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T+1: Why 'Fix Your Data First' Might Be Wrong
Jun 23, 2026
Unknown duration
AI Isn’t the Risk… Missing the Boat Is
Feb 10, 2026
47m 30s
The Client Reporting Toolbox: What to Add, What to Fix
Jan 20, 2026
Unknown duration
AI for Performance Teams: Where Firms Are Winning (and Getting Stuck)
Dec 11, 2025
Unknown duration
From Sticky Notes to Success Stories: What It Really Means to Mentor the Next Generation of Capital Markets Professionals
Jul 2, 2025
Unknown duration
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| Date | Episode | Topics | Guests | Brands | Places | Keywords | Sponsor | Length | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6/23/26 | ![]() T+1: Why 'Fix Your Data First' Might Be Wrong | Most financial firms have been told the same thing: clean up your data before you layer AI on top, or automation will only magnify the mess. But Steve Shillingford, CEO and founder of DeepSee, doesn't quite agree. With settlement cycles getting shorter and operational pressure mounting, he makes a case that runs against much of what the industry has been saying, and it's the kind of thing that makes you stop and go "wait, what?" In this episode, Steve joins David Kirby of Broadridge Consulting to discuss their recent partnership, why orchestration matters more than simply deploying another AI agent, and where the real settlement pain points are hiding — from overflowing shared inboxes to SSI errors that go undetected until it’s too late. With T+1 already live in the US and Europe's transition deadline approaching in October 2027, the pressure to solve these challenges isn't going away anytime soon. Topics covered: Why "clean your data first" may be the slower, costlier path to AI Orchestration vs. deploying a single AI agent Email inboxes and reconciliation as hidden settlement risk SSI errors and where they do real damage T+1 in the US and what's coming for Europe and the UK What AI means for jobs in capital markets Guests: Steve Shillingford (CEO, DeepSee.ai) and David Kirby (Broadridge Consulting) Host: Maureen Lowe, FTF | — | ||||||
| 2/10/26 | ![]() AI Isn’t the Risk… Missing the Boat Is✨ | AI adoptionrisk management+3 | Toby Glacier | Finbourne TechnologyNorthern Trust | — | AIrisk+3 | — | 47m 30s | |
| 1/20/26 | ![]() The Client Reporting Toolbox: What to Add, What to Fix | Most firms can generate strong performance data internally. Fewer can deliver it to clients efficiently, at scale, and without adding more manual work. In Part 2 of our podcast series with FactSet, Maureen Lowe is joined by McKay Marschalk and David Mellars to open up the modern “reporting toolbox” and break down what actually belongs inside. We talk about automation gaps, building a reliable data pipeline, and using AI-generated commentary with human oversight. We also dig into managed services versus outsourcing, the move beyond emailing PDFs, how firms define golden data sources, and how reporting teams measure ROI through lower costs, faster cycles, and fewer manual steps. Clean data is just the start. This episode explains how the right tools, working together, are changing how firms deliver results to clients. NOTES FROM THIS EPISODE: New eBook: A Buy-Side Playbook for Reporting Success Download the latest eBook from the FTF Research Institute and FactSet, featuring insights from 325+ reporting leaders. Access the Flipbook PMCR 2026 Registration — February 24–26, NYC Join us live in New York City for the industry’s premier event on performance measurement and client reporting. Register Here Use code: FactSetAI for 15% off Explore the Full Agenda Plan your sessions and see what’s in store for 2026. View Agenda Follow FTF on LinkedIn to stay connected! | — | ||||||
| 12/11/25 | ![]() AI for Performance Teams: Where Firms Are Winning (and Getting Stuck) | Most firms know they should be using AI for performance measurement. Fewer know how to actually do it without breaking something—or losing their team's trust in the process. In this episode, Sean Murray and David Mellars from FactSet get into the real implementation challenges. We talk about what it takes to build trust in AI-generated narratives, how to create a "golden source" of data, and navigating the shift into private markets and alternative assets. Plus, the question everyone's thinking about—what AI means for performance teams and the people on them. Some firms are already seeing wins. Others can't get out of the pilot phase. This episode breaks down why. NOTES FROM THIS EPISODE New eBook: A Buy-Side Playbook for Reporting Success Download the latest eBook from the FTF Research Institute and FactSet, featuring insights from 325+ reporting leaders. Access the Flipbook - https://www.ftfnews.com/FTF-Research-Institute/at-the-end-of-it-a-buy-side-playbook-for-reporting-success/ PMCR 2026 Registration — February 24–26, NYC Join us live in New York City for the industry’s premier event on performance measurement and client reporting. Register Here - https://pages.ftfnews.com/event-registration-2026 Use code: FactSetAI for 15% off Explore the Full Agenda Plan your sessions and see what’s in store for 2026. View Agenda - https://pages.ftfnews.com/performance-measurement-and-client-reporting-agenda | — | ||||||
| 7/2/25 | ![]() From Sticky Notes to Success Stories: What It Really Means to Mentor the Next Generation of Capital Markets Professionals | From Sticky Notes to Success Stories: What It Really Means to Mentor the Next Generation of Capital Markets Professionals by FTF News | — | ||||||
