How KBC Asset Management uses tech innovation to improve investment performance

From fragmented systems to investment excellence 

As Belgium's largest asset manager, KBC Asset Management faced the challenge of coordinating investment decisions across multiple countries, asset classes, and teams. Without a unified data source, portfolio managers were spending valuable time on data gathering rather than analysis and decision-making, while cross-team collaboration remained fragmented across different systems.

Since implementing SimCorp One and Axioma, KBC has achieved:

• Increased portfolio management efficiency by managing significantly more funds per portfolio manager with advanced optimization tools
• Real-time decision-making with integrated portfolio monitoring, risk management, and advanced analytics
• Enhanced cross-team collaboration with unified data access and shared risk analytics across all departments
• Seamless T+1 settlement transition through automated broker and custodian connections 

Creating a Single Source of Truth 

KBC selected SimCorp One combined with Axioma as their integrated investment management platform, replacing, as part of this, their legacy front office systems and self-developed optimizer. The decision was driven by four key factors:  

1. Open architecture allowing integration with existing risk data 
2. Superior technical performance 
3. Smooth API integration 
4. Exceptional user-friendliness 

The integrated solution now serves as the operational foundation, providing: 

• Real-time portfolio monitoring capabilities across all asset classes 
• Advanced risk management through Axioma's optimization tools 
• Unified data architecture supporting cross-functional collaboration 
• Automated connections with custodians and brokers across multiple countries 

Detailed Business Impact 

Operational excellence: The platform significantly increased portfolio management capacity per portfolio manager while enabling seamless collaboration between equity, fixed income, and structured product teams across four operating countries. 

Risk management & compliance: KBC's transition to T+1 settlement proved remarkably smooth compared to industry peers, thanks to existing automated stakeholder connections established through SimCorp's integrated architecture. 

Strategic partnership: Active participation in SimCorp and Axioma roadmap development ensures KBC's requirements influence future platform evolution, supported by excellent ongoing customer support that helped develop internal expertise.