How an Investment Firm Adopted Azure for Borderless Work

This investment management firm supports high-net-worth clients through both discretionary and advisory services, with teams operating across London and the Cayman Islands.

Their work is complex, fast-paced, and global by nature. Whether advising on portfolios or executing trades, their teams rely on secure, always-on access to financial platforms and sensitive client data, no matter where in the world they are.

With fewer than 50 employees, agility and reliability are core to the business. But as their tech needs evolved, it became clear that on-prem systems and dispersed data were starting to hold them back.

‍

Industry: Investment Management

Organisation Size: Less than 50 employees

Service Areas: Managed Services (Azure), Professional Services, Cloud Migration, Licensing

As a global firm managing high-value client portfolios, access, speed, and security weren’t just priorities; they were business-critical. But the company’s hybrid setup was starting to create friction.

Teams relied on a patchwork of on-prem servers, local storage devices, and user laptops. With sensitive data scattered across systems, and sometimes saved directly to workstations, collaboration across offices became unreliable and difficult to secure.

Access issues were also a growing concern. Staff frequently travelled internationally, and their experience of the firm's infrastructure varied wildly depending on location and internet quality. Even routine tasks, like accessing financial platforms or syncing files, were inconsistent, slowing down work and frustrating teams.

The business also faced increasing regulatory pressure to demonstrate robust cybersecurity practices, from user authentication to device control and data protection. With cyber threats on the rise and internal complexity growing, it was clear the technology strategy needed a major rethink.

What they needed was a secure, cloud-first infrastructure, one that would work anywhere in the world, without relying on ideal conditions.

To support secure, borderless work, we focused on modernising infrastructure, standardising platforms, and simplifying access across locations.

Here's how we approached it:

• Ran a Microsoft 365 strategy, roadmap, and envisioning session with the firm’s internal infrastructure stakeholders to align goals and requirements.
• Centralised data by consolidating and migrating fragmented storage into Microsoft SharePoint, creating a structured, secure foundation for collaboration.
• Deployed Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) to remove reliance on high-speed local internet, giving staff fast, secure access to their work from anywhere in the world.
• Upgraded legacy devices from Windows 7 Home to Windows 10 Professional, ensuring compatibility, performance, and security across all machines.
• Implemented Microsoft 365 Business Premium, upgrading software from Office 2013 to Office 2019, and enabling enterprise-grade productivity tools across the board.
• Introduced Microsoft Teams across the organisation to simplify communication and reduce email reliance between geographically dispersed teams.
• Delivered in-house training and clear communications, making sure staff were confident and supported through every phase of the transformation.

The transformation gave the business exactly what it needed: secure, flexible access to its infrastructure from anywhere in the world.

By centralising data in SharePoint and deploying Azure Virtual Desktop, staff could now connect to a fast, standardised environment, regardless of location or internet speed. No more waiting for updates or workarounds on the ground; everything lived in the cloud, and everything just worked.

Legacy machines were repurposed as access points rather than endpoints — extending their useful life while reducing maintenance costs. Software was standardised, collaboration became seamless, and system updates could be rolled out globally, without delay.

The business now operates in a cloud-first model that supports:

• Scalable growth (just spin up new virtual machines as needed)
• Global mobility (teams can work securely from any country)
• Regulatory alignment (with security practices baked into every layer)

It’s a future-ready setup, one that’s as agile and borderless as the business itself.