Migration Delivery

Background

Following the successful planning phase of a strategic migration initiative, our client — a private bank and asset management firm — proceeded with the delivery of the migration of its investment management operations from Europe to the UK.

The objective of this phase was to execute the operational transition of seven functional teams, ensuring a complete and sustainable transfer of processes, systems, and knowledge.

Building on the robust planning framework, the delivery focused on completing process documentation, facilitating knowledge transfer, and achieving readiness across the UK teams to assume full operational responsibility.

Approach

The delivery phase was grounded in the foundational work completed during planning. Key elements of the delivery approach included:

• Process completion & documentation: Ensuring all process and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) were documented to UK standards.
• Knowledge transfer & training: A comprehensive program facilitated structured learning and transition of tacit knowledge from the European to the UK teams.
• Go/No-Go framework: A detailed set of readiness criteria determined whether each UK team was prepared to assume migrated responsibilities.
• Stakeholder governance: Regular reviews with project boards and working groups allowed for informed decisions and rapid issue escalation.
• Post-migration support: European teams remained actively engaged after transition, offering close support and coaching during the embedding period.

Analysis

To support an effective delivery, the following assessments and tracking mechanisms were employed:

• Readiness assessment via Go/No-Go criteria: Each team’s progress was measured against clearly defined readiness indicators:
  • Completion of the future state operating model.
  • Finalised and approved SOPs and process documentation.
  • Communication and engagement of changes with third party providers.
  • Accreditation tracking for each team member.
  • A training scorecard provided by European leads highlighting progress of training and any knowledge gaps.
  • Business Control readiness to receive migrated testing responsibilities.
  • CASS documentation updates reflecting new structures.
  • Confirmation of full system access and appropriate permissions for UK staff.

An accreditation matrix was developed collaboratively with UK teams and tracked each activity being migrated, mapped to each individual’s training progress, and indicated whether team members were fully or partially trained.

Go/No-Go reviews provided clear visibility into each team’s preparedness and enabled transparent decision-making. They also identified additional support or retraining needs before ownership was transferred.

Conclusions

PryceWilliams delivered the following benefits to our client:

• Doubled the annual cost-savings to £3m pa.
• Enhanced control of the migrated processes.
• Reduced project delivery timelines by 3 months.

The delivery phase of the migration project was successful due to meticulous preparation, strong governance, and a clear focus on operational readiness.

The key success factors were:

• Structured knowledge transfer: Ensured effective upskilling and preparedness of UK teams.
• Clear accountability: Defined ownership and responsibility from the point of migration.
• Post-migration support: Allowed for continued learning and issue resolution, enhancing process embedding.
• Transparent decision-making: The Go/No-Go framework was instrumental in driving confidence and clarity among stakeholders.

Alongside robust planning, the project team highlighted that migration projects inherently carry risk and therefore the project ran a post-migration monitoring exercise.

The aim was to identify any errors and gaps post-migration. These were proactively managed through the BAU incident management process to ensure the issue was understood and the enhancement was implemented correctly.

Recommendations

Based on the successful execution and lessons learned from this migration project, we recommend the PW Project Planning check to support any future migrations or similar transformation initiatives that your organisation may wish to undertake. For example, the PW Project Planning check covers the following:

• Prioritise training quality and duration: Training should be comprehensive and should not be compressed. Shortened training phases significantly increase post-migration risk, especially for infrequent or complex processes.
• Emphasise post-migration engagement: Continued access to outgoing teams and subject matter experts post-migration is vital for reinforcing learning and ensuring business continuity.
• Leverage detailed readiness criteria: A structured Go/No-Go framework ensures clarity and mitigates premature handover of responsibilities.
• Manage stakeholder expectations: Proactively communicating the likelihood of transitional errors and securing agreement on revised tolerance levels ensures smoother operational continuity.

By following these recommendations, organisations can increase the likelihood of delivering successful, risk-mitigated migrations that support broader strategic objectives and operational excellence.

Next Steps

PryceWilliams provides specialist consulting and project delivery services for investment management firms with strategic change, regulatory compliance and technology transformation needs. Our focus is supporting the project sponsor to ensure project implementation is delivered on time and within budget. Should you need support, contact us to make progress happen.