Workplace Transformation With Robotic Process Automation

Cole Castelain, a Director at Cutter Associates, has been with the firm since 2018. At Cutter, Cole has been involved with a wide variety of strategy projects including operating model assessments and system search and selections for business capabilities servicing investments, operations, and client servicing. Cole has also completed implementations of OMS and Performance systems with asset managers, insurance companies, and pension funds. Cole began his career at Cutter in our Data management practice assisting with data governance assessments and data framework implementations with a variety of asset managers and owners.

Cole’s experience with fixed income products is robust. Prior to joining Cutter, Cole worked in multiple capacities for Capital Group in support of its fixed income business including as a business analyst on a cross functional team responsible for launching automated optimized fixed income vehicles, implementing systems, and assisting in the development of technology. Cole began his career at Capital Group as trade analyst supporting the fixed income trading team. At Cutter Cole has assisted multiple Fixed income focused asset managers including an active Muni-Bond Manager

An experienced project manager, Cole has ensured the on-time delivery of multiple complex projects. These included two Aladdin implementations, an issue management system, a data governance framework, and an operating model. Cole leverages his familiarity with Agile, Kanban, modern development software, and BI tools to clearly track milestones, execute initiatives, and monitor issues. Cole reports on these metrics utilizing PowerBI to present clear and timely status reports.

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:

• Client Portal Solutions
• Client Reporting Systems
• Cutter Benchmarking: Client Reporting
• Cutter Benchmarking: Modern Compliance in Investment Management
• Electronic Communications Surveillance Systems
• Hybrid Work Arrangements and Their Impact on Firm Culture
• Performance Measurement and Attribution Systems
• Portfolio Analytics Solutions
• Research Management Systems
• Using RPA to Automate Business Processes

Recent Consulting Engagements include:

• Assessment of business processes and systems to support regulatory reporting (shareholder disclosure reporting) for a large asset manager

• Assessment of requirements and vendor solutions for Electronic Communication Surveillance for a small asset manager, to rectify SEC findings

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:

• AI Use Cases in Investment Management: Infinite Possibilities 
• Business Intelligence Tools
• Cutter Benchmarking: Client Reporting
• Cutter Benchmarking: Firmwide ESG Capabilities
• Cutter Benchmarking: Managing Vendors and Service Providers 
• DataOps: In Theory and Practice
• Enabling Data Analytics
• ESG Data Management 
• ESG: It’s a Jungle Out There ─ A Look at the Data Provider Landscape
• ESG Investing: One Vision, Many Lenses 
• Execution Management Systems
• Hybrid Work Arrangements and Their Impact on Firm Culture
• Using RPA to Automate Business Processes
• The Role of the CRM for Asset Managers