In Person
- Charleston, SC
The Charleston Place
205 Meeting Street
Charleston, SC 29401
(800) 611-5545
Join your fellow members at Charleston, SC Cutter Connect 2025 to discover the latest research content and analysis that dares to predict––providing you with insights, knowledge, and tools to stay ahead of industry changes and trends. Concurrent tracks include Supporting Investments, Managing Data, and Distribution and Client Experience. Sessions will feature research presentations, roundtable discussions, panel discussions, and thought leadership. There will also be several networking opportunities, including a welcome reception and offsite activities in the historic Charleston area. You don’t want to miss this!
Our exclusive members-only event connects industry leaders from the global asset management and asset owner communities. This event is specially designed for operations and technology professionals.
Time | Sessions |
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4:00pm |
Registration & Welcome Cocktail Reception: Connect With Your Peers
4:00pm-6:00pm EDT Registration & Welcome Cocktail Reception: Connect With Your PeersMonday, Oct 27, 2025 · 4:00pm-6:00pm EDT |
Time | Driving Front-to-Back Transformation | Manging to Clients' Evolving Expectations | Modernizing Data Management to Enable Business Innovation |
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8:00am |
Registration & Breakfast: Connect With Your Peers and Exhibitors
8:00am-9:00am EDT Registration & Breakfast: Connect With Your Peers and ExhibitorsTuesday, Oct 28, 2025 · 8:00am-9:00am EDT |
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9:00am |
Opening Remarks
9:00am-9:10am EDT Opening RemarksTuesday, Oct 28, 2025 · 9:00am-9:10am EDTSpeaker
Cutter
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9:10am |
Cutter Update: CEO Perspective
9:10am-9:30am EDT Cutter Update: CEO PerspectiveTuesday, Oct 28, 2025 · 9:10am-9:30am EDTCutter Associates CEO Cindy Castellano provides an update on Cutter. Speaker
Cutter
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9:30am |
Keynote: The 48-Hour Best Friend – Building Lasting Relationships in a Fast-Paced World
9:30am-10:30am EDT Keynote: The 48-Hour Best Friend – Building Lasting Relationships in a Fast-Paced WorldTuesday, Oct 28, 2025 · 9:30am-10:30am EDTLindsay Shookus |
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10:30am |
Networking Break, Exhibit Hall Open
10:30am-11:00am EDT Networking Break, Exhibit Hall OpenTuesday, Oct 28, 2025 · 10:30am-11:00am EDT |
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11:00am |
Investment Management Platforms: The Fight for Market Share
11:00am-11:30am EDT Investment Management Platforms: The Fight for Market ShareTuesday, Oct 28, 2025 · 11:00am-11:30am EDTIn this session, we discuss how investment management platforms have evolved to meet broader investment management business requirements. We highlight newer entrants in the market that offer modern technology stack and an updated user experience. Driving Front-to-Back Transformation Speakers
Cutter
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Supporting Retail SMAs
11:00am-12:00pm EDT Supporting Retail SMAsTuesday, Oct 28, 2025 · 11:00am-12:00pm EDTIn this session, we explore trends with asset managers playing a greater role in the retail SMA market, and the impact of current support and customization expectations. Manging to Clients' Evolving Expectations Speakers
Cutter
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Investment Data Platforms
11:00am-12:00pm EDT Investment Data PlatformsTuesday, Oct 28, 2025 · 11:00am-12:00pm EDTIn this session, we discuss the functionality included in modern data platforms, and how investment data platforms are meeting the specific needs of investment managers. We will review different vended offerings, their capabilities, and how each solution addresses various pieces of a modern data platform. Modernizing Data Management to Enable Business Innovation Speakers
Cutter
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11:30am |
Consulting Perspectives: Lessons Learned From Investment Management Platform Assessments and Implementations
11:30am-12:00pm EDT Consulting Perspectives: Lessons Learned From Investment Management Platform Assessments and ImplementationsTuesday, Oct 28, 2025 · 11:30am-12:00pm EDTInvestment management firms today must future-proof their technology while balancing complex business needs and cost. In this discussion with the Head of Front Office Consulting, we explore key considerations in your system search, selection, and implementation approach. Driving Front-to-Back Transformation Speaker
