Following TSAM Boston, read our latest blog which explores the buy versus build dilemma. We provide tips for COOs to transform operational capabilities, drive process efficiencies and generate business value.

In the first of a two-part blog series, we delve into the history and future of Enterprise Data Management (EDM) in investment management, and how it has been fundamental to the growth of the industry.

At the recent InvestOps USA event in Orlando, FINBOURNE’s Christopher Farrell and a series of data experts explored the characteristics of a ‘data-first’ mindset, and a culture where data is not just an afterthought but a strategic asset driving decision-making at every level. 

For investment firms, the adoption of cloud technology is a vital component to achieving digital transformation goals, offering unparalleled opportunities for cost efficiency, scalability, and innovation.

Managing data efficiently is essential for financial services firms. However, many are still dependant on legacy systems which limit the effectiveness of their Portfolio Management capabilities.

In our latest blog, we uncover how organisations now have the opportunity to achieve their potential with SaaS technology. By unlocking the value of data, firms are increasingly realising the benefits as a force behind AUM growth and alpha generation.

It’s become clear in recent years that the ability to maximise the potential of data when managing portfolios is one of the key factors that separates successful asset managers from those that fall by the wayside. In this piece, we uncover the benefits of SaaS technology and how to access the information needed for effective, data-driven decision making.

Christopher Farrell, Head of US and Global Head of Strategy at FINBOURNE Technology, explores how firms can prepare for T+1 to gain a competitive advantage: increasing automation and solving the inherent data management and processing challenges that firms face today.

At the recent AWS Capital Markets Financial Data Forum, Yugo Ashida, Head of ISS Enterprise Architecture, Fidelity International and Stephen Collie, Co-Founder, FINBOURNE Technology delved into some of the data challenges caused by traditional asset management practices and uncover how FINBOURNE’s Modern Financial Data Stack is enhancing interoperability and driving sustainable growth.

In a recent Q&A with Markets Media, Alexander Monte, Director, Asset & Wealth Management Consulting – North America at Alpha FMC, and Christopher Farrell, Head of US and Global Strategy at FINBOURNE Technology explore the benefits of a modern data pipeline, to adapt and innovate in a dynamic and competitive market.

Machine Learning (ML) dominates the narrative in financial services, just as in practically every other industry. In this piece we examine its current use cases and why the take up in Investment Management hasn’t been more widespread. We’ll then look at practical and achievable steps to harness relevant aspects of the innovation. 

Given the increasing complexity and volume of datasets that buy-side managers are now confronted with, the requirement for shrewd data management is now crucial. FINBOURNE’s Nicholas Wood explores the common data management buzzwords buy-side managers come across and how to apply the right technology to enhance your data strategy.

In this blog, we explore the common barriers to operational change and how firms can de-risk the process of innovation to become future-ready, with a SaaS-native Modern Financial Data Stack.

Welcome back to FINBOURNE Five, a series succinctly covering core data management approaches and concepts in five minutes or less. In this latest piece, we explore the makeup of FINBOURNE’s Modern Financial Data Stack (MFDS), its ability to de-risk operational change and importantly, how it can future-proof investment operations, to fuel growth.

In this Q&A, Michael Cummins, portfolio management lead at FINBOURNE Technology, deconstructs some of the key findings from the recent AIMA Emerging Stronger industry report. The Q&A uncovers the vast opportunity that rising allocator interest brings, and the operational challenges that emerging hedge funds can tackle with SaaS technology to achieve scale and success.

In part two of this commentary, and following our recent attendance at TSAM London, Stephen Collie, Head of Sales Engineering, FINBOURNE Technology explores the makeup of the modern data stack and how incremental innovation is critical in the transition to an interoperable future.

In part one of this commentary, Stephen Collie, Head of Sales Engineering, FINBOURNE Technology, summarises the main challenges raised in the keynotes and panels at The Summit for Asset Management (TSAM) in London, and why speaking the same language is vital to creating operational resilience.

Private markets funds are leading the way in sustainability but with new regulatory measures, a changing investor profile and increasing due diligence, Matthew Luff explores how an interoperable approach to ESG data management can make all the difference, and form a vital tool in the private fund managers’ toolkit.

Addressing ESG data at the root of investment management operations will be critical in the coming years. So, how do asset managers monitor and respond to climate change and biodiversity risks, and importantly show progress not only against targets, but in generating real change?

At nearly USD 3 trillion, digital assets such as cryptocurrencies are enjoying their hey-day as the new ‘digital gold’ and the hedge fund industry is no stranger to the asset class. FINBOURNE’s Michael Cummins and Tim Wong explore the allure of cryptocurrencies for systematic hedge funds and why achieving scale and diversification, through the use of SaaS technology is essential to striking gold.

