand, adoption, and differentiation.

Customization for Tomorrow
Separately managed accounts (SMAs) are no longer just a solution for high-net-worth investors. With the advent of commission-free trading and investment minimums on the decline, this vehicle is becoming widely accessible to the mass market.

U.S. Asset Allocation Models: Differentiation and Distribution
Evaluate portfolio construction and distribution technology, top product development initiatives for model providers, and how managers can win shelf space on increasingly crowded distribution platforms.

Taking Private Investments to the Masses
Join Cerulli’s Daniil Shapiro, CFA, for insights into the structures and channels managers should consider for distribution to the masses, the types of exposures that wealth managers are looking for, and other resources needed to grow adoption.
SOLUTIONS BY FIRM TYPE
Firms We Help

Asset Managers
We help institutional and retail asset managers globally understand how and where to expand in an increasingly competitive and fee-compressed environment. Learn how we can help you with your product development and distribution initiatives.

Wealth Management
What products, services, and pricing models will gather and retain investor assets? Cerulli will provide you with the strategic direction you need to help your advisors scale their businesses and help investors achieve better outcomes.

Private Market Firms
Cerulli can help you with each stage of the investment lifecycle—investment due diligence, management of portfolio companies, and product development and distribution into the wealth management industry.

Financial Technology
Cerulli can help you innovate toward the future with comprehensive market sizing and addressability for your services, insight into asset and wealth management trends that impact your business, and technology adoption analysis.