Cutter
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12:00pm |
Lunch: Connect With Other Members and Exhibitors Over Lunch
12:00pm-1:00pm EDT Lunch: Connect With Other Members and Exhibitors Over LunchTuesday, Oct 28, 2025 · 12:00pm-1:00pm EDT |
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1:00pm |
Vendor Spotlight Demos: SimCorp and Ridgeline
1:00pm-1:30pm EDT Vendor Spotlight Demos: SimCorp and RidgelineTuesday, Oct 28, 2025 · 1:00pm-1:30pm EDTLeading solution providers focused on supporting the investment lifecycle share demonstrations of their products. Driving Front-to-Back Transformation |
Supporting Active ETFs: Fireside Chat with Cutter Consulting
1:00pm-2:00pm EDT Supporting Active ETFs: Fireside Chat with Cutter ConsultingTuesday, Oct 28, 2025 · 1:00pm-2:00pm EDTMembers discuss current challenges and best practices in supporting distribution and enhancing the client experience. Manging to Clients' Evolving Expectations Speaker
Cutter
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Vendor Spotlight Demos: IVP
1:00pm-1:30pm EDT Vendor Spotlight Demos: IVPTuesday, Oct 28, 2025 · 1:00pm-1:30pm EDTLeading solution providers focused on data management and analytics share demonstrations of their products. Modernizing Data Management to Enable Business Innovation |
1:30pm |
Vendor-Sponsored Session
1:30pm-2:00pm EDT Vendor-Sponsored SessionTuesday, Oct 28, 2025 · 1:30pm-2:00pm EDTThis session is sponsored by SimCorp. Driving Front-to-Back Transformation |
Vendor-Sponsored Session: Modern Data Platforms: An asset manager's implementation journey Sponsored by Arcesium
1:30pm-2:00pm EDT Vendor-Sponsored Session: Modern Data Platforms: An asset manager's implementation journey Sponsored by ArcesiumTuesday, Oct 28, 2025 · 1:30pm-2:00pm EDTIn this session, Arcesium discusses an asset manager's journey implementing a modern data platform. Modernizing Data Management to Enable Business Innovation Speaker
Guest
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2:00pm |
Networking Break, Exhibit Hall Open
2:00pm-2:30pm EDT Networking Break, Exhibit Hall OpenTuesday, Oct 28, 2025 · 2:00pm-2:30pm EDT |
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2:30pm |
Asset Allocation and a Total Portfolio View for Multi-Asset Investing
2:30pm-3:00pm EDT Asset Allocation and a Total Portfolio View for Multi-Asset InvestingTuesday, Oct 28, 2025 · 2:30pm-3:00pm EDTIn this session, we explore the evolving complexities of multi-asset class strategies and the need for a holistic total portfolio view. We discuss processes and technology that enable aggregated exposure management, risk analysis, capital allocation and rebalancing, and investment operations. Driving Front-to-Back Transformation Speakers
Cutter
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Vendor Spotlight Demos: Fenergo, Smart Commmunications and Kurtosys
2:30pm-3:00pm EDT Vendor Spotlight Demos: Fenergo, Smart Commmunications and KurtosysTuesday, Oct 28, 2025 · 2:30pm-3:00pm EDTLeading solution providers focused on distribution and the client experience share demonstrations of their products. Manging to Clients' Evolving Expectations |
Managing Data: Roundtable Discussion on Hot Topics
2:30pm-3:30pm EDT Managing Data: Roundtable Discussion on Hot TopicsTuesday, Oct 28, 2025 · 2:30pm-3:30pm EDTMembers discuss current challenges and best practices in data management. Modernizing Data Management to Enable Business Innovation |
3:00pm |
Consulting Perspectives: Q&A on Total Portfolio Approach
3:00pm-3:30pm EDT Consulting Perspectives: Q&A on Total Portfolio ApproachTuesday, Oct 28, 2025 · 3:00pm-3:30pm EDTIn this Q&A session with Consulting, we explore the growing relevance of a total portfolio view (TPV) and the total portfolio approach (TPA) in institutional investing. We unpack the challenges firms face in adopting this view, highlight key drivers for change, and share why a shift toward holistic investment management is both timely and necessary. Driving Front-to-Back Transformation |
Vendor-Sponsored Session
3:00pm-3:30pm EDT Vendor-Sponsored SessionTuesday, Oct 28, 2025 · 3:00pm-3:30pm EDTLocation: This session is sponsored by Fenergo. In this session, a solution provider facilitates a discussion on emerging trends shaping distribution and enhancing the client experience. Manging to Clients' Evolving Expectations |
