What are asset managers’ real data challenges? Hard-won lessons from 15 years in the industry
Ask any asset manager what their biggest data challenges are, and we're willing to bet outdated technology will be at the top of their list. Successive research reports — this one by Temenos and this one by Alpha FMC just to quote two recent ones — have singled out modernising data infrastructure and digital transformation as asset managers' biggest priorities. And, by the end of 2023, they'll be collectively spending $84 billion a year in pursuit of them. There's just one problem. While technology is undoubtedly a powerful tool, it can only work with the inputs it's given. Which is a nice way of saying 'garbage [...]
5 data management lessons asset managers can learn from Amazon
When most people think of Amazon, they think of being able to order just about anything from their phone and getting it delivered to their doorsteps in a matter of days (sometimes even in a matter of hours). But if Amazon dominates e-commerce — and was named the world's most valuable brand for three years running as a result — it's because it doesn't see itself as an online retailer. First and foremost, Amazon is a data company. Data fuels its mission 'to be the Earth's most customer-centric company.' More to the point, being data-first has enabled Amazon to successfully expand beyond e-commerce, and build market-leading [...]
Aligning your data to meet upcoming EET reporting challenges
Version 1 of the European ESG Template (EET) was released by The FinDatEx group on 14th March 2022. It contains the official 620 field data-exchange template for ESG data, following the definitions from applicable EU regulations (eg. SFDR, Taxonomy Regulation, IDD, MiFID). As firms are getting to grips with the data, as well as the product information and the requirements needed for each field, we will look at the key EET dates between now and 1st January 2023, when the SFDR pre-contractual and periodic reporting goes live. 1st June 2022 A reduced version of the EET template (EET-Light), will be used from 1 June 2022. [...]
Basic ESG and SFDR terms all Money Managers need to know
The SFDR was introduced by the European Commission, alongside the Taxonomy Regulation and the Low Carbon Benchmarks Regulation, as part of a package of legislative measures arising from the European Commission’s Action Plan on Sustainable Finance. The main provisions (Level 1) of the Disclosure Regulation came into action in March this year. The initial application date of detailed rules for requirements (Level 2) was set for January 2022. However, the European Commission decided to defer by six months as a consequence of its failure to hit the deadline for adopting draft regulatory technical standards (RTS) submitted by the European Supervisory Authorities (ESAs) in February. While this delay [...]
The future of intelligent machines and investment management
Technology will continue to play a critical role as the challenges facing the financial industry intensify. Such challenges may include but are not limited to, volatile capital market returns and margin compression. Those embracing innovative technology will be better placed and more capable of adapting to changes thus enabling rapid business transformation as well as maximising efficiency and value creation. Thus far, Intelligent Machines have been predominantly used by Asset Management firms to boost operational efficiencies. So, where have we seen the adoption of Intelligent Machines in investment management? Identifying trends and patterns to support sales and distribution, product pricing, trade allocation, portfolio construction and analytics Streamlining [...]
9 ESSENTIALS to gain a competitive advantage for your Wealth Management Firm
According to a cross-industry research by Accenture, over 80% of Asset Management companies don’t have enterprise-wide Master Data Management (MDM). Half of the respondents didn’t even regularly assess and update their data governance process definitions. So what is Master Data Management? MDM empowers Asset Managers to link all critical business data to a single point of reference. This reduces errors while ensuring business processes are not made redundant. It is the core process used to manage, centralise, organise, categorise, localise, synchronise and enrich master data while adhering to business rules. Why is MDM so important for the AM industry? Implementing MDM, and thus the ability to change [...]
8 pain points manual reconciliation brings to the table
In seeking to meet and overcome the challenges Investment Managers face in the wake of soaring trade volumes, increasingly complex transactions, and mounting pressure for faster reconciliation, firms today face an unprecedented level of hardship but also a myriad of opportunities. One of the greatest challenges Asset Managers must overcome is their capacity to meet the growing market demand for accurate and fast data reconciliation, regardless of volume levels. Efficient scaling has become impossible with existing manual processes. Here are 8 potential pitfalls of manual reconciliation that can hold your business back: Higher operational risk from unmatched data items Account errors that mislead Portfolio Managers, particularly regarding [...]
