I’m Maryam, an M.A Finance student at Munich Business School. As part of my Master’s programme, I recently worked on a consulting project exploring how AI and automation are reshaping investing.
One thing became clear quickly: boutique asset managers are under real pressure. Squeezed by thinning margins, rising operational costs, and the relentless growth of passive investing, especially among Gen Z, these firms are finding it harder to compete.
To dig into this, our team partnered with Exactimo, an AI training and implementation business, to analyse the distribution challenges boutique funds face. We focused specifically on how younger, digitally-influenced investors make decisions, and where AI and automation could help these firms win and keep investors more effectively.
The most interesting finding was paradoxical: whilst younger investors are digital natives, they still crave human input, whether that’s trusting recommendations from family and friends, or wanting to understand the beliefs and convictions of the portfolio managers behind active funds.
This is a real opportunity for boutiques: AI and automation in sales and marketing can help amplify this human conviction, assisting lean distribution teams to reach more people (you can see our insights in this showcase of business automation case studies).
While we focused on younger investors, the broader message was clear: although technology is reshaping the investment industry, trust, conviction, and human connection remain central to financial decision-making. Firms that successfully combine AI with authentic human engagement are best positioned to connect with the next generation of investors.
Frederic, founder of Exactimo, reflected on the project: “It was a wonderful experience working with Bhoomika Moganna, Liang Wanyu, Maryam Seyfi and Shakti Singh to investigate how AI and automation could help smaller investment funds overcome their inherent distribution challenges and I would wholeheartedly recommend partnering with Munich Business School on consulting projects – in fact, I’m already planning a second project in the autumn”.
He also mentions how seamless the process was: “I worked with Béatrice Mellinghoff, Head of Career Center & Corporate Relations, who skillfully worked with the relevant academic department (in our case, Prof. Dr. Eva Stumpfegger, Professor for Finance) to put together a team of motivated students to answer specific business questions with new perspectives and well-structured analysis”.
Frederic went on to say that companies today have a responsibility to hire or engage junior talent in a world where “the organisational shape is shifting from triangles to diamonds due to AI and Automation, thereby reducing the ‘training ground’ for young minds to build the experience and confidence they need to progress in today’s workplace”.
It should also be noted that student consulting projects at Munich Business School don’t cost companies anything (apart from a little time). If you’re an organisation that is looking for new perspectives and fresh ideas, you can register your interest here.