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4:00pm |
Old South Carriage Tour
4:00pm-5:30pm EDT Old South Carriage TourTuesday, Oct 28, 2025 · 4:00pm-5:30pm EDTWe’re excited to offer a guided Old South Carriage Tour as part of our event’s social activities. This charming ride through historic downtown Charleston provides a unique glimpse into the city’s rich history and architecture. Space is limited, so please ask about participation when you arrive at the conference to secure your spot on this memorable experience. |
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6:00pm |
Dinner Experience at the Historic Church
6:00pm-9:00pm EDT Dinner Experience at the Historic ChurchTuesday, Oct 28, 2025 · 6:00pm-9:00pm EDTPlease join us for a special evening at Church & Union Charleston, a renowned restaurant set in a beautifully restored historic church in the heart of downtown. Known for its stunning architecture, dramatic vaulted ceilings, and unique artistic touches, the venue provides an unforgettable dining experience. This dinner will be an excellent opportunity to connect with your peers, exchange ideas, and build relationships in a relaxed and elegant setting. We look forward to sharing this memorable experience with you. |
Time | Sessions |
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8:00am |
Breakfast: Connect With Peers and Exhibitors
8:00am-9:00am EDT Breakfast: Connect With Peers and ExhibitorsWednesday, Oct 29, 2025 · 8:00am-9:00am EDT |
9:00am |
Vendor Panel: Innovation and Trends
9:00am-9:45am EDT Vendor Panel: Innovation and TrendsWednesday, Oct 29, 2025 · 9:00am-9:45am EDTIn this panel discussion, leading solution providers share insights on innovation and trends in the investment management industry. |
9:45am |
AI Governance
9:45am-10:30am EDT AI GovernanceWednesday, Oct 29, 2025 · 9:45am-10:30am EDTIn this session, we explore what it takes to govern AI initiatives effectively and highlight how Cutter Research member firms are approaching AI governance. Speakers
Cutter
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10:30am |
Networking Break, Exhibit Hall Open
10:30am-11:00am EDT Networking Break, Exhibit Hall OpenWednesday, Oct 29, 2025 · 10:30am-11:00am EDT |
11:00am |
The Changing Role and Structure of IT Organizations
11:00am-11:45am EDT The Changing Role and Structure of IT OrganizationsWednesday, Oct 29, 2025 · 11:00am-11:45am EDTIn this session, we discuss the impact of new technologies and self-service capabilities on the role and structure of IT organizations. Speakers
Cutter
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11:45am |
Closing Remarks
11:45am-12:00pm EDT Closing RemarksWednesday, Oct 29, 2025 · 11:45am-12:00pm EDTSpeaker
Cutter
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12:00pm |
Cindy Castellano is the CEO of Cutter Associates and has over 30 years of experience in the investment management industry. She formerly led Cutter Associates’ Client-Facing and Wealth practices, advising asset and wealth management firms on their sales and distribution, marketing, product development, consultant relations, client service, and client reporting. Cindy has conducted system searches for CRM, marketing automation, portals, pitchbooks/client presentation, content management, client reporting, client onboarding, and RFP systems. Prior to joining Cutter, Cindy served as Vice President and Head of Operations for a division of Guggenheim Investments, where she led mutual fund accounting and administration; institutional accounting, billing, and client reporting; SMA operations, performance reporting (GIPS); and fixed income performance, attribution, and risk reporting. As Vice President and Head of Equities, Cindy led the firm’s investment team and supervised equity trading activities.
Cindy also spent 10 years as a Senior Portfolio Manager and Research Analyst, managing over USD 500 million in AUM for mutual funds and VITs using social awareness (ESG), large cap growth, and mid-cap growth investment strategies. She developed the investment process, directed research analysts’ day-to-day efforts, and created the firm’s social criteria and proxy voting guidelines. Cindy, a Chartered Financial Analyst, holds a bachelor’s of business administration from Washburn University.