Summary of the FCA’s 2021/22 Business Plan and what it means for asset managers
The Financial Conduct Authority has been publishing its annual business plan for close to a decade. But this year's plan, published on 15 July 2021 — three months later than usual — is radically different to its predecessors. The first plan under new CEO Nikhil Rathi, sets out a broad and ambitious vision for the financial services industry's Covid-19 recovery and the future of regulation in the UK. In order to achieve that vision, the FCA plans to implement sweeping changes to how it operates, how it engages with the businesses it regulates, and what it expects from those businesses moving forward. Here's a look at the [...]
7 Risks and Lessons learned when implementing a 3rd party Product Master Data Management Platform
Fundipedia is a product data management platform built in partnership with, and delivered to the asset management industry. We work with some of the biggest names in the industry and through the delivery of dozens of successful Fundipedia installations, we have identified the most common risks and established strong mechanisms to mitigate them. From initial demonstration to user-ready, our implementation team will typically have Fundipedia Data Management up and running in less than 12 weeks. Delivered in an agile manner, ensuring the solution delivers value early and often using an incremental delivery model Client-owned and managed but delivered Software as a Service (SaaS) so you get the [...]
5 Competitive Boosters of an Automated Reconciliation System
Reconciliation is often overlooked and undervalued by firms. Done right, reconciliation can help you avoid regulatory risks, make informed decisions, and ultimately reduce costs. Unfortunately, reconciliation at many firms remains a laborious, time-consuming and risk-prone process relying heavily on spreadsheets and manual labor. This approach is not only inefficient but also fundamentally unsustainable in the long run. Planning well ahead, and considering automating your data reconciliation process early on, could be the competitive edge your firm has been seeking. Here are 5 competitive advantages to consider when deciding whether automated reconciliation is the right choice for you: 1. Informed investment decisions Asset managers are increasingly demanding further [...]
5 ways your Asset Management firm will stay ahead of the game with AI and ML
Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine learning (ML) may seem both a distant and even scary prospect to some, straight out of a sci-fi movie plot, but in reality they’ve been around in our lives for quite some time now. Think Siri or Cortana, for example. A growing number of financial institutions are applying AI to their businesses via the back office and customer advice interactions to name just a couple. And, according to a report from the last World Economic Forum, 76% of banking CXOs agree that adopting AI will be critical to their organisation’s ability to differentiate in the market. Yet, the Asset Management industry seems [...]
Steps that forward thinking asset managers take after they’ve created a static data product master
So you have mastered your static product data - congratulations! You’re now one step ahead of your competition. What next? Accurate and trustworthy static data creates a foundation that offers many additional opportunities for asset managers to utilise their data, driving the business forward while keeping on the right side of their regulators. It also presents opportunities to empower customers and reduce time on unnecessary data administration tasks. So let’s get to it, what additional opportunities present themselves after the static product master is mastered... Get dynamic It’s a fantastic idea to supplement your Golden Source of static data with dynamic data e.g. prices, dividends and so [...]
Creating value-aligned partnerships with common goals
By Simon Swords, Managing Director There is no better approach to solving challenges than the famous saying, "two heads are better than one." At Fundipedia, we believe that real progress and big breakthroughs can’t happen in silos. Developing value-aligned partnerships that focus on common goals and complementary strengths is key to ensuring successful outcomes for all. That’s why one of our key strategic priorities is to work collaboratively with partnerships that generate the kind of energy to fuel growth, innovation, creativity and solve business problems. Kurtosys and Fundipedia Engaging with our customers to understand their entire business landscape is fundamental to how we continue to drive innovation and solve complex problems for them. We use regular meetings, quarterly user groups and a range [...]
Kurtosys and Fundipedia announce partnership to streamline data management and dissemination for asset and wealth managers.
