How Ninety One Modernized Asset Management with Resolver’s Enterprise GRC Solutions

Ninety One faced a series of challenges that hindered its operational efficiency and risk mitigation capabilities:

• Inefficient Legacy Systems: The firm’s reliance on manual processes impeded its ability to scale effectively and adapt to dynamic market changes.
• Proactive Risk Enhancement: With a robust Enterprise GRC program in place, Ninety One recognized the opportunity to advance towards a more proactive and technology-forward approach to managing and anticipating risks.
• Data Fragmentation: Scattered risk information across various systems resulted in a lack of transparency and slower strategic decision-making.

Faced with these obstacles, Ninety One’s Business Analyst, Lauren Hendrick, recognized the urgency of a comprehensive GRC overhaul. “It was actually the first project I ever worked on when I joined Ninety One,” she recalls, indicating the project’s significance in her career and the firm’s trajectory.

Amidst escalating complexity in the financial sector, Ninety One’s dependency on outdated and disjointed systems was becoming increasingly untenable. “We had a lot of conversations as a team,” Hendrick shared, emphasizing the collaborative nature of their approach to problem-solving. She elaborated on the need for consolidation, “People needed to capture ratings and spreadsheets, but the challenge was in consolidating this information to gain a global view.”

This need became even more pronounced as Ninety One navigated its separation from Investec Bank, necessitating independence from the bank’s systems. “As we split into our own company, we had to get off the bank systems. A part of this project was also about finding a way to unify our GRC functions,” Hendrick explained, underscoring the strategic importance of this transition for Ninety One.

Ninety One’s strategic selection of Resolver’s no-code GRC platform was a decision that went beyond just software acquisition; it was a partnership aimed at transforming their approach to risk management. The adaptability, scalability, and user-friendly design of Resolver stood out.

“One of the things that we really liked about Resolver was the fact that it was such a clean interface and it was so configurable,” Hendrick reflects, underlining the importance of the platform’s customization capabilities right from the outset. This customization phase was not merely about tailoring a solution to fit Ninety One’s existing processes; it represented a collaborative journey with Resolver to redefine and optimize risk management.

“Working with Resolver as our GRC software vendor marked the beginning of a pivotal chapter for Ninety One,” Hendrick notes. The customization process involved closely working with the Resolver team, which was instrumental in unveiling the full potential of automation within GRC processes.

“Part of that was relying on the Resolver team to open our eyes to the possibilities of things we could automate,” says Hendrick. This included automating the tracking of corrective actions in the audit process and streamlining compliance tasks through workflows that assigned tasks directly to relevant individuals.

The impact of this deep customization was profound, allowing Ninety One to “work smarter and more independently from the vendor, enhancing our ability to evolve and refine our processes internally.” This autonomy in customization and automation catalyzed a shift toward a proactive risk culture, significantly exceeding Ninety One’s initial expectations in GRC management.

Hendrick has since used Resolver for other organizational solutions, such as customizing it for the company’s travel policy and booking process — something the Resolver team had not even considered yet.

Beyond the technical implementation, Resolver’s platform catalyzed broader organizational change. It empowered Ninety One’s teams not only to manage but also to build and innovate within their own Enterprise GRC program, fostering a culture of autonomy and innovation.

This strategic shift was instrumental in embedding a transformative risk culture across the firm, demonstrating that Resolver was not just a tool for compliance but a foundational element in reimagining Ninety One’s approach to governance, risk, and compliance.

The implementation of Resolver’s Enterprise GRC program has catalyzed significant advancements in Ninety One’s risk management and compliance processes, yielding transformative outcomes:

Increased process efficiency for better risk decision-making: Resolver’s cloud-based solution has streamlined risk assessment and compliance processes and significantly reduced response times to risk incidents, enhancing Ninety One’s operational efficiency. “Since implementing Resolver, we’ve pushed beyond just GRC boundaries,” Hendrick reflects, underscoring the platform’s comprehensive impact. This efficiency gain, coupled with improved data integrity through standardization, has bolstered strategic decision-making and risk mitigation efforts

Enhanced transparency for a proactive risk culture: The adoption of Resolver’s Enterprise GRC program has facilitated a cultural shift towards proactive risk management within Ninety One, marked by increased accountability and transparency. “The transparency has led to more accountability…we can do more with the same,” Hendrick highlights, emphasizing the improved scalability and quality of risk processes. This shift has enhanced the firm’s ability to manage a broad spectrum of controls and fostered a more transparent and accountable GRC framework.

Flexibility and strategic value: Resolver’s no-code, user-friendly design has been pivotal in its strategic value to Ninety One, enabling the firm to adapt and evolve its processes in alignment with changing needs. Hendrick shares, “Its simplicity and the ability to accelerate have transformed it into a strategic platform for our entire firm.” This adaptability ensures that Resolver continues to meet Ninety One’s evolving requirements, facilitating growth and innovation in risk management strategies.

Impact on transparency and accountability: Resolver has enhanced transparency and accountability in Ninety One’s operations. Hendrick explains, “We can clearly see the accountability in actions and quality of work. Whether managing a hundred controls or a thousand, Resolver enables us to handle more efficiently.”

“We are able to go and change our workflows, add a new form in, build a new dashboard, build a new report. The no-code part of it is incredibly powerful. It’s the difference between having a system that is stagnant and good at a point in time versus a system that can really grow and evolve with a firm and a team as the processes change.”

Overall, Resolver has empowered Ninety One to achieve a seamless integration of GRC functions, aligning with the firm’s strategic objectives. Their modernized GRC program’s impact extends across operational efficiencies, strategic risk management, cultural transformation, and the establishment of a flexible, evolving risk framework. Ninety One’s experience exemplifies how digital transformation in GRC can significantly enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of risk management practices.

Ninety One’s experience with Resolver’s enterprise GRC platform shows the transformative power of a strategic digital solution in asset management and related financial service industries. The partnership has enabled the firm to overcome legacy challenges, streamline its GRC processes, and adopt a proactive risk culture. Lauren Hendrick summarizes that the Resolver partnership “accelerated our processes in ways that wouldn’t have been possible without this platform.” This case study demonstrates a model for other firms seeking a robust, scalable, and user-centric Enterprise GRC program to navigate the complexities of global financial services.