2. QUALITY OF RESEARCH
This category asked respondents to consider consultants’ research capabilities, paying particular attention to their knowledge of asset classes, due diligence, the time it takes them to rate funds and the depth of questioning they subject fund managers to.
The top spot went to Willis Towers Watson with 3.81 points, followed into second by Mercer (3.76) and Russell Investments in third (3.64).
One respondent said: “Willis Towers Watson have always felt they were the Rolls Royce within this industry, and they certainly have talented, quality people.”
Bringing up the rear in this category was Aon Hewitt with 2.00 points, just below Deloitte with 2.58 points.
Commenting on Aon Hewitt, one respondent said: “They seem to have very constrained resources in manager research. [They] have been better recently, but it’s a real challenge to engage with them.”
Another said: “Recent experience with the research at Aon Hewitt has been poor with ongoing communication being very poor.”
However, another respondent added: “There are a number of very talented people in this firm, both within manager research and also client-facing with long-standing commitments to Aon Hewitt.”