3 November 2020 - Kurtosys and Fundipedia are pleased to announce that they have entered into a strategic partnership by integrating the Kurtosys digital platform with Fundipedia’s enterprise fund data management suite. Connecting the platforms allows asset and wealth managers to efficiently and cost effectively manage and publish their product data across a range of mediums, including regulatory reports, documents, sales materials, websites and client engagement portals. Firms are having to work harder than ever before to differentiate themselves from their competitors, and to counter external pressures they are embracing data as a mechanism to future proof growth and remain ahead of the competition. The collaboration between [...]
Fundipedia joins IA FinTech hub – Engine
We are delighted to announce that Fundipedia has been chosen to be a part of Engine, the Investment Association’s unique 6 month fintech accelerator programme. Our fund data governance platform has been selected for the quality of solution and our focus on key industry problem areas within the investment industry. Engine’s mission is to power up the adoption of technology throughout the investment management industry so everyone can meet the goals and needs of investors and savers better. As a result of being selected to be a part of the programme, our team will benefit from unparalleled access to the IA and its industry expertise, as [...]
The power of ‘I don’t know’
Our society values correctness. Be that providing answers to difficult questions, or simply the acquisition of knowledge, being right is the pinnacle of intellectual achievement. Conversely, as human beings, we have been conditioned to hesitate when we don’t know or understand something. ‘Fake it till you make it’, as the saying goes. The asset management industry is no different. Despite a huge rise in the level of complexity and change occurring all around the industry, there is a lack of acceptance regarding the changes needed to bring firms into the modern day, which goes beyond just outdated processes and legacy systems. Before asset management firms can [...]
10 critical points to help turn your sales calls into fully fledged proof-of-concepts
While all are eager to transform sales calls into a fully-fledged proof of concept, it’s important to come to the table with a process in place to ensure both you and your client are getting the most out of the ensuing discussion. In this post, we look at 10 of the critical points to consider during these initial meetings. This will help to maximise understanding, promoting positive client/vendor interactions, thereby enhancing outcomes. 1. Some initial points to consider include: Are you asking the hard questions and getting the right answers? Who is ultimately responsible for making the decisions in your company? What is your budget for [...]
5 compelling reasons to choose Fundipedia for your data management needs
Looking to invest in technology that will simplify your operations and help your asset management firm become more data-driven? Perhaps we're a bit biased, but Fundipedia would be a great fit. Here are five reasons we think our platform is the way to go if you want to make better use of data, ditch manual processes, and become the asset management firm everyone else aspires to be. 1. Built-in data governance controls One of the key mistakes firms make when implementing technology is believing it can fix data quality issues. Any platform, no matter how advanced, can only work with the inputs it's given. So if [...]
TSAM Digital Interview with Simon Swords
https://vimeo.com/713717683 Fundipedia is a proud sponsor of TSAM London 2022, taking place on 16th June in Houndsditch. This interview sees Fundipedia Managing Director, Simon Swords, answer questions posed by Ana from TSAM Digital. So, tell me about Fundipedia – what does it do for clients? Why can’t asset managers build their own solutions for data management? Are there any other advantages of working with a fintech over an incumbent? What are the common data problems that you see across the asset management industry? In other words, where do asset managers encounter the most pain? How do Fundipedia and its team keep in the loop [...]
What are asset managers’ real data challenges? Hard-won lessons from 15 years in the industry
Ask any asset manager what their biggest data challenges are, and we're willing to bet outdated technology will be at the top of their list. Successive research reports — this one by Temenos and this one by Alpha FMC just to quote two recent ones — have singled out modernising data infrastructure and digital transformation as asset managers' biggest priorities. And, by the end of 2023, they'll be collectively spending $84 billion a year in pursuit of them. There's just one problem. While technology is undoubtedly a powerful tool, it can only work with the inputs it's given. Which is a nice way of saying 'garbage [...]
5 data management lessons asset managers can learn from Amazon
When most people think of Amazon, they think of being able to order just about anything from their phone and getting it delivered to their doorsteps in a matter of days (sometimes even in a matter of hours). But if Amazon dominates e-commerce — and was named the world's most valuable brand for three years running as a result — it's because it doesn't see itself as an online retailer. First and foremost, Amazon is a data company. Data fuels its mission 'to be the Earth's most customer-centric company.' More to the point, being data-first has enabled Amazon to successfully expand beyond e-commerce, and build market-leading [...]