| 5/7/25 | ![]() When Robots Help Write Your Client Reports: AI at Alliance Bernstein | In this episode, FTF’s Maureen Lowe explores how artificial intelligence is transforming asset management. She’s joined by Madhu Rojukhirdu, Head of Fixed Income Performance Attribution and Global Benchmark Data at AllianceBernstein, and Che Guan, Principal Data Scientist, who leads the implementation of AI models that are redefining how AllianceBernstein delivers insights to clients. Together, they discuss how AI is reshaping investment strategies, improving operational efficiency, and tackling data management challenges. In this enlightening (and occasionally jargon-filled) conversation about AI, Madhu and Che demystify how machines are now drafting client commentaries without causing compliance panic attacks. You'll learn why "garbage in, garbage out" also applies to fancy AI, discover the strange world of "robots training robots," and hear why your job is probably safe—though your tedious tasks may not be. Wondering if AI will be your new assistant or even your new boss, then this episode's for you (spoiler: it's the former...for now). | — | ||||||
| 3/13/25 | ![]() Between the Spreadsheets: Why Asset Managers Are Rethinking Reconciliation | In this episode of the FTF Exchange Podcast, host Maureen Lowe sits down with Dawn Pischetola, Director of Investment Operations at Olmstead Associates, for her perspectives on why reconciliation processes—often overlooked but crucial to operational success—are now at a turning point in asset management. With transaction volumes surging and legacy systems struggling to keep pace, what does the future hold for firms still clinging to spreadsheets and manual processes? Dawn brings 25 years of front-to-back office expertise to address the pressing question: How can asset managers transform their reconciliation operations without disrupting their business? What you'll discover: • Why there a staggering number of asset managers still rely on Excel-based reconciliation processes—and the hidden risks (and costs) this creates • Insights on why firms might hesitate to modernize their legacy systems despite growing operational pressures • How AI is emerging as an "operations companion" rather than a replacement for skilled professionals • The unexpected challenges that arise when untangling years of customization during system implementations • Practical insights on building a successful business case for reconciliation transformation • Critical advice for firms facing the "reconciliation reset" as they navigate increasing data complexity and regulatory demands Whether you're considering a reconciliation system upgrade, curious about AI's potential impact on your reconciliations processes, or simply interested in how back-office transformation is evolving, this conversation offers valuable perspectives from someone who has guided numerous firms through these transitions. Show Notes: Download the survey referenced in this episode, The Tipping Point for Asset Management Operations: https://www.ftfnews.com/FTF-Research-Institute/the-tipping-point-for-asset-management-operations-the-rising-costs-of-operational-complacency/ Register for the webinar Dawn is moderating, Reconciliation Reset: The Shift from Liability to Operational Excellence: https://event.on24.com/wcc/r/4882217/F1A1671736DF17D411B4D33B678F252A?partnerref=Dawn_Podcast | — | ||||||
| 2/24/25 | ![]() Bridging Performance, Reporting & Risk: Insights from PMCR Chair Todd Juillerat | In this podcast episode, Todd Juillerat, chair of the upcoming PMCR conference in New York City, shares his extensive experience and insights into the performance measurement and client reporting space. Drawing from his career trajectory that began in fund accounting and led to performance analysis at major institutions including JP Morgan, Juillerat discusses the evolving landscape of performance measurement and reporting. Key discussion points include: • The increasing convergence of performance measurement, client reporting, and risk management functions • Todd’s career and industry involvement, including the CFA Institute • Current industry trends around A.I., • Todd’s pick of PMCR conference highlights and reasons to attend the show. The discussion emphasizes the interconnected nature of performance measurement within investment management firms, highlighting how the role serves as crucial connective tissue between various departments including operations, sales and marketing, executive management, and compliance. | — | ||||||
| 2/10/25 | ![]() Digital Assets & Deregulation: What’s Next for Crypto? | In this episode of the FTF Exchange Podcast, host Nick Holland speaks with Hermine Wong, a lecturer at UC Berkeley School of Law and former policy leader at Coinbase, to discuss the evolving regulatory landscape of digital assets and financial services. Wong reflects on her career journey, highlighting the intersection of law, technology, and finance, and how her early exposure to the internet’s democratization shaped her approach to crypto regulation. The conversation delves into the shifting regulatory dynamics under the Trump administration, comparing it to the previous Biden administration’s slower, report-driven approach. Wong cautions that while the current administration appears more open to crypto, its regulatory efforts may favor a select group of