Assessments and Change Management

To stay competitive or to develop a competitive advantage, a change in operating model can unlock value that enables growth. Another word for this is “transformation”.

At a basic level, transformation can simply be the automation of components of a firm’s value chain.

At a more sophisticated level, transformation can include complete replacements of components of the firm’s value chain.

Proven success at transformation

Regardless of the level of complexity, Oculus Partners has proven success helping our clients transform their operating models.

We do not bring a templated approach to this type of work since each of our clients has a strategic intent for transforming as well as a value proposition and key differentiators that they focus on to achieve success in the market.

Without an understanding of these, any transformation can inadvertently undermine current client value or be mis-aligned with strategic objectives that may be moving the client towards new market opportunities.

Smaller projects

When engaged on smaller operating model projects, we work to establish both an understanding of the firm’s strategy, but also the key metrics they are seeking to achieve with the transformation.

Many times these will focus on internal metrics and Oculus will work to both validate these and to establish additional external metrics that will either need to be preserved or materially changed for the project to be seen as successful.

Once these have been established, Oculus can work either in a collaborative manner with internal resources or independently to do the current state analysis, establish a road map for key activities, and then execute the plan.

Often this will require the organization to develop or acquire new skill sets and we work with clients to do both via training or building role descriptions.

Larger projects

For larger projects that ultimately require re-imagining the end-to-end operating model, Oculus will typically work with senior management to develop a set of alternative models that are assessed relative the business’s strategic objectives and the target market’s expectations for successful providers where our client seeks to compete.

Once aligned around the specific model, Oculus works to identify key partners or capabilities required to reconstruct the operating model in a way that meets both internal needs, but also competitive requirements.

Integration of new capabilities with what often has been a fully proprietary operating model is intensive work which Oculus has driven in past engagements from both a day-to-day perspective and an oversight perspective via the governance program we are often asked to directly support.

Line management experience

The line management experience of Oculus’ consultant team enables a true understanding of the way companies make decisions and carry out work which is a significant advantage to our clients when they are seeking to transform on either a tactical or a strategic level.

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In our bid for a large technology and business process outsourcing engagement with a major US institutional retirement provider, we engaged Oculus as a strategic advisor. The overall RFP asked for a complete rearchitecting of the prospect’s operating model inclusive of a regulated entity. Oculus immediately established a clear vision, in collaboration with our team, and quickly and seamlessly drove the team to an outstanding, best-in-class solution for the new operating model, including a complex legacy platform and related systems. Oculus even took part internally with our CFO and Chief Counsel to gain approval for the operating model associated with the regulated entity.
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About Jamie McInnes

Jamie McInnes

President

Jamie is a recognized leader with over thirty years of experience working in several firms across asset management, banking and insurance. His leadership roles have focused on a variety of business models and markets covering retirement, wealth management and protection. In 2018, he joined Oculus Partners as a Senior Consultant and, in January 2021, Jamie acquired the firm.

Prior to joining Oculus, Jamie spent 10 years at Prudential Financial. Initially, he worked within Prudential Retirement ultimately leading its full-service business which delivered defined contribution, defined benefit, deferred compensation, IRA and advisory services to 4,000 institutional clients and 2.5 million individual participants. His final three years at Prudential were spent in Prudential International Insurance developing and leading its market entry to Indonesia’s life insurance market. As the CEO he developed the local senior leadership team while expanding distribution inclusive of bank assurance, tele-marketing and a direct-to-consumer digital channel.

Jamie joined Prudential from Merrill Lynch where he led its Retirement Group’s institutional offerings covering DC, DB, NQDC and trust and custody. This followed his return from Japan where Jamie had initially been leading the platform development for CIGNA’S joint venture pension business as their CIO and subsequently as the firm’s Executive Director advising multi-national firms around pension risk issues and the benefits of transferring benefit programs to a DC framework.

Jamie began his career in management consulting focused on banking and insurance company back-office operations and entered the retirement business initially with Putnam Investments and then joining a VC backed on-line 401(k) company prior to relocating to Japan.

Jamie earned his undergraduate degree in Biochemical Sciences from Harvard College, has a MPhil degree in International Relations from the University of St Andrews, an MSc in Finance from the Sawyer School of Business at Suffolk University and is a Chartered Financial Analyst.

Passion/Area of Focus

Helping leaders align and enable their teams to accomplish goals they felt were unachievable.