Angela Centeno has more than 25 years of experience in financial services. Prior to joining Cutter in 2015, Angela worked for The Northern Trust Company in multiple roles including sourcing and procuring enterprise market data, investment operations outsourcing, and vendor and custodian relationships. She previously held senior positions in operations management, project management, data management, and solutions implementation. Angela earned a bachelor of science in accounting and a bachelor of science in business administration from the University of Kansas, as well as an MBA in finance from DePaul University. She is a registered CPA.
Recent research assignments and publications include the following:
Jon Chandler has 20 years of experience in the financial services industry. Prior to joining Cutter Associates in 2014, Jon was a senior business analyst for State Street Global Advisors (SSGA), where he was involved in a number of projects for the front and middle office, including UAT design and execution for an order management system (Fidessa IMS), the implementation of a web-based due diligence platform (FundInsight), and an enterprise solution to support blended benchmarks. Prior to his project roles, Jon was a principal in fixed income trade operations at SSGA. He has extensive experience with post-trade operations and applications, such as OASYS/CTM, PORTIA, MBSExpert, and FailStation. Jon earned a bachelor of arts in history from the University of Florida and an MBA from Northeastern University.
Recent research assignments and publications include the following:
Stacia Graham has more than 25 years of experience in investment management, bringing a deep understanding of end-to-end asset management processing and project management to her role as Managing Director, Asset Management Research Lead at Cutter Associates.
Stacia also serves as a subject matter expert for targeted engagements in Enterprise Risk and Compliance.
Prior to joining Cutter in 2018, Stacia worked at Wellington Management Company LLP in Boston in various senior roles within compliance, investment administration, and operational risk, including leading and managing the global Investment Guideline Compliance team for eight years. She earned a bachelor of science in business administration from Bryant University and an MBA from Bentley University.
Recent research assignments and publications include the following:
Recent Consulting Engagements include:
Laura Jesson has more than 25 years of experience in the financial services industry as a project manager, business analyst, and consultant. She joined Cutter Associates in 2013. Prior to Cutter, Laura spent eight years at Wells Capital Management and Evergreen Investments, where she managed investment operations projects, including those focused on outsourcing, client reporting, and trade management. She previously worked at Omgeo as a member of the Central Trade Manager (CTM) product design team. Laura started her career at Andersen Consulting (now Accenture) as a process consultant supporting a variety of projects for clients in the financial services industry. Laura earned her bachelor of arts in economics and psychology from Amherst College. She holds the Project Manager Professional (PMP) certification.
Recent research assignments and publications include the following:
Gina McCafferty has 30 years of experience in the financial services industry. She served at Cutter from 1999 to 2011 as Principal and Managing Director of CutterResearch, and she was instrumental in growing that business. Gina returned to Cutter in 2017, and established and ran the company’s Wealth Management research division. In 2019, she was appointed to Head of Research, responsible for Asset Management and Wealth Management product development and delivery to over 200 member firms around the globe. Gina was previously at Investit Ltd., where she served for six years as head of the company’s research service. Prior to that, she held senior positions at DST International with product responsibility for their global accounting and performance measurement systems, and at SunGard as Vice President of Client Services for their securities trading products.
Kathy McDermott has more than 25 years of experience in the financial services industry. Kathy, who joined Cutter Associates in 2011, has authored multiple Cutter Research reports on a wide range of topics. She spent ten years as a consultant for a variety of asset management firms, with a focus on business analysis for front- and middle-office projects. Kathy was previously the senior business analyst, equity trading systems, at Wellington Management, specializing in the firm’s proprietary electronic and basket trading applications. Earlier in her career, Kathy worked for Thomson Financial Services (now Thomson Reuters), supporting FirstCall and PORTIA clients in Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, and Thailand, and later went on to manage PORTIA implementations. She also worked at LongView (now Linedata) as an account manager and then product manager of electronic trading. Kathy earned her bachelor of arts in mathematics from Hamilton College.