industry players, creating barriers rather than fostering true democratization. Further, Wong examines systemic risks, market volatility, and fraud in digital assets, explaining how financial firms can navigate regulatory uncertainty. She predicts that regulators will prioritize oversight where they have the most data, focusing on major cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum while monitoring broader market risks. Wong stresses that while volatility itself isn’t inherently harmful, fraudulent activities within the crypto space could have far-reaching consequences. For financial firms looking to future-proof compliance strategies, Wong advises against chasing hype, urging them to apply traditional financial risk management principles to digital assets. She underscores that crypto will not receive a regulatory free pass, and firms should continue to uphold robust compliance measures as they integrate these new asset classes. The episode offers insightful perspectives on the evolving regulatory climate, the role of financial institutions, and the future of digital asset governance, making it a must-listen for professionals navigating the intersection of finance, law, and technology. | — | ||||||
| 2/9/25 | ![]() The Efficiency Dilemma: Why Asset Management Operations Must Evolve | In this episode of the FTF Exchange Podcast, hosts Maureen Lowe and Nick Holland dive into the findings of a recent industry survey conducted by AutoRek, shedding light on the current challenges and inefficiencies in asset management operations. Jack Niven and John Scappaticci of AutoRek provide expert analysis and first hand insight on the trends driving the push for automation, highlighting how firms can move past the inertia of outdated processes and embrace next-generation solutions that enhance efficiency, reduce errors, and future-proof their operations. Key Discussion Points: Survey Findings: Industry-wide pain points in reconciliation and the urgent need for transformation. Why Legacy Systems Persist: Cultural resistance, historical underinvestment in back-office functions, and the hidden costs of manual processes. The Role of Automation: How AI, DLT, and cloud technology are reshaping reconciliation and exception management. Regulatory & Market Pressures: How shifts like T+1 settlement and digital asset trading are accelerating the need for modernization. Business Case for Change: Practical steps for operations leaders to build a compelling case for upgrading reconciliation technology. Whether you’re a COO, CTO, or an operations professional grappling with daily reconciliation headaches, this episode offers valuable insights into how technology can help streamline processes, reduce costs, and improve operational resilience. | — | ||||||
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| 2/3/25 | ![]() Building Careers, Trust, and Industry Connections: A Deep Dive with Alex Shafran | In this episode, Maureen Lowe and co-host Nick Holland sit down with Alex Shafran, Senior Vice President of Performance Analytics and Client Reporting at Cohen & Steers. Alex shares his career journey, from aspiring math teacher to financial services leader, and provides valuable advice for professionals navigating the evolving landscape of performance measurement and client reporting. Key discussion points include: • Career Insights: Alex's path into capital markets and his thoughts on taking risks, fostering meaningful professional relationships, and following opportunities. • Leadership and Team Development: Tips for empowering teams, managing responsibilities, and fostering innovation in a fast-paced industry. • Industry Evolution: Reflections on how technology, automation, and data have transformed performance measurement over two decades. • Community and Collaboration: The importance of networking, industry events, and creating spaces for peer-to-peer learning. Alex also shares inspiring stories about creating a supportive and inclusive company culture, highlighting initiatives like an "All About Me" series to strengthen team connections. Whether you're a financial professional, aspiring leader, or just curious about the human side of the finance industry, this episode promises engaging storytelling and actionable advice. Subscribe now to stay updated on future episodes featuring insights from top industry minds! | — | ||||||
| 1/21/25 | ![]() GIPS Governance and Performance Measurement | Joe reveals how he was first introduced to GIPS over 20 years ago when his firm aimed to market its products in the U.S. His expertise and passion quickly positioned him as a trusted figure in the GIPS governance space, including roles as a CFA Society Ireland President and a longstanding member of multiple GIPS committees. The Role of the GIPS Technical Committee: Joe discusses his work on the GIPS Technical Committee, describing it as a "GIPS on steroids" group that tackles complex industry topics such as trade errors, performance attribution, and verification standards. He emphasizes the value of consensus-driven discussions, even in the face of differing opinions. Challenges and Rewards of Global Collaboration: Balancing his professional role and committee work, Joe highlights the benefits of collaborating with peers from around the world. He underscores how these interactions provide not only valuable insights but also a network of professionals to exchange ideas and solve challenges. What’s Next for GIPS: Joe teases upcoming developments in GIPS, including guidance on trade errors and performance attribution, expected to be released in 2025. These updates aim to provide practical resources for firms navigating performance measurement complexities. Why You Should Listen: This episode is packed with insights into the evolving landscape of performance measurement and governance. Whether you’re a GIPS enthusiast, a performance measurement professional, or someone curious about industry best practices, this conversation offers a rare look behind the scenes of how standards are developed and refined. | — | ||||||
