MANILA, Philippines, 17 March 2023 – ATR Asset Management (ATRAM) Group, a leading independent asset and wealth management firm in the Philippines, recently elevated their services through digital technology by integrating Azure API Management and Azure Synapse Analytics into their operations. This investment represents a significant step in digital intensity for the entire ATRAM organization and in the country. With Microsoft’s multi-cloud management platform and support services, ATRAM was able to expand and extend the scope of its capabilities with data, making its services and products available to multiple partners and customers.
ATRAM’s vision is to enable all Filipinos to become investors, starting with more accessible investment opportunities accessible, especially to retail investors, and even disrupt the industry practice of accessing portfolios via relationship managers. In 2022 ATRAM launched an app that makes it easier for current clients to access data and for new clients to set up accounts in under 10 minutes.
“When we started implementing our digital strategy, we focused on improving accessibility and client experience. Now we need to focus on elevating that client experience that sets us apart from competitors,” stated Cyrus Salvador, Head of Digital Solutions at ATRAM.
Elevating the client experience meant that the asset manager needed to provide customized solutions and advice fit for the needs of clients across varying segments, with a view of improving go-to-market time. ATRAM recognized that access to data was not enough, especially when the data was scattered and siloed. “We encountered data quality issues and were looking for data governance,” said Bea Charmelyn Lambitco, Head of Data and Analytics at ATRAM.
“We needed to bring technology that could help us deliver the desired end-to-end experience, both internally and as we move to integrating our partners,” added Salvador
Enhanced data processing, analytics, and management
Using Azure Synapse Analytics, ATRAM built a unified platform that enabled it to process sensitive and critical data efficiently, safely, and cost-effectively. Azure Synapse Analytics seamlessly integrated into ATRAM’s existing reporting infrastructure and allowed wider use of Power BI capabilities, allowing ATRAM’s teams to have quicker turnaround times for reporting. More importantly, ATRAM can now tap into other data capabilities beyond descriptive functions and into predictive and prescriptive capabilities, such as forecasting future events or optimizing actions.
Beyond data analytics and reporting, ATRAM is also refining data warehousing.
“The Azure data warehouse is an important initiative for us because this allows us to manage many different types of data: data from our clients, different investment products, and markets,” observes Deanno Basas, Chief Executive Officer of Digital at ATRAM. “It’s quite complex because it’s not just about knowing your clients and how to advise a specific type of client, but we have to know everything that’s going on and the products available in the investment world. For us, the roadmap is to enhance the value that we give to our customers. For this, data management is crucial because we cannot advise our clients on an appropriate product without the right information.”
Seamless connectivity through API management
ATRAM is also utilizing Azure API Management for seamless processes between and among its APIs, which builds connectivity with ATRAM’s digital ecosystem.
“Business partners want up-to-date ATRAM funds to be available on their platforms—a well-managed API allows that. We also provide wealth and institutional clients with an API-powered platform where they can see their accounts and portfolios,” explained Salvador.
Azure API Management secures and monitors ATRAM’s APIs and their usage, as well as creates new business models for the asset manager.
“The idea is to achieve a microservice or a service-oriented architecture that would help us achieve the open finance framework,” adds Rowan de Chavez, Application Development Manager at ATRAM. The open finance framework focuses on making services, as well as client and product information, available to multiple partners or parties.
Transforming the investment landscape for Filipinos
ATRAM is no stranger to digital transformation, and it has embarked on a new phase of its digital transformation journey with a deep focus on making its operations and systems more efficient.
“ATRAM’s vision is to become the leading digital investment management player in the Philippines. This entails looking at the different solutions available, working with partners such as Microsoft to be able to adopt those evolving technologies and apply them in our space,” explained Salvador.
This vision is founded on three pillars: providing an elevated and accessible experience to all clients across all segments; delivering products and services with scalability and efficiency in mind; and bringing in new technologies to deliver the desired engagement and experience for clients.
“Our partnership with ATRAM highlights the opportunities unlocked by technology in the financial industry. Their digital acceleration will not only empower their organization to do more, but also deliver better insights and services to their clients, and most importantly, drive innovation and growth in the asset management industry,” stated Peter Maquera, Chief Executive Officer of Microsoft Philippines.
About Microsoft
Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT” @microsoft) enables digital transformation for the era of an intelligent cloud and an intelligent edge. Its mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more.
About ATRAM
ATRAM is the leading independent asset manager in the Philippines. They provide tailored investment solutions through a range of products that can help everyone achieve financial goals.
This group manages portfolios consisting of mutual funds, trust assets, insurance portfolios, and real estate for proprietary and third-party clients