Recent research assignments and publications include the following:
Alijah Poindexter is an experienced professional in financial services research and consulting, with a background spanning banking, healthcare, asset management, and fintech. He joined Cutter Associates in 2025, where he supports the firm’s research initiatives with a focus on research production and design, analysis, and content development. Prior to Cutter, Alijah was a senior research associate at Datos Insights, producing market research on commercial banking, digital payments, and healthcare payments. He also led multiple client consulting engagements, delivering strategic, data-centric advisory work. Earlier in his career, he served as associate editor at Bank Automation News, where he focused on banking coverage and industry events, and held program and research analyst roles. Alijah earned his BBA from Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, Tennessee.
Mahesh oversees Arcesium’s capabilities for institutional asset managers, including the Arcesium Data Platform, middle- to back-office solutions, and associated financial operations.
Previously, he was the commercial director of BlackRock’s Aladdin Data Cloud, the data warehouse platform, supporting large global asset managers and asset owners in their data strategy, data analytics, and data re-platforming needs.
Before BlackRock, Mahesh was Global Head of Portfolio Management and Research at Refinitiv, responsible for Refinitiv’s buy-side data, workflow, and analytics solutions to a diverse set of financial institutions across the Americas, EMEA, and Asia Pacific. Earlier in his career, Mahesh worked for various hedge funds, including S.A.C. Capital and Calypso Capital Management, and as a consultant with McKinsey & Company.
Education & Credentials
MBA, NYU Stern School of Business
BS/BTech in Engineering, IIIT Mumbai
A legendary presence behind one of America’s most beloved television shows, Lindsay Shookus is an Emmy award-winning producer who, for 20 years, worked as a veteran producer for “Saturday Night Live.” During her tenure, as producer and head of the talent department, Shookus was responsible for engineering the show’s success from booking celebrity hosts and musical guests and creating comfort and connections between them and the cast, to scouting rising stars to join the show’s ranks. She played a pivotal role in launching the careers of household names, including Kristin Wiig and Kate McKinnon — cementing her reputation for having a sharp eye for talent within the entertainment industry. She points to her own experiences to lead an on-stage masterclass on personal transformation, building connections, and embracing life’s obstacles on the road to overcoming them.
In this talk, Shookus draws parallels between the worlds of TV and business to lead a dynamic and interactive session filled with actionable tactics for creating meaningful, in-depth relationships that are a crucial component for success in any pursuit. An engaging storyteller who uses stories from behind the scenes at SNL to show her relationship-building strategies in action, Shookus delves into the mindfulness behind the madness of nurturing authentic relationships in transactional and quickly changing environments. Through humility, humor, and wisdom, she prepares the audience to become impactful communicators who add value to every interaction.
Arcesium is a global financial technology company delivering pre- and post-investment and enterprise data management solutions to some of the world's most sophisticated financial institutions, including private market firms, hedge funds, and institutional asset managers. Expertly designed to achieve a synchronized golden source of data throughout a client's ecosystem, Arcesium's cloud-native technology is built to systematize the most complex workflows and help clients achieve scale.
Today, Arcesium services over $5.2 trillion in gross AUM and over $860 billion in sell-side capital balances and has modelled over 150 million investments to date. Arcesium was built from a platform developed and tested by investment and technology development firm, the D. E. Shaw group, and launched as a joint venture with Blackstone Alternative Asset Management. J.P. Morgan, another large client, later made a strategic investment in the company, helping Arcesium further its mission: to power the entire investment lifecycle. Arcesium currently has a staff of over 2,300 software engineering, accounting, operations, and treasury professionals.
More About ArcesiumFactSet (NYSE:FDS | NASDAQ:FDS) helps the financial community to see more, think bigger, and work better. Our digital platform and enterprise solutions deliver financial data, analytics, and open technology to more than 8,600 global clients, including over 219,000 individual users. Clients across the buy-side and sell-side as well as wealth managers, private equity firms, and corporations achieve more every day with our comprehensive and connected content, flexible next-generation workflow solutions, and client-centric specialized support. Learn more at www.factset.com and follow us on X and LinkedIn.
More About FactSetInnovating Finance Together
Trusted, mission-critical financial services software for lending, payments, universal banking, and treasury & capital markets — engineered for reliability and security. Designed to fuel your ambition and accelerate innovation.