| 12/17/24 | ![]() T+1 Settlement: Costly Shift Without a Cause? | The U.S. prioritized reducing settlement fails domestically but ignored the knock-on costs for international investors, which have gone through the roof.” So says industry veteran Gary Wright, director at ISITC Europe CIC, in the latest episode of the FTF Exchange podcasts. In this podcast, hosts Maureen Lowe and Nick Holland speak with Wright who delves deep into the contentious shift to T+1 settlement in capital markets, questioning whether the benefits truly justify the costs. With candid insights and thought-provoking critiques, this conversation challenges the status quo and shines a light on the overlooked impacts of T+1 on investors, issuers, and market participants worldwide. Key Takeaways: No Clear Business Case: Despite claims of efficiency, there’s been no cost-benefit analysis demonstrating that T+1 settlement provides net value. Wright argues the high costs outweigh the limited benefits. Impact on International Investors: The shift has introduced significant financial burdens for international participants, requiring them to hold collateral in U.S. markets, increasing costs and reducing liquidity. Legacy Systems Strained: T+1 imposes real-time processing requirements on outdated batch systems, which were never designed for such operations, creating inefficiencies and systemic vulnerabilities. Regulatory Gaps and Divergences: While the SEC in the U.S. has aggressively pursued T+1, regulators in the UK and EU remain hesitant, further complicating global market alignment. Lack of Innovation or Incentives: Firms are reluctant to invest in new technology or processes without a regulatory mandate or tangible incentives, leaving the market to grapple with outdated solutions. This episode is a must-listen for financial professionals, investors, and anyone curious about the realities behind T+1 settlement and its broader implications for global markets. | — | ||||||
| 11/6/24 | ![]() AI, Advertising, and Advisory: Navigating the SEC Marketing Rule Minefield | In this episode, Maureen Lowe and Nick Holland of the FTF Exchange podcast chat with Sanjay Lamba, Associate General Counsel at the Investment Advisor Association (IAA). They discuss the SEC’s marketing rule, which aims to modernize and standardize advertising practices for investment advisors. Sanjay shares insights into compliance challenges and the need for firms to adapt to evolving regulations around digital communications and AI use in marketing. The conversation also touches on collaborative practices between compliance and performance teams to meet the SEC's requirements. Key Discussion Points: • The SEC Marketing Rule Overview and Compliance Challenges • The Role of AI in Marketing and Compliance Concerns • The Importance of Industry Events for Knowledge Sharing Regarding SEC Regulations Master SEC & FINRA Compliance at PMCR 2025! Don’t fall victim to FOMO, join us at PMCR 2025 Feb. 27-28th in NYC. Enter coupon code FTFPODCAST to receive a 10% off your ticket just for listening to this episode. Simple as that. - https://pages.ftfnews.com/ftf_performance_measurement_and_client_reporting For more resources from the Investment Advisor Association - https://www.investmentadviser.org/ Follow FTF on LinkedIn to stay connected! - https://www.linkedin.com/company/financial-technologies-forum Connect with Sanjay Lamba on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/sanjay-lamba-214a542/ | — | ||||||
| 10/31/24 | ![]() Fixed Income Markets Can Develop Credit Strategies & Analytics | Fixed income market participants are under pressure to develop systematic credit strategies and to improve their valuation and performance analytics capabilities. Yet Peter O’Connor, product manager, FINCAD Analytics Suite, Numerix, says it’s a data and computation problem much like other IT issues and firms will be able to catch up. O’Conner is the focus of the latest episode of the FTF Exchange podcast series. “When it comes to fixed income strategies, it’s a data problem. You can identify the approach you would take and typically enough … they’re looking to see which approaches work in terms of identifying mispricing,” O’Connor says. “The second challenge, then, is data and getting data in real-time or at whatever frequency is needed. The catch-up is really in that and also in adopting cloud and whether things have containers and scaling for real-time needs. So it’s data and it’s computation,” he says. “It’s very much the same old things because a lot of the analytics that we’re talking about … have always been there. Now they’re coming more to the fore and when they’re combined with real-time and doing more advanced things on top as a data-driven exercise it’s just more interesting these days.” O’Connor says. In this podcast, O’Connor: Talks about his path to Numerix; Reviews the finer points of the FINCAD Analytics Suite, particularly how it helps with trading and operational issues and how it fits with other offerings from Numerix; Provides insight into fixed income markets participants and their growing demands for precise pricing and risk analytics delivered intraday; and Covers the role FX plays in intraday fixed income transactions and the tools that firms need to navigate FX complications. | — | ||||||