While hedge funds are currently enjoying a renaissance, the scale of global assets under management has not gone unnoticed and regulation is set to play a major role in the industry in 2022. The question is, how will this impact hedge funds across the globe and how will fund managers continue to secure capital allocations and respond to market opportunities, while sailing in unchartered waters?

In part two of Asset Management 2022 vs 2035: from surviving to thriving, we fast forward to 2035 and look at how SaaS technology, fintech innovation, and a new on-demand era has changed the way asset managers operate in the future.

Read part one of our blog to understand how interoperability can build a bridge from the systems of the past, to an ecosystem of future innovation…

As FINBOURNE turns 5, CEO and Co-Founder Thomas McHugh pens his thoughts on being a mission-driven company, as we move from start-up to scale-up. And why challenging the status quo, to solve diminished trust, transparency and timeliness of data, has a clear social impact across the investment ecosystem.

Amid the ‘Great Resignation’, many firms are increasingly under pressure to retain and attract talent, and future-proof operations. None more so than the hedge fund industry, where vast volumes of investment, market and reference data is submerging people and processes today. Thomas McHugh explores the impact of legacy software on hedge funds and why investing in the right technology will attract a more motivated workforce, boost productivity and protect business continuity.

Christopher Farrell, COO of FINBOURNE Technology, explores the current challenges buy-side firms face with ESG data, highlighting the need to establish a new standard for ESG data management to make sustainable finance a success.

As COP26 draws to a close, it is clear that the urgency for change, together with investor demand for greater transparency and new reporting requirements will significantly shape the future of Sustainable Finance. But to create meaningful change, the industry must first overcome the ESG data challenges it faces today. FINBOURNE speaks to Sue McLean and Caitlin McErlane at Baker McKenzie, a leading global advisory and legal firm, to learn their perspectives around the critical roles of technology, data, and regulation. 

Thomas McHugh uncovers the human cost of inaction when it comes to data overload in the buyside. And why more than anything, firms need to move away from burnout and towards data empowerment. De-risking operational change and solving the limitations of legacy tech, is critical to breaking the status quo of inertia. The question is: can you really afford to live with the data overload, any longer?

In this latest article, Thomas McHugh explores the perfect storm that asset managers are heading into, as we move towards more heavily regulated markets and grapple with a failing investment process. And at the centre of it, is the inability to access, understand and control data.

While asset managers are not in the business of data management, there is no denying that data is central to investment management. Accessing and understanding data in the investment chain is crucial.

The incoming Chief Data Officer (CDO) is transitioning into the organisation. His predecessor is “seeking exciting new opportunities outside the organisation”. On his way out after the handover week the outgoing CDO hands his replacement three numbered envelopes…

FINBOURNE Technology, in collaboration with the Financial Times, also hosted a panel on capitalising on the power of data in asset management. Thomas McHugh, FINBOURNE Technology’s co-founder and CEO participated in the session alongside the Chief Data Officers of OFI Asset Management and UBS Asset Management. Watch the full session here. On investment data management… Continue reading Capitalising on the power of data in asset management

Thomas McHugh, FINBOURNE Technology co-founder and CEO participated in a session on Understanding the resilience of ESG and impact investing in the face of COVID. He was joined by the CEO of HSBC Asset Management, the Global Head of sustainability at BNP Paribas, and the CEO of International Federated Hermes in a quality discussion. Watch… Continue reading Understanding the resilience of ESG and impact investing in the face of COVID

HFM hosted another great EU Tech Summit this Monday, 22nd of February covering popular and pressing topics with industry experts. FINBOURNE was excited to participate in the panel on Alternative Data for Traditional Managers.

Earlier this week we held a webinar discussing illiquid markets. This blog highlights some of the themes that arose: the origins and nature of the liquidity challenges, the data solution to those challenges and how the right toolset will empower gathering, consolidating and incorporating the data solution not only to inform allocation strategies, but also… Continue reading Operating in illiquid markets: Consolidating disparate data sets to develop your investment insight

In our last API blog post, we looked at how an API-first strategy reduces operational costs and enhances access to data. In this piece, we set out what a good quality API looks like and examine some of the ways in which the right API-first platform can transform how you access and manage your investment… Continue reading APIs for the investment industry: What does good look like?

