Topic: Fund Services, Global Marketing & Krakow Systems
Tech Expert: Damian Grela

“BBH is an open culture built on strong relationships and a desire to help one another. Access to different experts and a variety of perspectives helps us better understand client needs and come up with new ideas that deliver enduring value. Our partnership approach is a big contributor to our success.” – Damian Grela, Managing Director, Systems

Our BBH Systems team is comprised of technical experts who leverage emerging technology to transform how we deliver sustained solutions and create new business opportunities. Recently, we sat down with Damian Grela, Head of Fund Services and Global Marketing Technology, to talk about his role, skillset, and the growth of the Systems team in Krakow.

How did you become Head of Services and Global Marketing for Systems?

I joined BBH in 2015, and started building the development team who created, designed, and developed our Infuse portal, which introduced the user interface common components BBH now uses in most our web applications. Over those five years, I built experience that led me to become the Head of Transfer Agency (TA) Systems. During the next two and a half years, the TA team launched new Digital Solutions, such as Infuse TA, IDU (Investor Document Uploader) and Online Dealing, which enhanced the experience of our clients and investors. At the end of 2023, I moved into my current role, Head of Fund Services and Global Marketing within the technology organization, where I continue supporting several business products—making sure that we are delivering the best digital solutions for our clients.

How has Systems in Krakow transformed over time?

Initially, we focused on expanding our team and getting the BBH technology brand out into the Krakow market.  Our goal was create a reputation for being innovative in the delivery of tech solutions, as we built and mastered our processes, infrastructure, and business knowledge. Thanks to our desire to continuously improve and innovate, we’re now at a place where our clients and colleagues clearly see our impact and influence. Business teams and technologists sit side-by-side, which gives us a clear advantage.  Co-location helps us to understand client challenges firsthand, and then implement small, incremental changes to address issues quickly, while gaining fast feedback that enables us to continually innovate. This is a win-win for our integrated team and our clients. Client relationship team members are offering new and differentiated solutions to clients, and colleagues in the delivery process are regularly collecting feedback from users and funneling it back quickly to the Systems team for additional improvements.  

What does a successful day look like and what skills do you use the most?

Typically, my day starts with a review of what happened the day before, validating any issues we may have had, determining their business impact, and then working to quickly resolve them. Mornings are my time for creative work, meeting preparation and connecting with my local team members, who are located between Krakow and Luxemburg. My afternoons are busier with product oversight or wider global Systems team meetings, as well as connecting with colleagues located in Boston and New Jersey. I’m also a member of the Krakow Executive Committee and the Krakow Innovation Council, as well as the senior sponsor of the Krakow Agile Community—which provides numerous opportunities to partner with team members across the Firm, share knowledge and nurture innovative ideas.

In terms of skills, I’d say my developer knowledge is crucial, as are my soft skills that help me successfully partner with people to get results. That’s important because I often act as a communication bridge between developers and business colleagues, to help deliver outcomes that work for clients. Being able to understand the language that both these groups use is critical to delivering solutions for some of our clients’ hardest challenges.

What has kept you at BBH?

Without a doubt it’s the people I get to work with every day. BBHers are inclusive and energized by delivering for our clients and each other. Our passion to help creates many opportunities to learn and grow. The global nature of our business means we get to work with people from different countries, which is interesting to me as I love to learn about new places and cultures. On the tech side, I enjoy seeing how the business uses the applications and functionality we build, and how it helps meet our BBH business objectives while supporting our clients’ long-term growth.

We know our success begins with yours! If you’re interested in being part of the Systems team at BBH, visit Search & Apply in the Technology Professionals section for our careers page.