| 10/24/24 | ![]() Exploring the Depths of Sanctions Compliance with DOLFIN | In preparation for the November 7th FTF webinar, Find True North in Sanctions Compliance: Avoid Exposure to Securities Tainted by Sanctions, our Director of Event and Content Strategy, Nick Holland, spoke with Danny McGlynn, President and Chief Integrity Officer at the Institute for Financial Integrity, about the evolution of sanctions regimes and compliance strategies. They explore how sanctions have become a key tool for addressing national security concerns, with increased collaboration between public and private sectors. Danny emphasizes the importance of adhering to Financial Action Task Force (FATF) recommendations and establishing strong compliance programs to avoid penalties. Continue this conversation and gain deeper insights by registering for the upcoming FTF sanctions webinar where Danny McGlynn and other experts from Schwab, Deutsche Bank, and SIX will discuss how to mitigate your firm's reputational, financial, and legal risks. Register here: https://event.on24.com/wcc/r/4715656/774F4EC0FA128D141D76FAFEFB49719E?partnerref=FTF-DannyPodcast Contact info: Reach out to us at info@ftfnews.com if you feel you've got something to say on the FTF Exchange Podcast. | — | ||||||
| 2/26/24 | ![]() Should Client Reporting Be On-Demand like Netflix? | The core of any client reporting challenge is inevitably a data problem, and the ultimate solution may be highly personalized self-service capabilities much like a media streaming service, says Andrew Barnett, chief product officer at Hub, a new provider for the global securities operations industry. Barnett is the focus of this edition of the FTF Exchange podcast. When asked about a new ecosystem for client reporting, Barnett focused on the new operating models that go beyond sending out PDFs, emails, and spreadsheets about a firm’s performance to clients. Firms will need to evolve their solutions and the services and change the historic dynamic of one-way communication for client reporting. This will mean push-and-pull engagement patterns, Barnett says. “What we’re now hearing is that people want to activate and call that data directly. They don’t want it pixel-perfect at any point in time because they’ve got broader usabilities. You have to expose that data via an API allow or other methods,” he says. “Client reporting — it is a data problem. So, certainly, the solution has to be data-driven and that data has to be discoverable, you have to be able to interact with them, and it has to be actionable,” Barnett says. “We have to allow end-users to interact with that data to generate the insights. It’s not on Hub or other providers in that space to be able to generate that insight because that is on the investment manager — that’s their IP, the USP [unique selling point] that they need to work with,” he adds. Among the reporting needs of clients is a desire for more personalized offerings. “We can kind of really see the fact that now customers are expecting that hyper personalization and shouldn’t be constrained by time or by a really heavy, kind of manual and technical engagement to get it done. It should be via no-code, low-code types of capabilities,” Barnett says. “A key part of reporting is communication and a key part of communication is collaboration,” Barnett says. It will be essential to have “those talks embedded inside of the data, the reporting solutions, and really importantly a really well-defined kind of business glossary … So that when they look at a report they can self-service to ensure they understand … It is also almost taking that Netflix world that we live in now and making it available in the institutional client reporting space.” In the podcast, Barnett also covers: The top post-trade challenges in 2024; The T+1 push and ultimately T+0; The future for Books of Records; The Ops advantages of Cloud-Native computing; A.I. and Ops; and Open Source software for financial services firms. Hub is a cloud-native platform provider that offers connectivity between trading and relevant data to optimize the operations technology used by investment firms. By doing so, Hub says that it enables data streaming, artificial intelligence-based technologies, and automation. Hub is a is a sponsor of FTF’s Performance Measurement & Client Reporting event taking place on Feb. 29, 2024, at Etc. Venues, 601 Lexington Ave. in New York City. | — | ||||||
