In the fast-moving world of asset management, where every second counts and where accuracy is critical, we really need to look at the technology supporting trading operations. While it would be almost impossible to manage your front-office trading operations without a sophisticated real-time trading platform, the reality is that your backend infrastructure deserves just as…
While we all recognize the need to replace older technology to provide new features and more automation, the decision to adopt new technology is often deferred due to the perceived high cost. It’s easy to make quick judgments by comparing initial expenses, but a comprehensive understanding demands a more thorough analysis. Enter the concept of…
All industries and most companies experience some degree of “boom and bust” as they weather economic cycles. Good times allow growth and expanding profits, while market downturns result in reduced revenues, smaller margins and tremendous pressure on costs. Capital Markets operations, which rely almost exclusively on transaction-based fees, are a prime example of this phenomenon….
In today’s data-driven world, organizations recognize the critical role of analytics in driving informed decision-making and gaining a competitive edge. While many analytics processes traditionally begin with data calculation, at Accio Analytics, we believe that the foundation of effective analytics lies in beginning the analysis process at the point of data ingestion. By verifying data…
In today’s data-driven world, organizations heavily rely on analytics to drive informed decision-making and gain a competitive edge. However, the process of extracting valuable insights often faces significant challenges due to poor data quality. According to recent studies, a staggering 50 to 80% of employees in organizations spend countless hours grappling with mundane data quality…
Language models like GPT-3, developed by OpenAI, are powerful tools capable of generating human-like text based on the input they receive. However, they are not perfect and can sometimes produce outputs that are unexpected or don’t make sense in the given context. These unexpected outputs are often referred to as “stochastic parrots” and “hallucinations”. Stochastic…
Investment risk management is crucial for any investment firm that wants to succeed in today’s competitive and complex market. However, managing investment risk is not an easy task, as it involves facing various challenges and difficulties that are affecting the performance and reputation of the firm. In this article, we will discuss some of the…
My last update on the growing Technology Gap that exists in many firms was the third in a series of three discussing actions you can take to promote a plan to start upgrading or replacing technology solutions that no longer meet your operation’s current and evolving needs in an increasingly competitive marketplace. And yet, this…
In my last update on the growing Technology Gap that exists in many firms, I wrote about conducting regular software audits. These can identify licenses and even full applications that can be retired, help to manage costs when you renew contracts by eliminating unused features, or by consolidating contracts for applications used by two or…
In my last update on the growing Technology Gap that exists in many firms, I wrote about the benefits of developing a Strategic Technology Plan. This is, I believe, one of the best ways to identify your technology needs and build consensus on the required actions and timing for their implementation. Identifying the gaps in…
I have received a fair number of comments on my article about the Technology Gap that exists in most companies, one that grows larger over time, along the lines of: “So, what do we do about this?” Over the next few days, I am going to share three ideas with you. While none of these…
Most organizations focus on generating profit, which is appropriate as companies need to make money to stay in business. However, the pursuit of profit, particularly immediate profits, with other needs excluded, can be detrimental to long-term market success. In many firms, the costs required to maintain technology systems are deferred and deferred again to maximize…
In today’s rapidly evolving financial landscape, investment firms face numerous challenges. One critical aspect that often gets overlooked is the firm’s technology infrastructure. Many firms find themselves constantly playing catch-up, struggling with outdated systems, and putting themselves at risk of security breaches. This article sheds light on the consequences of neglecting technological advancements and emphasizes…
What if I told you that 50-80% of the people in an organization spend their time on mundane data quality issues, would you disagree? What if I said the Harvard Business Review conducted a study that highlighted a disturbing truth that many senior executives more often than not, receive subpar reporting, that they then use…
For many years I was responsible for what we used to call DRP – Disaster Recovery Planning. Back then, technology platforms were likely to be stand-alone, and while they were important, our business could keep going for a few hours until a failed system was restored. So, the process really was about planning what to…
Most of us are living with legacy technology for many of our middle- and back-office functions that was never designed to support the more complex investment types we deal with today. While there are ways to record these investments in our systems, doing so may require manual processing and the creation of dummy CUSIP’s to…
Most of us working in an investment management shop will be familiar with this scenario: There is a powerful and capable order management system in place, as it would be impossible to manage today’s trading volumes without one. However, investments in middle- and back-office technology have not kept pace. There is a growing “technology gap”…
Also known as the “Big Quit” and the “Great Reshuffle”, these terms all refer to the tendency for significant numbers of employees to leave their jobs during and after the COVID-19 pandemic at rates never seen before.
One of the aspects of Portfolio Management that is sometimes misunderstood or over-complicated is Attribution. Specifically, Fixed Income Attribution. One of the toughest challenges faced by Portfolio Mangers, regardless of the size of their Portfolio or firm, is that they struggle to find existing Fixed Income Attribution Models that are suitable for their Portfolios. While…
Since the onset of 2022, the markets have been suffering losses. While all investors are impacted, many are wondering what their advisors and investment managers are planning to do to erase any losses and position them for gains. Topping the list of concerns are: Inflation, rising interest rates, fear of a recession and market volatility….