Key Takeaways
- • Opus Fund Services released a podcast episode featuring Stephanie Sirois, Co-Founder and Managing Principal of Channel Diligence, exploring how operational due diligence (ODD) has evolved from a compliance checkbox into a critical capital allocation determinant for fund managers.
- • Sirois brings over 20 years of industry experience across hedge funds, private credit, and co-investments, leveraging her background as former Global Co-Head of Operational Due Diligence at UBS to deliver institutional-quality ODD advisory services.
- • The episode, titled "Beyond Performance - Elevating Operational Due Diligence," addresses key industry trends including how fund managers can differentiate themselves through operational excellence, the role of AI in fund operations, and common red flags investors evaluate during due diligence.
- • Operational excellence is positioned as essential "table stakes" for fund managers competing in a challenging capital raising environment, with institutionalization serving as a competitive differentiator for both emerging and established managers.
- • The podcast discussion underscores the growing importance of service provider selection and demonstrates how operational infrastructure—distinct from investment performance—increasingly influences allocator capital deployment decisions.
Summary
Opus Fund Services announced a new episode of its "Opus Open Kitchen" podcast series featuring Stephanie Sirois, Co-Founder and Managing Principal of Channel Diligence, a global operational due diligence advisory firm. Hosted by Leo LaForce, the episode titled "Beyond Performance - Elevating Operational Due Diligence" explores how ODD has transitioned from a perceived compliance exercise to a material factor in capital allocation decisions for alternative investment managers.
Sirois brings substantial institutional credibility to the discussion, having spent over 20 years across hedge funds, private credit, and co-investment platforms. Her career trajectory from Global Co-Head of Operational Due Diligence at UBS to leading Channel Diligence's US operations provides dual perspective—both allocator and service provider viewpoints—on how operational infrastructure influences fund manager success. Channel Diligence operates across every stage of the investment lifecycle, serving both allocators and fund managers with institutional-quality ODD analysis.
The episode addresses several core themes relevant to institutional investors and fund managers. Discussions cover the distinction between operational due diligence and investment due diligence, emerging ODD trends and how managers can capitalize on them, and best practices for demonstrating operational excellence. Additional topics include the application of artificial intelligence in fund operations and how allocators evaluate AI implementation, alongside identification of common operational red flags that impact capital raising outcomes.
According to Opus leadership, the conversation "highlighted why Operational Excellence is no longer just a buzzword, but table stakes for fund managers looking to differentiate themselves in a challenging capital raising environment." This framing reflects a broader market shift in which allocators increasingly view operational risk management and infrastructure quality as determinative factors in manager selection, particularly as capital markets competition intensifies.
The "Opus Open Kitchen" podcast series functions as a platform for perspectives from leading allocators, consultants, and service providers on emerging best practices in alternative investment operations. The episode was released in April 2026 across Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube, positioning operational excellence and institutional-quality service provider relationships as strategic imperatives for fund managers seeking to secure institutional capital.
Sirois brings substantial institutional credibility to the discussion, having spent over 20 years across hedge funds, private credit, and co-investment platforms. Her career trajectory from Global Co-Head of Operational Due Diligence at UBS to leading Channel Diligence's US operations provides dual perspective—both allocator and service provider viewpoints—on how operational infrastructure influences fund manager success. Channel Diligence operates across every stage of the investment lifecycle, serving both allocators and fund managers with institutional-quality ODD analysis.
The episode addresses several core themes relevant to institutional investors and fund managers. Discussions cover the distinction between operational due diligence and investment due diligence, emerging ODD trends and how managers can capitalize on them, and best practices for demonstrating operational excellence. Additional topics include the application of artificial intelligence in fund operations and how allocators evaluate AI implementation, alongside identification of common operational red flags that impact capital raising outcomes.
According to Opus leadership, the conversation "highlighted why Operational Excellence is no longer just a buzzword, but table stakes for fund managers looking to differentiate themselves in a challenging capital raising environment." This framing reflects a broader market shift in which allocators increasingly view operational risk management and infrastructure quality as determinative factors in manager selection, particularly as capital markets competition intensifies.
The "Opus Open Kitchen" podcast series functions as a platform for perspectives from leading allocators, consultants, and service providers on emerging best practices in alternative investment operations. The episode was released in April 2026 across Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube, positioning operational excellence and institutional-quality service provider relationships as strategic imperatives for fund managers seeking to secure institutional capital.
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