Martin Vogel, Chief Executive Officer (Europe) of Waystone, reflects on the new brand formed as a result of the merger between MontLake, DMS, and MDO.
Waystone is the world’s leading provider of institutional governance, risk and compliance services to institutional investors and the asset management industry. Formed from a merger of DMS, MontLake and MDO, Waystone has over 20 years’ experience in building, supporting and protecting investment structures and strategies. With its global reach and expertise in delivering a comprehensive range of specialist services, Waystone is now supporting asset managers with more than US$1Tn in AUM and is the provider of choice for many of today’s top investment firms. Waystone provides its clients with the guidance and tools to allow them to focus on managing their investment goals with confidence.
The asset management landscape is complex and constantly evolving and it is against that backdrop that Waystone was formed to deliver a necessary dimension of certainty for clients and their investors. Vogel explains, “At Waystone, we’re very much about bringing certainty to our client base. This is what we’re building our brand on in terms of giving our clients all the solutions they need to meet their regulatory requirements, leaving them to focus on managing their investors’ portfolios.”
The three organisations were natural partners, combining the pioneering fund governance work of DMS, MontLake’s UCITS and AIF platforms and MDO’s long and proven track record in providing high-quality, solution-driven services.
“The two Ireland-headquartered firms complemented each other in their areas of expertise; with one having particular expertise in AIFs and the other in UCITS,” commented Vogel.
As an institutional solutions provider to the asset management industry, we can service clients and set up products that will fit the fund manager’s strategy.
“Combining the two made for a well-rounded business and, with the addition of MDO, one of the most long-standing third-party management firms in Luxembourg, Waystone is able to offer its clients a full suite of management services in Europe. Waystone’s is able to provide its clients with the benefit of its full licences and operations in all of the main European financial centres.”
Over 60% of Waystone’s 320 staff are based in Europe, making it capable of supporting clients on a global basis from its European headquarters based in Ireland, together with a robust presence in Luxembourg, home to its growing team of 75 employees.
“The new name was the final part of the process of creating our new brand, it was important to first integrate our three teams. Waystone brings together the core expertise of the three groups, covering; governance, fund structuring, management company oversight, building funds, operating funds, distribution and so on. Our objective is to create an institutional global leader to define the governance industry,” noted Vogel.
Waystone is able to tailor its products to a wide-ranging client base. It supports fund managers from those who are just launching, to some of the largest and well-established global institutions. Vogel explains, “As an institutional solutions provider to the asset management industry, we can service clients and set up products that will fit the fund manager’s strategy. Our overall service proposition is to offer our clients the guidance and the tools necessary to meet their objectives, all under one roof.”
We are excited about the new brand Waystone; it symbolises the continued growth and success of the MDO Group over the last 20 years.
Furthermore, the size of the new group enables clients to launch funds throughout extensive geographies, with one central point of contact with a relationship manager. Waystone’s scale gives clients a clearer, holistic view of the market.
Going forward, Waystone is set to grow, both organically and by way of acquisition over the next year. In fact, despite the effects of COVID-19, Waystone has grown extensively in the past 12 months and expects this growth curve to continue on the same trajectory. Waystone currently has over 320 employees and they are actively recruiting, with approximately 20 open roles at present.
The future is bright for Waystone as they look to enter new markets and continue to add new services in direct response to what clients and their investors are seeking. Vogel concludes that, “we are excited about the new brand Waystone; it symbolises the continued growth and success of the MDO Group over the last 20 years and it stands for and reflects the superior service quality and client focus for which MDO was always renowned.”