The Northern Trust fund services folks are amping up their client dashboard this year. And issues like regulation and data are top of mind for the asset manager's mutual fund back office team.

Lisa Shea Northern Trust Senior Vice President, Product Manager

Northern Trust fund services senior product manager Lisa Shea tells MFWire that in 2016 the fund services team will be improving its "at-a-glance look for managers".

"We've enhanced our ability to provide accounting data to our clients through dashboard," so they can "access accounting data in one spot," Shea says. "We're going to enhance that user experience through our dashboard portal ... We're really focusing on that up-front user experience."

"Transparency of information ... is a consistent theme" for 2016, Shea adds. "It's all about the transparency of information and the drive for more data."

On the distribution front, Shea says, the Northern Trust fund services team is keeping an eye on roboadvisors and other distribution landscape changes. One thing to watch in particular is the SEC's recent distribution-in-guise guidance, following the related sweep investigation into sub-TA fees and the like.

"The key there is the documentation of programs, the assurance that all of the dots are connected," Shea says. "The guidance is a good reminder of the connection between the contract process and the back-end. Make sure that you've got thorough, thoughtful processes behind your arrangements."

"We are already exploring what we will want to do for our clients to help them comply," Shea adds. "Right now it's watch, investigate, understand the landscape, understand the objective, but don't go too far down the road until you know where you want to be." 

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