"I'm a big believer in 'Mind share equals market share.'"

Joel John "JJ" Wilczewski DWS Group Head of Client Coverage Americas, Global Head of Institutional Clients & Consultants

So says JJ Wilczewski, the head of Americas client coverage and global head of institutional for DWS [profile]. Chicago-based Wilczewski, who was promoted last month and reports to global client coverage chief Dirk Goergen, puts his new role in the context of DWS' continued evolution after IPOing back in 2018.

"We continue to integrate DWS as a world-class independent asset management firm," Wilczewski tells MFWire. "Part of that is making sure we better coordinate and collaborate globally."

In the Americas, Wilczewski says, that translates into bringing more closely together their eight local segments: consultant relations, corporates, core institutional, insurance, Latin America, strategic accounts, U.S. advisory, and U.S. wealth.

"We're seeing a dramatic institutionalization of the legacy retail business," Wilczewski says, and that means they need to be more institutional "about products, process, and digital elements."

"We want to make sure that we're the first call for our clients, no matter who they are or where they sit," Wilczewski adds, noting that they're also, "ensuring that our professionals, no matter what channel they're in, have the ability to engage on a peer-to-peer level."

Other key efforts, according to Wilczewski, will include helping the DWS team leverage different tools, advice, and research.

"We have to be relevant. We have to be distinctive," Wilczewski says. "It also means being very diligent about data capture, data usage, and data-based decisions."

Wilczewski also plans to boost DWS' brand awareness in the Americas, especially in the U.S.

"Our reality is much greater than where our brand resides today," Wilczewski says. "We've got progress to make and a great story to tell."

As for Wilczewski's client coverage team across those eight Americas teams, including the U.S., he says they're "world class."

"I don't see many changes personnel-wise," Wilczewski says. "I'm focused on strategy and execution." 

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