CutterCast: Evolving Operating Models to Service Alternative Assets

Chanelle Crabtree has extensive experience consulting for the asset management industry in Australia for the past 20 years. Chanelle has considerable knowledge and expertise in investment management, outsourcing, and the development of operational models that support the investment management lifecycle. Chanelle leads Cutter Associates’ Investment Operations and Outsourcing practice, and oversees Cutter’s Australia office. She has decades of experience working for investment management firms, custodians, and consulting firms, in roles that included middle-/back-office operational, business analyst, project management, consulting, and senior management. She has a deep understanding of investment management, covering the operational, governance, and system requirements to support all types of clients, products, and asset classes.

A former Director at Deloitte, Chanelle led key engagements, particularly for complex clients with diverse asset classes, covering target operating model design, sourcing, and implementation. Prior to Deloitte, Chanelle was a Lead Consultant at Morse Consulting Pty Limited, where she led various engagements that covered target operating model design, sourcing of custodians/systems, and implementations with investment managers and superannuation clients.

Dale Gillette has more than 25 years of information systems experience in the investment industry managing projects in the areas of data management, portfolio analytics, performance measurement & attribution, data warehouses, and client reporting. At Cutter Associates, Dale works in the firm’s Strategy & Data Management practices.

Dale has extensive experience conducting current state assessments, developing strategic plans, vendor selections, and managing complex implementations with mixed teams. Dale's career has included roles as an internal IT manager for asset managers and custodians, as well as managing client services and professional services teams for software vendors and he brings all of these perspectives to his work at Cutter.

Prior to joining Cutter Associates, Dale was a principal consultant at Eagle Investment Systems, where he was a practice leader focusing on data management, data warehouse, and performance and attribution implementations. In this capacity, he was responsible for defining project scope, statements of work, and project governance standards. While at Eagle, Dale also played a key leadership role in launching the Managed Services team. Dale also spent six years at Wellington Management Company managing a team of systems analysts, project managers, and consultants supporting the information technology needs of Relationship Management, Marketing, and Business Development in three U.S. and five global offices. There, he was responsible for ongoing development and maintenance of the data warehouse, data marts, client reporting, and client extranet.

Earlier in his career, Dale spent time as a consultant for Putnam Investments, where he was responsible for ongoing development and support of a data warehouse and portfolio management application supporting the Global Asset Allocation team.

Dale holds a B.A. in Economics from Boston College and an M.B.A. in Finance from New York University.

Shankar Subramanian has over 25 years of industry experience in investment management and technology solutions. Shankar has a deep understanding of investment data management, portfolio management, risk management, investment accounting, and alternative investments. At Cutter Associates, he heads the Risk and Compliance practice, helping client with investment risk management, and asset allocation, as well as providing support for compliance with consulting on trading forensics, communication surveillance, regulatory reporting, and guideline compliance. He advises on, and designs, operating models, selects systems, and implements business and technology solutions. He also leads development of Cutter’s alternative investments practices and the firm’s efforts to provide thought leadership and strategic and tactical advice to asset owner clients.

Prior to joining Cutter, Shankar held senior roles at IBM Global Services and PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), advising clients and leading global delivery teams in large engagements. Shankar holds a Bachelor of Science in engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology and an MBA in finance and information systems from the Indian Institute of Management.

Michael joined Aware Super (formerly First State Super) in August 2020 as Head of Investment Operations and is based out of Sydney. His role currently entails supporting the Aware Investment team in the functions of Investment Data & Reporting, Fund Operations, Direct Asset Control, and Investment Control & Implementation. Prior to this Michael had over 17 years with State Street across 3 countries and 3 separate business lines. Before joining Aware Super, he was Managing Director of Global Process Delivery, India. Other roles included Asia Pacific Chief Operating Officer for State Street Global Markets based out of Hong Kong and Head of Investment Operations for State Street Global Advisors in Bangalore.

Before leaving Sydney in 2013 Michael was formerly Asia-Pacific Head of Investment Operations for SSGA whom he joined in 2002. He was responsible for overseeing the various groups within the Investment Operations teams of Sydney, Hong Kong and Tokyo as well as being a Director of State Street Global Advisors Australia Services Limited who is the Responsible Entity for the SSGA ASX listed SPDR ETF’s and unlisted pooled vehicles. Michael joined the funds management industry in 1998.

Michael received a Bachelor of Commerce in Banking and Finance from the University of Canberra and a Graduate Diploma in Applied Finance and Investment from the Securities Institute of Australia