More About FinastraFIS is a financial technology company providing solutions to financial institutions, businesses and developers. We unlock financial technology that underpins the world's financial system. Our people are dedicated to advancing the way the world pays, banks and invests, by helping our clients confidently run, grow and protect their businesses. Our expertise comes from decades of experience helping financial institutions and businesses adapt to meet the needs of their customers by harnessing the power that comes when reliability meets innovation in financial technology. Headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, FIS is a member of the Fortune 500® and the Standard & Poor's 500® Index.
More About FISIndus Valley Partners (IVP) is a leading global provider of enterprise-wide technology solutions, consulting, and digital-first managed services to 220+ top fund managers on the buy side. Founded in 2000, IVP has been driving Finance Forward for over two decades, empowering firms to evolve, transform, and scale. With a team of more than 1,100+ professionals across five time zones and approximately $5.5 trillion of global AUM managed using its technology, IVP enables hedge funds, asset managers, private funds, and others to unlock the value embedded in portfolio, counterparty, and market data. As a trusted thinking partner, IVP helps clients rethink operations, develop innovative platforms, and push the boundaries of what's possible in finance.
More About Indus Valley Partners (IVP)Kurtosys is a secure cloud-based platform designed to help investment managers deliver investment data & insight to clients worldwide. Our set of easy-to-use tools seamlessly deliver accurate automated reporting, engaging website experiences and secure client portals. Trusted by the world's largest and leading investment brands, Kurtosys has a team of over 180 collaborating globally every day to help investment managers succeed and scale.
More About KurtosysRidgeline is the industry cloud platform for investment management. It was founded by visionary entrepreneur Dave Duffield (co-founder of both PeopleSoft and Workday) to address the unique technology challenges of an industry in need of new thinking. We are building a modern, AI-enabled platform in the public cloud, purpose-built for the investment management industry to empower business like never before. With a growing campus in Reno and offices in New York, Lake Tahoe, and the Bay Area, Ridgeline is proud to have built a fast-growing, people-first company that has been recognized by Fast Company as a "Best Workplace for Innovators," by The Software Report as a "Top 100 Software Company," and by Forbes as one of "America's Best Startup
More About RidgelineRivvit is a modern, cloud-native data management and reporting platform purpose-built for investment managers navigating increasingly complex data ecosystems. Designed to unify, enrich, and streamline data across the entire investment lifecycle, Rivvit delivers a unified source of truth that enhances operational efficiency, improves data quality, and supports faster, data-driven decision-making.Offered as either a powerful software platform or a fully managed service, Rivvit seamlessly integrates data from disparate systems, including portfolio management, accounting, CRM, and market data into a flexible, scalable architecture. From front-office analytics to back-office reporting, Rivvit enables firms to automate manual processes, reduce operational risk, and unlock new insights with ease.Trusted by innovative asset managers and insurance companies, Rivvit empowers firms to scale with confidence, elevate their data strategy, and transform how their teams collaborate around critical investment intelligence.
More About RivvitSimCorp is a provider of industry-leading integrated investment management solutions for the global buy side. Founded in 1971, with more than 3,000 employees across five continents, SimCorp is a truly global technology leader that empowers more than half of the world's top 100 financial companies through its integrated platform, services, and partner ecosystem.
SimCorp is a subsidiary of Deutsche Börse Group. As of 2024, SimCorp includes Axioma, the leading provider of risk and management and portfolio optimization solutions for the global buy side.
More About SimCorpSmart Communications enables financial institutions to transform the way they engage with customers, advisors and intermediaries, gaining wallet share while driving efficiencies and reducing compliance risks. With the SaaS-based Conversation Cloud™ platform, integrated with core systems, enterprises can deliver a personalized, frictionless experience from new account opening and onboarding to client servicing.
More About Smart CommunicationsFund performance. Accelerated. Verity helps investment firms generate alpha, cut inefficiencies, and reduce risk with high-performance products built for purpose. From startups to global multi-strategy funds. Whether public equity, fixed income, private equity, or a hybrid model. Trusted by 370+ funds managing $10T in AUM.
More About Verity RMS