Where is the investment industry headed and how can professionals prepare?

investmentnews.com:

The investment industry is being reshaped by several factors which can leave industry professionals feeling uncertain of how they can keep up with the developing trends.

But a new report from the CFA Institute aims to help along with the establishment of a new center focused on addressing the most impactful themes facing the investment industry.

The Research and Policy Center will engage and convene thought leaders, policymakers, decision-makers, and a community of subject-matter experts on four central pillars: Capital Markets, Technology, the Future of the Industry, and Sustainability.

“Our goal is for the Research and Policy Center to be a positive force for the industry, delivering and transforming research insights into actions and practical applications that strengthen markets, advance ethics, and improve investor outcomes for the ultimate benefit of society,” said Paul Andrews, managing director for Research, Advocacy, and Standards at CFA Institute.

The new report Future State of the Investment Industry takes the key themes of the new center’s mandate and consider the direction of travel over the next 5-10 years by setting out some scenarios.

Firstly, the report notes that diverging values and goals across demographics and geographies will require greater personalization of investment products, which will be easy to access and mobile-first.

Thematic options will need to acknowledge that some groups will demand strong sustainability goals while others will require the opposite.

Direct indexing and tokenization will see increased focus and there will be new solutions required for aging populations and those with younger demographics who will demand new approaches to retirement planning and products.

Although noted