In this special Q&A, Evan Witkowski at Wespath Institutional Investments focuses on how A.I. can uncover patterns faster, run stress‑test scenarios, and bolster reporting clarity.
(Systems based on artificial intelligence (A.I.) and advanced analytics are becoming part of how firms interpret performance, flows, and attribution, says Evan Witkowski, CIPM, director, institutional relationships at Wespath Institutional Investments. Teams at the firm are using A.I. to uncover patterns faster, run stress‑test scenarios, and bolster reporting clarity, Witkowski says. Yet A.I. is not replacing investment and relationship judgment, or relationship building, he adds. Witkowski is participating in the “Building Client Portal Success: Strategy, Self-Service & Engagement, and “Crisis Management: When Performance, Reporting, and Client Relations Collide?” sessions at PMCR 2026.)
Professional Background/Expertise
Q: Can you tell us a bit about your role and what your day-to-day looks like at Wespath Institutional Investments?
A: I work with about 50-plus clients with about $2 billion in assets and handle business development for our outsourced chief investment officer (OCIO) market. It’s a cliché, but no two days are the same. I can be talking about markets one day or problem-solving an operational challenge with our clients the next moment.
Q: What’s a recent project or initiative your team has worked on that has made the biggest impact for your organization?
A: There have been a few projects over the past year to improve client retention metrics and internal reporting accuracy.
Q: What is your dream project?
A: It’s biting off more than I can chew now, but I would love to automate the mundane of my own work life and that of my colleagues.
Session Insights
Q: What inspired you to participate in PMCR 2026 and speak on "Building Client Portal Success: Strategy, Self-Service & Engagement," and "Crisis Management: When Performance, Reporting, and Client Relations Collide?”
A: Two reasons:
#1: As I get more into the client servicing and business development world, I feel like I get pulled away from a past that I loved which is investment performance. Performance taught me so much about the industry and allows me to simplify my investment related messaging when talking to all types of audiences.
#2: We’re a growing organization facing the friction of growth and changing existing processes. Some days, performance, reporting, and client relations do collide in my life.
Industry Challenges & Trends
Q: What’s one of the biggest challenges your team or clients are facing right now? Can you fill us in on how you are approaching it?
A: Time is a challenge! There are so many projects I would love to be in the center of but cannot due to competing demands. To help fulfill our evolving clients’ demands, we have added support staff and we’re rethinking our technology needs. In essence, training and a focus on automation are important right now. The organization is rethinking how they support our team in a good way and formed a working group across the organization to address some of the strategic priorities.
Q: How do you foresee technology (A.I., blockchains, digital assets, automation, data analytics, etc.) reshaping your area of expertise over the next year or two? Are there any major shifts you are preparing for?
A: A.I. and advanced analytics are already becoming embedded in how we interpret performance, flows, and attribution. Internally, we’re seeing more emphasis on using A.I. to surface patterns faster, stress‑test scenarios, and improve reporting clarity, rather than replacing investment or relationship judgment. We’ve been able to use A.I. for many internal processes as far as automation.
Clients are increasingly asking about digital assets, not necessarily because they want immediate allocation, but because they want to understand:
Q: Which technology has impressed you?
A: It’s hard to have a conversation without talking about A.I. So impactful on the day-to-day but it will never supplant relationship building. I think A.I.’s ability to write code in VBA or Python is phenomenal. It can take hours compared to something that used to take weeks or months.
The PMCR Experience
Q: What are you most excited about learning at PMCR?
A: I’m excited to learn from others and hope to solve same of my challenges that others may face.
Q: What do you hope attendees walk away with after hearing your session?
A: Great question! I don’t know other than to be more informed about what we’re working on at Wespath and to find me after to share some of their struggles.
Getting to Know You
Q:What’s one thing people might be surprised to learn about you?
A: That an introvert who at one time loved analyzing portfolios and dealing with data would love working in sales.
Q: What’s the best piece of career advice you’ve ever received (or would share)?
A: To find a mentor and stay in touch with your mentor. Also, kindness costs nothing.