MODERNIZE AN INVESTMENT FIRM'S WEBSITE TO ENHANCE DIGITAL IMPACT
This project was part of my work at Sora Union. (2025)
Overview
Frontier Capital Management is a boutique investment management firm founded in 1980. Dedicated to asset management, they deliver exceptional results to global institution investors.
The main problem was that Frontier faced difficulties in differentiating from competitors, who have more robustly embraced digital transformation. The firm also lacked emotional connection and compelling brand narrative that effectively engages current clients and attracts new prospectors.
The challenge
Ongoing client feedback made us constantly reshape our approach. Unexpected requirements made us rethink our design direction, keeping in mind their budget limitations.
The team and role I played
Our team consisted of a brand designer, an art director, and the design operations manager. I took on the role of lead designer for the website, delivering a modern but atemporal experience of the site.
Walk through the process
I began by reviewing the Brand Audit and Market Research conducted by our team, which included a SWOT analysis where it became clear that Frontier’s image felt outdated and lacked a clear value proposition.
Our north star
Strengthen Frontier’s competitiveness by modernizing its digital presence and brand identity to engage clients, differentiate from competitors, and amplify its reputation by connecting better with their audience.
Defining the design direction
While looking at the previous website, I noticed that it reflected a traditional and conservative design, which was align with the firm's personality. However, it lacked clear visual hierarchy to guide users' navigation. The static layout with no use of color didn't support emotional connection with the brand. Based on that, our design direction focused on:
Reorganize content
By creating a logical structure on Figma. This process involved analyzing the existing layout to enhance clarity and usability.
Work on different concept ideas
To reflected not only the brand's personality but also our recommendations towards a more engaging experience.
From initial concepts to final version
I generated three initial concepts using AI tools to explore layout, images, and other visual elements; and ChatGPT for content exploration. Even though the new versions moved away from a rigid and static feel, the Design Director felt they looked too contemporary and bold, which didn't resonate with the conservative idea we had initially envisioned.
Concept number 01
Why it didn’t work: Too bold, dramatic, and experimental; design overshadowed content, felt risky for a conservative audience.
Concept number 02
Why it didn’t work: Still too playful and tech-oriented, not traditional enough.
Concept number 03
Why it didn’t work: Traditional brands preferred straight lines and minimal decoration; needed balance between simplicity and brand-inspired shapes.
Final version
Using AI to speed up the process of brainstorming, we proposed ideas based on the strengths and weaknesses of the previous options. Our vision started broadly and evolved into something more aligned with the brand's personality:
Conservative
Reliable
Trustworthy
First round of client feedback
I realized that most of their decisions had been made collaboratively, this meant that the feedback reflected many different perspectives.
My challenge → synthesize and prioritize different visions, while aligning it with our research goals.
To tackle this, I used ChatGPT to identified:
What worked well: the client valued the design approach, especially the simplicity and creative ideas used to present the content in a way that felt modern and timeless.
What needed change: they wanted a more concise homepage closer to their previous website, with fewer blocks and a clear caption that communicated the firm's expertise.
Questions: we wondered about the importance of content structure and call to actions to navigate users towards internal sections. Especially since the client wanted to remove the CTA from the hero section and the different sections we proposed right below it.
Suggested new ideas: after brainstoming, we delivered a simple homepage that reflected their vision while staying true to our research insights. We decided to focus instead on three key internal pages to showcase the company’s history, team, and investment strategies.
We delivered a website that balanced client vision with research insights. We focused communicating not only the firm’s history but also its investment philosophy, process, and strategy. Crucial information for both current and potential clients.
Project takeaways
Insights gathered after re-launching
(Comparison between May and August, 2025. Based on Google Data)
May, 2025
41.74%
Engagement rate
May, 2025
96
Engaged sessions
May, 2025
172
Number of users
August, 2025
42.62%
Engagement rate
August, 2025
156
Engaged sessions
August, 2025
313
Number of users
My learnings along the project
This project strengthened my ability to find strategic solutions when managing client expectations. I found myself in situations where I needed to find a balance that helped us deliver a design based on research insights while honoring the client's vision. In addition, it's important to mention that constant changes contributed to my personal growth, because I needed to handle ambiguity constantly and adapt to new requirements that pushed me out of my comfort zone.
Looking back, I think many of these lessons helped me make contributions to the company in a non-technical way. Sadly, they're often harder to quantify, but we can not deny that these skills have a massive impact on long-term success for any company.
Endless thanks to the team behind this
Good results come to life through collective effort. We moved toward a shared goal with dedication in every step, turning challenges into opportunities and ideas into reality.