Ostrum AM's CEO Duncan: I do not want to be the last mover when it comes to blockchain

Rising costs and pressure on fees

Matthieu Duncan, chief executive of Ostrum Asset Management, the subsidiary of Natixis Investment Managers, has said rising costs as a result of increasing regulation combined with pressures on fee margins, means digital transformation has become crucial to the running of an asset management business.

Although Duncan said heightened regulation has improved investor protection since the Global Financial Crisis, it has also led to higher costs, which are set to continue to climb. Speaking at an Ostrum AM conference in Paris following the rebrand from Natixis Asset Management in March, the chief executive said MiFID II, which came into effect on 3 January, was a big challenge due to its wide-scoping nature - the legislation was designed to increase transparency across all assets classes and offer more protection to investors. In order to tackle some of the arising issues, Duncan said ...