How Backstop Helps Optima Partners

Not all of Backstop’s clients are asset owners and asset managers. Our clients also include organizations that partner with and support the investment industry. This includes Optima Partners, a leading provider of regulatory consulting and support to Chief Compliance Officers of alternative asset management firms.

New compliance regulations mean that firms have to take a global approach to their regulatory compliance. Optima Partners ensures that firms meet compliance regulations no matter where they are located or where they do business. However, to fulfill its mission, Optima needed robust configuration, auditing, and tracking capabilities. They turned to Backstop to provide for these needs – and Backstop delivered.

Josh Mika, partner and head of the Midwest Region at Optima, recently sat down with us to share how our CRM software supports Optima in their quest to deliver superior client service at scale. Here are three highlights from the interview:

Superior configurability helps Optima deliver better service 

The ability to configure Backstop has enabled Optima to develop a compliance calendar to support their proactive approach to their clients. Mika affirms, “Configurability is one of the things we really appreciate about Backstop. It allows us to categorize client deliverables, regulatory updates, and the unique services we offer. By doing so, Backstop helps us stay organized and meet client expectations. In fact, we are often able to run well ahead of anticipated timeframes.” 

The ability to audit helps ensure time is being well-spent...  

Optima’s team consists of approximately seventy employees located worldwide. These team members manage 750+ global clients, including alternative and traditional asset managers, investment companies, commercial and investment banks, and broker-dealers. Mika explains, “It is vital to know what our people are doing, when they are doing it, and how they are doing it. This data is crucial for us to ensure that our clients are getting the right services from the right team members with the right specializations. Backstop tracks and audits all of that, enabling us to go above and beyond in delivering quality service to our clients.” 

Everyone has information about everything, at their fingertips... 

Optima has a global presence, with offices in London, New York, Chicago, San Francisco, and Hong Kong. By using Backstop, Optima is able to track client work opportunities with existing partners as well as new potential partnerships. Mika notes, “We are able to connect relationships, understand who the players are, and manage meetings and communications. The system and the tools Backstop has provided to us are second to none in that regard.” 

Backstop’s configurability, auditing capabilities, and tracking features are contributing strongly to Optima’s substantial and sustainable growth. In summary, Mika states, “Backstop helps keep us moving forward. They are a great partner for us. Optima has navigated 2020 – a year unlike any other in financial services from a compliance standpoint and every other standpoint – and Backstop has helped us do it successfully.”  

Read the full story of how Optima is using Backstop to achieve success here.