Corporate and fund services firm: Strategic review and roadmap for growth

1 min read

Financial Services

Wealth & Asset Management

Business Strategy

A leading Trust, Corporate and Fund Service provider in Jersey lacked a unified strategy and governance model, leaving leadership misaligned on how to capture new growth opportunities. We conducted a two-phase strategic review, combining deep diagnostics with leadership immersions and workshops. This led to a clear governance framework, a technology and operating model transformation blueprint, and a growth roadmap that positioned the firm to sustain its market position.

Outcome 1: Conducted an in-depth assessment of our client’s current internal operations and placement within the market and readiness to take on opportunities and threats posed by external trends
Outcome 2: Defined a new decision-making framework with accountability and a unified strategy
Outcome 3: Identified opportunities to uplift capabilities and processes within the business with outside-in inspiration from our network of VC’s, start-ups and established corporates

The challenge

The offshore services market was evolving fast. Private client and fund administration firms faced mounting regulatory scrutiny, digital disruption and consolidation as private equity-backed competitors gained scale. At the same time, clients increasingly expected seamless, technology-enabled services and broader jurisdictional reach.

For this Jersey-based firm, independence and a trusted reputation had long been differentiators. But growing inefficiencies, leadership misalignment and an outdated operating model threatened competitiveness. Without decisive action, the firm risked losing ground to faster-moving rivals.

Internally, the business lacked a unified strategy and clear governance framework. Leadership was misaligned on priorities and incentivisation, slowing decision-making and creating a culture resistant to change. Operationally, manual processes, an aging technology stack and unclear leadership responsibilities limited scalability. Externally, regulatory and market pressures demanded sharper strategic focus and investment.

The approach

Phase one: Current state assessment, including:

Outside-in analysis of market dynamics, competitor positioning and industry trends.
Stakeholder interviews with senior leaders to surface strengths, frustrations and aspirations.
Business model canvas methodology to map internal challenges against external pressures.
Strategic recommendations focused on leadership culture, governance and enabling technology.

Phase two: Leadership immersion & future roadmap

Client insight interviews: Revealed differentiators and pain points for key clients
Executive immersion: A two-day session with start-ups, venture capital and industry leaders to inspire new thinking on leadership structures, partnership models, innovation and technology.
Leadership workshops: Aligned the leadership team on priority initiatives, including designing a Decision Governance Framework (DGF)

The impact

The two-phase engagement created both immediate clarity and a long-term blueprint:

Current state analysis and outside-in assessment – conducted an in-depth assessment of our client’s current internal operations and placement within the market and readiness to take on opportunities and threats posed by external trends
Leadership & governance alignment – defined a new decision-making framework with accountability and a unified strategy
Outside-in inspiration – identified opportunities to uplift capabilities and processes within the business with outside-in inspiration from our network of VCs, start-ups and established corporates

By combining cultural, strategic and operational interventions, the firm moved from recognizing its challenges to taking decisive action. It is now positioned to sustain its independence, strengthen competitiveness and build a foundation for future growth.