Towers Watson has called for a reduction in active asset management, but it has been promoting its own active management services for more than a decade and, as a result, has attracted criticism from mainstream asset managers.

The managers complain of a conflict of interest, since Towers Watson, like other consultants, advises its clients on which managers to employ. The consultants answer this by saying they are transparent about their operations, and they often claim the push for the service comes from the client, not the consultant.