Employee Spotlight: Andrei Alcruz, Director, Product Management
On a regular basis, we talk with our team members about their experience working at Canoe, and their future goals and aspirations. This week, we spoke with Andrei Alcruz, Director of Product Management.
Tell us about your background. How did you come to learn about Canoe?
I started my career as a NAV accountant for a boutique hedge fund administration firm (International Funds Services) which was eventually bought by State Street Corporation. At that time, providing administration services to large complex hedge and private equity funds involved many manual processes. I was motivated for change and given the opportunity to move into a product role for the transfer agency platform to automate fee calculations, economic allocations, and investor statement production. Then, I built a proprietary middle office fund of fund system to streamline the business processes unique to portfolios investing in alternatives. I am proud to say that both of the products remain core applications for State Street today.
State Street is one of Canoe’s clients which is how I was introduced to Canoe. I learned and experienced how transformative Canoe can be for a multitude of use cases within private markets which is really exciting!
What are the responsibilities of your role? What do you enjoy most about it?
I’m a member of the product team with a focus on enterprise client deliverables. I’m responsible for understanding the technology requirements of Canoe’s enterprise clients and determining how Canoe can be optimally utilized for their needs. I enjoy collaborating (internally and externally) to assist in solving pain points our clients might be struggling with.
After a few months, what are your initial observations of Canoe?
Canoe is a dynamic forward thinking organization with many hardworking, intelligent people highly focused on helping clients achieve their goals. I am fortunate to have the opportunity to work with such talented individuals and look forward to contributing to the future success of Canoe!
What excites you most about Canoe’s technology?
The most exciting part of Canoe’s technology is the dedication of the people behind it. There is a laser-like focus on keeping the platform best-of-breed with a continued commitment to invest in product enhancements. There are a number of items in the product roadmap that truly excite me and should be transformative for our clients as well!
What’s some of the most important advice you’ve learned throughout your career?
I’ve learned that a person’s honesty, integrity, character and effort all contribute to client satisfaction. We might not be able to deliver everything a client wants immediately, but collaborating openly with clients and providing solutions at each step of the way will result in positive outcomes.