How Asset Managers Can Stand Out Amid a Fury of Expansion

Wealth and asset managers are in the middle of a major transformation. Alternative asset classes, once only available to institutional investors, are now becoming available to everyday investors. Now, firms are racing to offer intermediaries and their client’s exposure to previously unavailable categories like private equity, private credit, real estate, and even newer investment vehicles like crypto. This effort has been accompanied by a wave of mergers, acquisitions, and strategic partnerships—all in the effort to reinvent existing business models and broaden offerings across the board.   

So, how can brands set themselves apart from their competition amid this mad dash to market?   

Reinvest in your brand  

It’s easy to lose your voice and identity when you’re expanding. With all the different partnerships and hybrid offerings flooding the market, a brand’s proposition can become diluted. It’s important for brands to reorient their value in a way that builds on existing credibility and avoids trying to be everything to everybody. This means leaning into core competencies and establishing a role for the brand that delivers value beyond the product.   

Brookfield Oaktree Wealth Solutions is a great example. Brookfield, a leader in real assets, and Oaktree, their equal in credit, set out together to demystify alternative investing by providing the highest quality alternative solutions and insights. Through their website, they’ve brought their combined entity to life as an educational destination for advisors and investors alike—not just a place to learn about products. 

From their “alts institute” that provides fundamental education in the asset class to publishing timely insights and studies, Brookfield Oaktree has established themselves as a go-to alternatives resource for private wealth investors. This proposition builds on the distinct equity of both brands and expands its role in their audience’s investment journey—setting them up to stand out amongst the crowd.  

In the end, disruption holds both opportunities and pitfalls for wealth and asset management firms. The brands that thoughtfully build from their existing competencies to deepen value for investors will continue to stand out in this noisy market.