| 2/21/24 | ![]() Ops Needs an Accounting & Data Warehouse Paradigm Shift | Operations teams need to shift away from multiple outdated accounting systems and data warehouses and toward an ecosystem that allows for these and related systems to talk together in real time, says Kirk Littleton, sales director at FundGuard, in this edition of the FTF Exchange podcast. These changes will definitely yield firm-wide benefits, including those for performance measurement and client reporting teams especially if firms embrace updated application programming interfaces (APIs) and data buses. “So, I think the operations people need to kind of have a paradigm shift to say: ‘I don’t need multiple accounting engines, I don’t need a big data warehouse to be the agent to push the data into other systems,’ ” Littleton points out in the podcast. “Let the APIs, let the[Apache] Kafka, the [IBM] MQ buses move that data in real time from one source to one receiving system that needs that data. Performance and client reporting are great examples,” he adds. “They need data that has been verified and accounted for properly and then I can use it in my performance calculation or I can put it on this client statement. But I don’t want to do that through a data warehouse where the data might be stale at the time I get it.” However, many firms cannot yet embrace APIs, Kafka buses and beyond because “many of the systems that are still in place today do not support those types of technologies,” Littleton says. “So, as a result, you’re still stuck with: ‘Okay, how am I going to get this data in real time from this engine to the trading system, order management, the client billing system — whatever middle office or front office tool you’re talking about.” Littleton discusses in detail some of the ways forward: Modernize accounting systems — some systems are 50 years old; Embrace cloud-native solutions; Support systems that use artificial intelligence-based technologies particularly machine learning; Move to systems that have multi-asset class coverage; and Consider a multiple book strategy that encompasses IBORs, ABORs, performance books, and custody books to provide multiple views of a portfolio all at once. “I want to be able to go to that accounting system in real time through an API and pull the data back and then act on it. So whether I’m an OMS trading system or a performance system I want to know what I own in real time. I want to know the value of that asset in real time, any cash flows that would affect performance – I need to know that type of stuff in real time,” he says. FundGuard is a cross-enterprise, AI-powered, cloud-native and multi-asset class investment accounting platform for asset managers, asset owners, custodian banks and fund administrators FundGuard is a sponsor of FTF’s Performance Measurement & Client Reporting event taking place on Feb. 29, 2024, at Etc. Venues, 601 Lexington Ave. in New York City. | — | ||||||
| 2/15/24 | ![]() A.I. Will Smooth Out Bumps in Ops | Systems based on artificial intelligence (A.I.) technologies will meet the demands of financial services firms looking for new features and IT capabilities for their performance measurement operations. It will also mean a disruption of the status quo. This is according to the latest FTF Focus podcast featuring Sean Murray, who is senior vice president, senior director, product management, at FactSet and Nina Mayers, who serves as director, performance product management, also at FactSet. “A.I. is definitely going to be one of the biggest disruptors that well see in fintech,” says Murray in response to a question about A.I. innovations and how they might improve operational efficiency. FactSet has been investing in A.I. over the years. A.I.-based systems could ease the burden of tedious processes that are part and parcel of performance measurement and client reporting. “We know that this is an area where our clients spend a lot of time today. Performance is a very data-hungry process and the activities around the onboarding of data have been something that performance practitioners have struggled to come to terms with for a long time,” Mayers says. “As we think about how A.I. can help with that process and look at the types of things where machine learning can sort of help us to replicate repeatable processes, there’s a lot of things that our clients do in terms of data checks, controls, analysis,” Mayers adds. The help with onboarding will be “before we even really get to that sort of calculation engine that we think that A.I. can have significant impact on and can help to smooth out the bumps in the operational processes that our clients experience today,” she says. The podcast also deals with new realities such as performance measurement platforms that are no longer empty boxes requiring a lot of data integration. Firms expect that the data burdens of performance measurement platforms will be easing. “The biggest thing they expect is to ease the burden of data integration side,” Murray says. “We come from the BISAM and B-One world where every client had to integrate their content sets into the application even if the content they were integrating was the same as others. So, if you’re integrating a Russell Index set or an S&P index set you’re doing the work that everyone is doing as well.” “What our clients expect is essentially for us to deliver content into the application or that to be available immediately for the clients to be able to start up and create a new strategy and for them to be able to pull benchmarks in or pull in FX rates or risk-free rates to pull that in instantaneously that’s what their expectation is,” Murray says. Mayers and Murray also discuss: The important change to come from FactSet’s acquisition of BISAM; o The acquisition’s impact on FactSet’s managed services and outsourcing business The benefits from performance measurement platforms and offerings in hosted, software as a service or (SaaS) aspects of key; Vendor compression and other changes could mean the end of the line for some products and services; and The kinds of internal IT infrastructure changes that can help firms derive the most value from performance measurement offerings via a software-as-a-solution (SaaS) mode. | — | ||||||