The rapid growth of sustainable and impact investing is accelerating and the buy-side is making a concerted effort to respond to the needs of their clients. Early in 2020 Deloitte asserted “ESG-mandated assets in the United States could grow almost three times as fast as non-ESG-mandated assets to comprise half of all professionally managed investments… Continue reading Five tips for automating ESG in the investment process

Last week, we participated in a webinar at HFM’s European Technology Forum. I spoke on a panel with Michael Fastert, COO and CLO at TIG Advisors, and Doron Gutstadt, CTO of Taconic Capital. Read on to get a snapshot on: Hedge funds: Taking a collaborative approach to driving technology decisions In our webinar poll of… Continue reading How technology can give you the edge as you grow your fund

This week, we sit down with Chris Dearie, Deputy CEO, and Roland Anderson, CTO of TP ICAP’s Data & Analytics business. In a wide-ranging chat, we discuss how TP ICAP is providing insights as well as data to buyside clients and the potential game-changing impact Google Cloud could have on the buyside.

In this piece we take a look at the challenges the transition could present to the buy-side, regulatory considerations and how flexible architecture could present a solution to mitigating some of these challenges.

In this interview, Gus Sekhon, our head of product, sits down with Aviva Investors’ Michelle Calcutt and Andrew Morrison to talk all things customer experience related.

Investment fund infrastructure has not typically been optimised for the rapid exchange of information, but rather for functionality around a narrow set of instruments, vendor services and third-party administrators.

In today’s interview, Dermot Shortt, FINBOURNE Chairman sits down with Olivia Vinden, Alpha FMC’s Head of Fintech and Innovation. We discuss automation, how buyside firms are using data analytics in distribution as well as their investment processes and why ecosystems are so important today.

In the first of our FINBOURNE interviews series, Dermot Shortt, FINBOURNE Chairman sits down with David Pierson, Director, OMBA Advisory & Investments.

Last week we held a webcast with The Trade where we did something we think is unusual: we defined an Investment Book of Record (IBOR). Not by what it is – that’s a fairly commonplace categorisation – but by what it does.

This blog looks at the solution we implemented to fix an issue with the Python SDK which was very difficult to pinpoint.

In this piece we look at how the concept of the OMS became popular, what problems it sought to address, how today’s complex investment environment is testing the capabilities of the OMS and the alternative solutions available.

This week, I spoke on a panel at the HFM European Technology Summit about the future of hedge fund technology. Here are my thoughts following the panel.

Legacy systems and data limitations are major barriers to implementing an effective machine learning strategy. In this blog post, we explore how the right technology can help investment managers overcome these barriers.

Increasingly diversified investment strategies, closure of mutual funds, the rise of passively managed funds and companies racing to consolidate. It’s easy to say the asset management industry is slow to change but when you look at it from the outside, it’s being pummelled by change in all directions. How do you adapt to external change… Continue reading Change is inevitable. Growth is optional

This post is the second in a series looking at investment data management topics that come up regularly in our work with fund managers. We’ve spoken with around 100 small hedge funds and asset managers specifically to learn about their experiences setting up platforms and operations, and growing the business. This post concerns the fund… Continue reading Fund start-up pain and making mistakes for the long term

The problems that an IBOR is trying to solve are well understood, but there are many shortcomings with the approach. The best analogy that we’ve come across came from a recent conversation with the CDO at a global investment firm. He compared implementing an IBOR with building a self-driving car. For a vehicle to be… Continue reading Do you even need an Investment Book of Record (IBOR)?

While retail banks have mostly been dragged kicking and screaming into the UK government-backed Open Banking initiative, the fund investment industry should treat it as an opportunity to remove unnecessary cost, connect more closely with their customers and build better services.

This is the first in a series of posts looking at some of the questions we’re regularly asked about improving the investment data management process. Today we’re looking at reconciliations.

On a recent cycle ride, a fellow cyclist asked me what FINBOURNE does. Before I could reply a friend interjected with “FINBOURNE is building a ‘Strava’ for investment data”.

We read with interest a recent survey released by Alpha FMC revealing that asset managers see digital transformation as a top priority but two-thirds are slowed down by legacy systems and culture clashes.

Huge amounts of money are being spent on bolt-on regulatory technology. Why don’t we embrace the capabilities of our digital infrastructure and allow the data required by regulation to be gathered as part of the core business process. I worry that a lot of the RegTech industry is just barking up the wrong tree.

In our last piece, we said we would talk more about “transactions” being the meta-solution to a swathe of investment industry challenges

A big part of our story at Finbourne is maintaining an open communications channel with our customers, our partners and the community in general.

During the first quarter of 2017, European asset managers enjoyed inflows of EUR210bn – the highest in 5 years. This is great news and points to a wider theme that governments around the world are shifting responsibility for savings and retirement to the private sector – all good for investment managers.