Consolidation firmly takes hold as scale takes centre stage
Asset and wealth managers have entered 2021 after a stressful year dealing with COVID-19’s many shocks and aftereffects. As executives responded to significant market disruptions, an underlying industry theme around building assets under management (AUM) scale through partnerships and M&A activity took a firm hold.
Firms looked to grow AUM quickly by sealing new partnerships and exploring M&A options. We observed a flurry of transactions and restructurings in the sector, with several large transactions announced. Asset and wealth managers accelerated their focus towards defining and moving towards a new target operating model, one where scale ambitions plays a central role.
A&M’s Financial Services team’s latest report analysis how asset and wealth managers have accelerated a drive towards scale, making the year 2020 the beginning of a significant consolidation cycle.
The Spanish Banking Pulse Q4 2025
April 22, 2026
In this edition, we share results from our research examining 10 biggest Spanish banks (“top 10”) with regard to their activities within Spain and highlight key performance indicators of the Spanish banking industry.
The Mutual Holding Company Decision: Converting Structural Flexibility into Competitive Advantage
April 22, 2026
Mutual Holding Company (MHC) conversion has emerged as a credible strategic option, offering a way to address market headwinds without sacrificing mutual identity. However, structural change alone does not guarantee improved performance. Success depends on disciplined capital deployment, targeted technology and talent investment, and the governance capability to manage greater complexity.
Insurance agency compensation in focus
April 20, 2026
Agency distribution continues to be the main distribution channel for life insurance across Asia. However, traditional agency compensation models that rely heavily on large first-year commissions (FYC) are creating challenges such as low agent activation, weak customer persistency, and shrinking margins.
Alvarez & Marsal Releases FY 2025 KSA Banking Pulse
April 16, 2026
The latest edition of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) Banking Pulse analyzes the FY 2025 performance of the kingdom’s ten largest listed banks. The year reflects resilience and rebalancing in the Saudi banking sector, with moderating credit growth alongside strong profitability, improved asset quality, and solid balance sheet strength, supported by a favorable macro-outlook and ongoing Vision 2030 momentum.
