JM Finn & Co puts client needs at heart of mobile portfolio valuation service

MBA Systems develops and manages cross-platform web application for the smart phone/tablet generation

Winchester, 19 February 2013 —JM Finn & Co, one of the UK’s leading investment managers, has worked with MBA Systems, its trusted IT managed services partner for over a decade, to provide clients, investment managers and financial intermediaries on the move with a web-based portfolio valuation service. The mobile application, available through any mobile web browser, is currently optimised for Apple iPhone/iPads and Android handheld devices. Support for the Windows phone 8 operating system and its wide exploitation of touch screen capabilities will soon be available in the next release.

J M Finn, which recently partnered with Belgian investment group Ackermans& van Haaren (AvH) through its wealth management affiliate Delen Investments, has some £6.2bn funds under management. It differentiates itself by engaging with clients on an individual basis and providing direct access to investment managers who are not constrained by the products they sell. The mobile development has been driven by the paramount goal to serve clients and intermediaries better.

“The key requirement was to ensure that when we launched the service it would provide a compelling user experience, completely tailored to the individual needs of our clients, some of whom have relied on JM Finn & Co for three generations,” said Clara Durodié, Head of Investment Funds Ops.

Jon Cosson, Head of IT at JM Finn & Co added: “A great deal of care and time has been taken over the design and content of the screens and facilitating broker interaction from the handheld. The challenge was to create clear, intuitive functionality in line with our strategy continually to improve valuation transparency and deliver up-to-date information 24 x 7.”

Both the mobile and desktop portfolio valuation websites are hosted at MBA Systems’ highly secure, data centre. MBA was involved at every stage of the development from the look and feel, through security and performance testing to deployment. The application is fully penetration tested by a CREST, Tiger and CHECK certified independent security firm. Clients register, create a secure login and the web service automatically detects the device type to present an optimised mobile web experience, while avoiding the need for users to download application updates. For added security an extract of live data is embedded from the core MBA database and only turned on for registered users. MBA has a secure point-to-point encrypted ‘tunnel’ with J M Finn’s internal front/back office systems to capture live data for updating client portfolios.

“We have worked with MBA Systems since they were selected to develop and host our first database-driven web applications 13 years ago,” continued MrCosson. ”We work together closely and value highly the excellent relationship which has stood the test of time, when many of MBA Systems’ contemporaries have fallen by the wayside.”