| 1/12/24 | ![]() Some Firms Lag Behind But Most Are Post-Libor | Kelli Sayres, senior managing director, head of Polypaths at Numerix, says that she is not surprised that some securities firms are lagging behind others in the “huge effort” to move past Libor. They have also had to deal with other shocks to the system such as higher interest rates and inflation. “From what I’ve seen, most of our clients have been able to rise to the occasion and they were able to meet both the logistical and technical challenges that are associated with this type of migration [away from Libor],” Sayres says. “It’s huge in scale. It impacts the curve construction, the definitions of instruments, pricing, discounting, what type of data you need to get a daily reset rate, model validation, refitting behavioral models — the list goes on,” she adds. “Some firms still seem to be lagging a bit in overall migration. They haven’t necessarily validated all systems to make sure they function without interruption with the complete removal of Libor curves and vols,” Sayres says. “But given the complex ecosystems — in terms of technology and software — at large financial institutions it’s not surprising. And I do think most folks do seem to be marching steadily toward a clean and robust post-Libor framework.” Polypaths, which Numerix acquired in August 2023, is a provider of analytics and risk management solutions for financial institutions. Numerix is a provider of capital markets technology solutions and trading and risk management systems. The Numerix Data Management System was voted Best Data Management Solution in the FTF News Technology Innovation Awards competition for this year. This podcast also covers: the ripple effects of interest rates and inflation; structured finance issues; machine learning; and how Sayres was drawn to the complex world of fixed income analytics. | — | ||||||
| 10/2/23 | ![]() Is There an Upside from the Liquidity Crunch? | Securities firms searching for liquidity in capital markets are facing many challenges and factors such as high interest and inflation rates. But this situation represents a huge opportunity for firms that have liquidity and are benefitting from better management of lending and hedging decisions. So says Gil Guillaumey, head of strategy for Capital Market Solutions at Adenza, in this latest edition of the FTF Focus podcast series. Some firms are finding that market conditions are making it challenging to find liquidity. But those with liquidity many find themselves with an advantage. “Market conditions can also be a huge opportunity for institutions that are long on cash or securities and we see a very active repo market that is boosted by more electronification and CCP pushes for more clearing,” Guillaumey says. “Treasury departments will increasingly pay more and more attention to the way they invest and the risk they take. So, controlling the lending and hedging decisions is something we see them increasingly doing.” Adenza provides end-to-end trading, treasury, risk management, and regulatory compliance solutions. Adenza serves global, central, and regional banks, broker-dealers, insurers, asset managers, pension funds, hedge funds, stock exchanges and clearing houses, securities services providers, and corporates. Most recently, Adenza’s Cloud Services won Service Provider of the Year for 2023 via the FTF News Technology Innovation Awards competition. For this podcast, Guillaumey discussed: The changing liquidity landscape; The new costs associated with this new liquidity landscape; How treasury groups cope with the lack of liquidity caused by high-interest rates and high inflation; Central banking and other regulatory changes How the new liquidity landscape & T+1 are affecting the electronic repo markets | — | ||||||
| 8/9/23 | ![]() Operations Using A.I. Need Transparency & Supervision | Managed services clients and prospects of SmartStream Technologies are showing lots of interest in A.I.-based technologies and how they can impact securities operations, but there is a caveat to that evolving demand for A.I., says Nick Smith, executive vice president, managed services, SmartStream Technologies, in this latest edition of the FTF Exchange podcast series. “A.I. cannot work in a black box and nobody knows what it’s doing,” Smith says via the podcast. “It needs to be able to provide transparency to both the senior managers and the risk managers, and the regulators exactly what activity the A.I.’s been performing and what was the logic used for developing those activities. That’s where we start looking at supervised and unsupervised A.I.” In fact, the transparency will show how SmartStream has incorporated what it learned five years ago when the securities operations provider began “working with Tier 1 banks, household name banks, and partnering with them, in terms of understanding their use cases, and the challenges that they face and also having access to their data,” Smith explains. “That enabled us to invest and develop the tools that we have today … What we’re really doing is providing the agile tools for an evolving demand that we’re seeing.” In the FTF News Technology Innovation Awards competition for this year, SmartStream Managed Services won Best Outsourcing Provider, and SmartStream Air won Best Cutting-Edge Solution. During the podcast, Smith also covers: How A.I. and machine learning are major concerns in the capital markets industry now; How machine learning is impacting the managed services offerings from SmartStream; The role that A.I. and machine learning play in the SmartStream Air offering; How A.I. and machine learning can be applied to the burden of securities data reconciliation; and The security concerns about A.I. among managed services clients. | — | ||||||
