Northern Trust Asset Servicing

For Australian asset managers and superannuation funds, growth increasingly depends on operating discipline, reliable data, and decisions about where technology can add practical value. In this latest Faster Forward episode, host Paul Fahey speaks with speaks with Angelo Calvitto, Head of Asia Pacific, and David Sara, Regional Head of Industry Development, Asia Pacific as they explore how Australian asset managers are balancing growth goals with tighter cost control and operating discipline. Listen now.

Operating model decisions are becoming increasingly strategic. In our latest study, 39% of asset managers plan to outsource non-core activities while 52% cite improved automation and tech as a cost-control strategy. Explore how firms are balancing growth ambitions with operational discipline.

Are asset managers expanding or narrowing their focus? While 53% prioritize enhanced quality and accuracy, 28% are actively reducing product offerings to concentrate resources on areas where they can differentiate. See how growth priorities are evolving in the Driving Growth in Asset Management 2026 survey.

Asset managers are becoming more disciplined in how they pursue growth. The fourth edition of the Driving Growth in Asset Management study explores how firms are refining distribution strategies, increasing operational efficiency and leveraging outsourcing, data modernization and AI adoption to support future growth.

Growth remains a priority. But how are firms pursuing it? Among asset managers surveyed, 54% are targeting new client types and 53% are entering new global countries to support growth. Read more in Driving Growth in Asset Management 2026.

What's standing in the way of AI adoption for asset managers? The answer may be less about technology and more about data. In our latest global study, 49% of asset managers cite data consolidation as a key challenge, while 60% feel AI could best support their data accuracy and quality.