How Secondment-Style Support Empowered an ESG Investment Manager to Unlock Scalable Data Capabilities
The Situation
In investment management and private equity, timely, data-driven insights are a key competitive differentiator. However, developing internal analytics teams is often slow and expensive. One ESG-focused investment manager with $10bn AUM needed a faster, more flexible approach. Rather than commit to long-term recruitment, they turned to QuantSpark for embedded, secondment-style support.
This approach provided access to high-calibre analytics expertise that integrated seamlessly with internal teams, driving impact from day one and enabling the firm to enhance its strategic data capabilities without committing to costly, permanent resourcing.
The Challenge
The client faced common hurdles associated with in-house analytics development:
- High recruitment costs for specialised data roles.
- Slow time-to-value due to onboarding and training needs.
- Limited existing expertise in modern analytics tools and methods.
- Difficulty scaling capacity to match growing data demands.
In parallel, the firm required immediate solutions to manual reporting bottlenecks, an absence of a clear data strategy, and internal skill gaps that limited innovation.
The Solution: A Secondment-Led Engagement
QuantSpark deployed Strategy and Analytics consultants into the client's research and portfolio teams. Backed by a full-service data consultancy, these embedded consultants brought:
- Expertise in Python, SQL, PowerBI, ML, and Generative AI.
- Immediate hands-on support for high-impact analytics use cases.
- Access to QuantSpark’s wider R&D, engineering, and data science teams.
Key Initiatives and Deliverables:
- Automated Portfolio Reporting
- Built automated ETL pipelines and a PowerBI dashboard to replace manual processes.
- Increased report frequency from annually to monthly.
- Freed up 40+ hours/month and reduced reporting errors by over 90%.
- Long-Term Data Strategy Roadmap
- Created an 18-month data roadmap focused on automation and alpha-generating opportunities.
- Resulted in a 5% performance uplift through improved predictive analytics
- Ad Hoc Analytics Support
- Delivered rapid, bespoke analysis with Python and SQL.
- Analysts saved ~20% of their time, redirecting focus to strategic tasks.
- Capability Building Through the Citizen Developers Programme
- Launched targeted upskilling for internal teams in SQL and AI.
- Fostered a self-sufficient, innovative environment for long-term data literacy.
The Results: Quantifiable Gains
| Metric |
Outcome |
| Reporting Time |
Reduced from 40 hrs/month to 0.5 day |
| Reporting Frequency |
Increased from annual to monthly |
| Data Error Rate |
Reduced by 90%+ |
| Analyst Time Saved (Ad Hoc Work) |
~20% |
| Investment Performance |
+5% improvement via data-driven insights |
Strategic Benefits:
- Cost Efficiency: Avoided long-term recruitment costs.
- Agility: Embedded consultants delivered faster project turnaround and reduced time to value.
- Scalability: Analytics capabilities expanded in line with growing data needs.
- Sustainability: Upskilled internal teams, creating lasting capability.
- Risk Mitigation: No permanent hiring risk, with flexibility to adapt resources.
Leveraging QuantSpark’s Resource Backbone
The success of the secondment was underpinned by QuantSpark’s broader capabilities:
- Comprehensive Consultant Support: Real-time access to data engineers, strategists, and R&D specialists.
- Continuous Innovation: Embedded teams introduced the latest tools and frameworks to the client.
- Flexible Resourcing: Ability to scale support across departments as needs evolve.
Looking Ahead
Following success in the research team, the secondment model has the potential to expand into compliance, operations, and risk. This replicable framework can be tailored for any investment firm looking to:
- Increase agility in analytics delivery.
- Build internal data maturity over time.
- Avoid long-term resourcing commitments.
Recommendations for Firms Considering Secondments:
- Set clear strategic goals upfront.
- Foster collaboration between embedded consultants and internal teams.
- Use the secondment as a training opportunity for long-term capability building.
- Stay agile: iterate fast, incorporate feedback, and scale flexibly.
Conclusion
Secondment-based engagements offer a powerful alternative to building in-house data teams from scratch. By embedding QuantSpark consultants, investment firms can deliver faster, more strategic data outcomes while cultivating long-term self-sufficiency.
This approach unlocks advanced analytics capabilities without the cost or commitment of permanent hires—and lays the groundwork for smarter, more data-driven investment management.
Ready to scale your analytics capabilities without the overhead of hiring?
Get in touch to discover how QuantSpark’s secondment approach can accelerate your journey to data-driven excellence.