| 6/26/23 | ![]() SEC’s Marketing Rule Is Creating Ops Headaches | A key requirement of the SEC’s marketing rule is the presentation of net performance data along with gross performance data, but many firms have processes in place only for gross returns, says Olivier Verburg, vice president, analytics manager at FactSet in this latest edition of the FTF Exchange podcast series. “Suddenly switching that to net will present challenges on the operational side of things,” Verburg says. The regulator says that the rule is intended to provide more transparency for investors. “I think they’re trying to make sure consumers are comparing apples to apples when they’re comparing one fund advertisement with another fund advertisement,” Verburg explains. “I think one of the main challenges is that firms may not have the processes in place to calculate net performance [at] every level that the SEC requires,” Vergburg says. “Calculating net performance on the total fund level usually is nothing new, right? Especially when many firms are GIPS compliant, which many are. Firms also need to make sure that so-called extracted performance in their advertisements is reported net of fees as well,” Verburg says. “So, an example of extracted performance in advertisements is it could be like a little table showing the sector or country returns of the funds. Or a table with returns and contributions of the top five or 10 securities,” Verburg says. “Values in a table like this need to be net of fee as well and that is something I believe pretty much no one has bothered to calculate for, therefore making it one of the main challenges.” During this podcast, Verburg focuses on: The IT and operations changes firms will have to make; Changes in the way performance and compliance teams interact with each other; How firms can avoid being hurt by the new rule; and How firms can be compliant yet leverage the rule to their benefit; FactSet is a financial data and analytics provider that offers financial services firms industry intelligence, ways to monitor portfolio risk and performance, and ways to facilitate trade execution. The company’s offerings include data feeds, desktop analytics, web and mobile applications, sell- and buy-side research tools, and client service solutions. FactSet won the Best Performance Measurement System via the FTF News Technology Innovation Awards for 2023. | — | ||||||
| 5/10/23 | ![]() Client Reporting Is Anything that Touches Clients’ Hands | For this podcast, Alex Strekel, director of investment management solutions for Clearwater Analytics, focuses on the best definition of client reporting for 2023 and many other matters. When asked to define client reporting, Strekel acknowledges that he takes a broad view of client reporting from his days working as a portfolio manager. “I think about client reporting as anything that touches the hands of the client,” Strekel tells FTF News. “So, anything that a client is going to access via a Web portal, anything they’re going to access via paper … they’re going to hear from you as the manager of the portfolio or the relationship,” he says. “Any time you’re talking about performance with a client, right, you’re reporting to them.” Based in Boise, Idaho, Clearwater Analytics is a software-as-a-service provider of automated investment accounting, performance, compliance, and risk reporting for insurance companies, asset managers, banks, and other institutions. In 2022, Clearwater won the Best Client Reporting Solution award as part of the FTF News Technology Innovation Awards competition. The company has been nominated for the same honor for 2023. This podcast also covers: How a challenging economy changes the creation and delivery of client reports; How firms provide scalability to the new way of client reporting; The friction that remains between the best-of-breed & all-in-one approaches of providers; How a firm can provide best-of-breed and all-in-one to clients, and facilitate flexibility for client reporting; The best way for firms to decide which technology options are the best for client reporting; And how client reporting will get more complicated over the coming years. | — | ||||||
| 3/15/23 | ![]() NRI Melds IT & Business Process Outsourcing | In this edition of the FTF Exchange podcast series, Sue Sato from the Prime Settlement Services (PSS) department at Nomura Research Institute (NRI) focuses on why NRI is offering a combination of IT outsourcing, also known as ITO, and business process outsourcing or BPO. NRI provides system solutions and consulting services such as management consulting, systems integration, and IT management and solutions for financial services and other industries. NRI has offices in New York, London, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Australia. Sato, whose efforts are focused on North America, takes questions from FTF News about the components of this combined offering and why it was done. | — | ||||||
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