BST Awards 2022: Best integrated middle-office platform—Archer

Overview

Archer delivers outsourced professional services on an integrated, cloud-based platform that combines investment accounting, reconciliation, valuation, order management services, performance and composite management, and client reporting. The platform supports investment products across all channels including mutual funds, ETFs, institutional and retail separate accounts, and model delivery, allowing asset managers to replace disparate software with a single solution, reducing the need for upgrades, reintegration and training.

What problem does it address?  

The Archer platform helps asset managers get to market quickly with straight-through processing across the entire investment management operations continuum, including order management systems, custodians, fund administrators and distribution platforms. Investment managers can trade high volumes across multiple accounts and all counterparties, each with unique and customized strategies. The platform also enables them to create personalized investments preferences (ESG, restrictions, tax efficient) through separately managed accounts, direct indexing, or model portfolios.

Secret sauce 

Archer’s services are powered by the combination of robotic process automation and machine learning, while its cloud-based platform reflects real-time operational status and ensures data integrity and security, while increasing efficiency. Archer supports all types of investment products including institutional accounts, mutual funds, ETFs, private wealth, retail separate accounts, and model delivery. 

Recent milestones

• Training platform development: Interactive tool built to train clients on Archer platform functions and service delivery practices
• Tax optimization: The ability to integrate with proprietary, third-party tax optimizers helps investment managers to develop and deliver tax-optimized portfolios across multiple asset classes.
• Public cloud migration: Archer has moved its system from a private to a public cloud hosted by Microsoft Azure.

Future objectives 

• Continued support of mass customization initiatives: Increasing capabilities for asset managers to deliver personalized investments, including ESG models, direct indexing, and tax-optimized strategies
• Crypto trading capabilities: Expanding Archer’s operating model to service crypto assets within a sleeve of a model portfolio
• Enhanced global service model: Extending the firm’s client support model toward a 24x7 service allowing asset management clients to trade in foreign markets

Why they won 

Archer wins its first ever Buy-Side Technology award on the back of its cloud-based Archer Middle Office Platform. Buy-side firms are now more so than ever looking for external support for large swathes of what are increasingly commoditized business processes, while retaining in-house those functions that they see as their competitive differentiators. To that end, the Archer platform supports buy-side firms’ investment accounting, reconciliation, valuation, order management, performance and composite management, and client reporting functions, freeing them up to focus on their core responsibility of managing investors’ assets.