From the perspective of the business (which should always be the driving force behind any technological development), DevOps sounds like a dream come true for asset managers. Rather than jockeying for position (and IT budget) along with all the other parts of the business in the development of a single IT infrastructure that may take years to complete, distinct parts of the business (e.g. OTC clearing) can lobby for rapidly developed niche software as part of the business as usual (BAU) budget. DevOps staff can therefore rapidly turn an opportunity for competitive advantage into a reality.
Of course, the question of whom the DevOps staff report to arises. Is it the CTO? The COO? The IT Director? Fiefdoms still prevail within asset management firms, often to the detriment of the business. The rise of the CDO role (Chief Data Officer) has been hampered by the same political chicanery.
Agile approaches such as DevOps should be the goal of all asset management firms. The jury is still out on whether asset managers will embrace this change when it demands a cultural shift within the firm.