At Loomis Sayles, our purpose is rooted in a steadfast commitment to serving clients. Our Relationship Management, Client Service, and Client Administration teams play a critical role in fostering client relationships, working closely with clients and colleagues across the firm to deliver a seamless experience and help drive long-term success.

In this Q&A, leaders from each of these groups highlight their culture of collaboration and their shared commitment to delivering an exceptional client experience.

Jim Sia, CFA, Head of Global Relationship Management

Nominated for Team Superlative by Jeremiah Boyd, Director, Client Reporting

Q: What do you enjoy most about being a member of the Relationship Management group?

What I enjoy most about my role is the opportunity to spend time with clients, helping them navigate challenges and identifying solutions while also supporting the broader Relationship Management, Client Administration and Client Service teams in finding new and more effective ways to deliver for our clients. Across the Relationship Management group, there is a strong culture of service that extends to our clients, colleagues and the communities where we live and work. While every day in my role may look different, the focus remains on serving the clients and everything flows from their needs.

Q: How do strong relationships contribute to the long-term success of clients and the firm?

One of Loomis Sayles’ greatest strengths is the longevity of our client relationships. We’re very fortunate to have built client relationships that span four, five and even six decades.  That’s rare in our industry today. Many of our relationship managers have partnered with clients for two decades themselves. It’s impossible to replicate those relationships – both the professional and the personal knowledge.

Q: How has technology changed the way you build and maintain relationships over the course of your career?

Technology continues to play an increasingly important role in strengthening the client experience. We’ve leveraged our Contact Relationship Management (CRM) database to build a tool that allows relationship managers to review their respective client books from multiple perspectives, allowing them to focus their energy on the areas that matter the most to each client. Looking ahead, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has the potential to further enhance the RM function from strengthening client knowledge and capturing meeting insights to helping identify common client concerns and opportunities. As these capabilities continue to evolve, they’ll enable us to anticipate client needs and deliver more personalized thought leadership and insights. There’s so much ahead – it’s exciting.

Ken Johnson, Head of US Relationship Management

Nominated for Team Superlative by Colleen Jones, Director of Client Administration

Q: Looking back at your career at Loomis, is there a moment that you are most proud of?

One of the moments I’m most proud of in my 25 year career at Loomis Sayles was how the firm navigated the 2008 financial crisis.  During a period of significant uncertainty, our leadership gave employees confidence rather than fear, allowing employees to remain focused on supporting our clients rather than worrying about their own job security.  That experience reinforced for me what makes the firm’s culture special—putting people first.

Q: How do strong relationships contribute to the long-term success of clients and the firm?

In my view, strong relationships are built on trust, and trust is earned over time.  The trust we develop with clients and colleagues creates stronger partnerships, helps us to retain and grow client relationships, and ultimately contributes to the long-term success of both our clients and the firm.

Nicole Pytlak, CFA, Deputy Head, US Relationship Management

Nominated for Team Superlative by Ken Johnson, Head of US Relationship Management

Q: What is a typical day like in your role?

No two days are the same in my role. There’s always a challenge – that’s what makes this role so interesting! Each day presents new opportunities to partner with colleagues from across the firm to build and strengthen client relationships. The best part of the role is knowing that what we do helps clients make informed decisions and contributes to their own success.

Q: How would you describe the culture of the Relationship Management group?

I would describe the culture as highly collaborative. There is a genuine willingness to support each other, share ideas and see one another succeed. It is very rewarding to be part of a team that is invested in delivering excellent service to clients and grounded in a high degree of mutual respect, trust and teamwork.

Colleen Jones, Director of Client Administration

Nominated for Team Superlative by Nicole Pytlak, CFA, Deputy Head, US Relationship Management

Q: What do you enjoy most about being a member of the Relationship Management Group?

What I enjoy most is the opportunity to serve our clients alongside such talented and supportive colleagues. There is a strong shared commitment to going above and beyond for clients, which is what makes the work so rewarding. It also helps to be part of a team that is generous with their time and advice, willing to jump in when needed and able to keep things in perspective with a good sense of humor.

Q: Looking back at your career at Loomis Sayles, is there a moment that you are most proud of?

One moment I am especially proud of in my career was receiving the Daniel J. Fuss Award in 2014, which is an annual award introduced by Loomis Sayles two decades ago. The award recognizes employees who exemplify an extraordinary and relentless dedication to our clients, like Dan. I have always been more comfortable working behind the scenes, so being recognized in front of my colleagues—and receiving the award from Dan himself at a company holiday gathering surrounded by my peers—was both meaningful and unforgettable. I care deeply about the work we do for our clients, and it was incredibly rewarding to have that commitment acknowledged in such a special way. The recognition meant more to me than any promotion I have earned throughout my career.

Jeremiah Boyd, Director, Client Reporting

Nominated for Team Superlative by Jim Sia, CFA, Head of Global Relationship Management

Q: What is a typical day like in your role?

No two days look exactly alike, and that’s what I enjoy most. Mornings usually start with triaging what’s in front of the team like client requests, reporting deadlines and addressing items that came in overnight. Much of my day is spent supporting my team by reviewing drafts, talking through reporting questions and ensuring deliverables go out accurately and on time. I also work closely with our Relationship Managers, Client Administration Managers and RM Administrators. Together, we make up the broader Relationship Management team, delivering best-in-class service to our internal and external clients. Throughout the day, I also spend time coaching and mentoring team members, supporting their growth and development. These are easily the most rewarding aspects of the job for me.

Q: How do strong relationships contribute to the long-term success of clients and the firm?

At its core, the Relationship Management group is built on trust and trust is built one interaction at a time. It’s why some of our client relationships stretch well beyond a decade, in many cases over two. That longevity doesn’t come from investment performance alone; it comes from being reliable and responsive when it matters. The same holds true internally. Our team works best when those relationships are strong, feedback flows both ways and issues get caught earlier. Over time, that compounds with clients staying through cycles and bring us into new mandates. At the end of the day, strong relationships are what turn quality service into lasting partnerships.

IMPORTANT DISCLOSURE
This marketing communication is provided for informational purposes only and should not be construed as investment advice. Investment decisions should consider the individual circumstances of the particular investor. Any opinions or forecasts contained herein, reflect the subjective judgments and assumptions of the authors only, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Loomis, Sayles & Company, L.P. Investment recommendations may be inconsistent with these opinions. There is no assurance that developments will transpire, as forecasted and actual results will be different. Information, including that obtained from outside sources, is believed to be correct, but we cannot guarantee its accuracy. This information is subject to change at any time without notice. Nothing contained herein constitutes investment, legal, tax or other advice nor is it to be relied on in making an investment or other decision.

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