Mercer Announces Transition Management Consulting

According to the announcement, the Mercer Sentinel Group is a dedicated group of specialists with a primary focus on analyzing transitions and assisting investors with transition-related issues. Mercer’s Global Transition Manager Database contains data and research on local and global transition managers using a 10-factor analytical framework, covering over 150 standards and criteria.

The benchmark focuses on attributes and internal controls to distinguish well-run, efficient transition managers from those that could expose a client to increased risks and costs, the announcement said. In connection with the benchmarking methodology, extensive and comprehensive onsite due diligence visits are conducted wherever trading, operations and controls are located.

The Mercer Sentinel Group assists with transition manager selection by establishing a panel of pre-approved transition managers with fully negotiated contracts and terms of appointment. The panel enables investors to focus on the strategy, controls and costs for each transition, rather than reviewing the base qualifications of the entire marketplace each time.

Mercer establishes the panel using its 10-factor analysis with a focus on creating a team with skills that address an investor’s particular needs. The panel is regularly reviewed through ongoing research and monitoring.

“A transition can be the largest one-off operational cost to which investors will be exposed, and the risks can be quite significant,” said Stacy Scapino, global leader of the Mercer Sentinel Group, in the announcement. “Transition oversight requires considerable experience, expertise and knowledge to ensure a controlled and cost-effective implementation and to avoid erosion of alpha.”

More information can be found at www.merceric.com .