OCIO Fundamentals

Bringing together all you need to know about outsourced CIO.

What is OCIO?

OCIO stands for Outsourced Chief Investment Officer—the delegation of some, or all of the day-to-day management of your portfolio. You maintain control over the decisions that matter most to you (such as your strategic asset allocation) and draw upon the resources of your OCIO partner to manage day-to-day operations.

ocio stands for outsourced chief investment officer or in plain english outsourced investment management choosing a strategic partner to handle the full or partial outsourcing of your organization's investment function is a big decision here are four questions you should consider before you sign on the dotted line the right partner gives you as much control as you want and removes as much of the burden as you need in most cases the key decisions like your long-term goals and your strategic asset allocation remain with you but manager selection and day-to-day risk management are taken off your plate at russell investments we know that every client is unique our goal is to literally function as an extension of your business that's why each client gets a dedicated cio a dedicated coo and a dedicated portfolio manager this means we can help you with your strategy handle your back office and reporting operations and manage risk in your portfolio being dynamic when market conditions provide compelling opportunities and you well you can keep the control you want and sleep a little better at night knowing your russell investments team has got your back where do your ocio provider's interest lie with you or somewhere else make sure you're working with a provider that is fundamentally focused on ocio at russell investments ocio represents 60 percent of our total firm revenue and nearly all of our institutional revenue and that's where we spend our time and talent for some of our large key competitors that ocio revenue number may drop as low as 2 percent ask them if ocio is only two percent of their business what is their real motivation for working with you experience we've seen some big firms enter the ocio arena very recently but just because they're big doesn't mean they have experience specifically in ocio at russell investments we have over five decades of ocio experience and ocio has always been our core focus that means we've helped clients succeed through nearly every imaginable market cycle our average client tenure is among the very longest in the industry and our platform and technology represent years of iterative innovation driven by addressing the exact problems faced by institutional investors like you we have a saying at russell investments some do some but few do all we believe you need a provider who is best in class in all russell gives you access to both public and private markets through the best managers available who can manage your portfolio holistically we not only design your strategy but we implement it on a daily basis with top tier overlay trading and transition management capabilities developing a strategy is just not enough the right ocio provider needs to make it work every day that also means the best back office support this commitment to successful outcomes and service may be why at russell we have some of the highest client satisfaction scores in the industry at russell investments our focus is on your success it's about allowing you to focus on your organizational mission while we focus on your investments our dedication to ocio means that our mission is to help you achieve your objectives our commitment to you is fundamental to us because we are fundamentally ocio if you'd like more information on how ocio can help your organization just click on the link

How can CIO outsourcing help?

Deepen your resources.

Outsourcing your investments will add depth and continuity, allowing you to focus on the decisions most critical to your organization.

About risk management

Respond more rapidly in a crisis.

An OCIO partnership ensures your portfolio is monitored around the clock and can respond rapidly in a crisis.

Navigating crises

Lower your investment costs.

An OCIO provider can use their scale leveraging in-house capabilities at cost and negotiating more competitive sub-manager rates.

Learn about OCIO fees

OCIOs improve access to the best ideas

The right partner can significantly broaden the range of investable opportunities, robustly assessing, and providing access to, a much deeper pool of opportunities.

Improvement alignment: The sustainable roadmap

Whether you're driven by personal or stakeholder values, mitigating risk or complying with regulation, sustainable factors are a key consideration for many investors. Yet, as with many areas of investing, it's complicated. An investment outsourcing partner can help.

See our roadmap

Private Markets: Leveraging its power

The private markets category can be a powerful investment tool for overcoming low returns. However, it demands greater risk management and potentially large capital requirements, challenges an outsourcing partner can help you address.

Private capital markets

Enhanced implementation capabilities: Execution is key

A skilled outsourced investment management provider will be able to incorporate critical risk management functions, such as overlays and transition management internally, providing you with a single point of accountability.

What to look for in an OCIO

OCIO myth-busting

"I'll lose control of my investment program"

The reality is far removed. Each outsourcing partnership is based on the unique resourcing needs of the organization. Fiduciary responsibility cannot be delegated; however, we can help you determine the right level of resourcing for your organization. The ultimate authority remains with you.

Who does what?

"Outsourcing hides fee layering"

Fee standardization remains an elusive goal for the industry, and hidden or additional fees can be an issue for some providers. The industry best practice remains full fee transparency, particularly around the remuneration to third parties, with a simple "all-in" or "cost-plus" fee based on the scale of assets managed.

Fee transparency

Reducing complexity & fees

Portfolios can be over-diversified with additional inclusions reducing return potential without reducing risk. Best practice providers will have the tools to accurately assess a broad array of opportunities for diversification and align them with the investors' unique risk appetite.

Reducing complexity & fees

Considering an outsourced investment approach

What to look for in a provider.
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KEY ASPECT 1

Integrated, holistic risk management

Accurate, timely and comprehensive visibility of risks at the total portfolio level forms the foundation for virtually all basic risk and portfolio management activities. Yet, with the complexity embedded in today’s portfolios, across public and private assets, integrated holistic visibility is surprising uncommon.

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KEY ASPECT 2

Organizational focus and capability

Maintaining the full suite of capabilities required for any outsourcing solution requires significant commitment, scale and resources. Organizations with competing priorities, little leadership focus or lacking fully integrated capabilities will find it challenging to sustain a competitive edge.

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KEY ASPECT 3

Industry-specific experience

A partner lacking a well-grounded understanding of your industry will ultimately draw on your time to get up to speed (at your expense). In contrast, a partner who is an industry specialist will be able to provide additional insight, and support, based on their experience guiding organizations with similar challenges.

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KEY ASPECT 4

The human element

Although exceedingly difficult to quantify, the relationship between your organization and your outsourcing provider is of critical importance. The best partners will act as a seamless extension of your team, with aligned objectives and a cohesive approach.

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Outsourced CIO

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ocio

Our approach to OCIO

Learn how we can help reduce your operational burden, so you're free to focus on what matters most.

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