Aligning your data to meet upcoming EET reporting challenges
Version 1 of the European ESG Template (EET) was released by The FinDatEx group on 14th March 2022. It contains the official 620 field data-exchange template for ESG data, following the definitions from applicable EU regulations (eg. SFDR, Taxonomy Regulation, IDD, MiFID). As firms are getting to grips with the data, as well as the product information and the requirements needed for each field, we will look at the key EET dates between now and 1st January 2023, when the SFDR pre-contractual and periodic reporting goes live. 1st June 2022 A reduced version of the EET template (EET-Light), will be used from 1 June 2022. [...]
Q&A with the Fundipedia Developer Team
We recently spoke to Senior Software Developer Steven Day about his experience of working at Fundipedia for over 10 years. You’ve worked at Fundipedia for over a decade – why did you join the company and what keeps you here? I started working at Fundipedia as an apprentice after I left college and had no real commercial or technical experience. My initial meeting with Simon and Dean was super relaxed and they were both very welcoming which is exactly what I was looking for in my first role. As I finished my apprenticeship and was offered a full-time position it never crossed my mind to [...]
Video – Modern approaches to data for asset managers + The European ESG Template – what you need to know
This webinar was recorded on March 10th 2022 and features: Simon Swords from Fundipedia Graeme Devlin from Devlin Mambo Simba Mamboininga from Devlin Mambo Simon will explore how asset managers are using modern processes and systems to put data governance on autopilot, allowing them to remain focussed on their core services. Topics include: How to align your data projects for successful outcomes The benefits of efficient data management Leveraging control models to automate data governance Integrating internal and external data sources Ensuring that your data across the market is consistent and accurate using automated reconciliation Using workflow to optimise your fund and share [...]
Fundi Launch Workflow
Fundipedia has added a new product to our comprehensive, end-to-end data management platform. Fundi Launch Workflow is a user-friendly, customisable, fully integrated fund and share class launch solution that is designed to help asset managers streamline and optimise their fund and share class launch processes. Building Fundi Launch Workflow, we set out to solve what we found to be the most common pain points experienced by asset managers when embarking on a new launch. With an ever increasing amount of data to process, constantly evolving regulations and competition to get new products to market faster, we understood the need for a product that would increase efficiency [...]
How asset managers and FinTechs can work better together
When the first wave of fintechs launched in the late 2000s and early 2010s, they made no bones about being in direct competition with traditional financial services firms. From the terms they used to describe themselves — challengers, or disruptors — to how they marketed their products, fintechs highlighted at every possible opportunity that they were more customer-centric, more agile, and, well, just better than incumbents. Then, in the mid-2010s, something happened. Fintechs and traditional firms realised they could achieve bigger and better things if they worked together instead of trying to out-compete each other. But despite widespread agreement that technology is fundamental to the industry's [...]
Fundi Launch Workflow Released
Fundipedia adds automated workflow for product launches to its platform for investment managers With Fundi Launch Workflow, investment managers can unify data, automate time-consuming processes, and align their product team around a shared purpose: launching products to market more efficiently and accurately than ever before. Fundipedia, the leading master data management platform for investment managers, is expanding its suite of tools with the addition of Fundi Launch Workflow. This latest addition to Fundipedia transforms the way product teams collaborate on the launch of new products, share classes and other product development processes. With Fundi Launch Workflow investment managers can efficiently collaborate on the completion of tasks [...]
What are asset managers’ real data challenges? Hard-won lessons from 15 years in the industry
Ask any asset manager what their biggest data challenges are, and we're willing to bet outdated technology will be at the top of their list. Successive research reports — this one by Temenos and this one by Alpha FMC just to quote two recent ones — have singled out modernising data infrastructure and digital transformation as asset managers' biggest priorities. And, by the end of 2023, they'll be collectively spending $84 billion a year in pursuit of them. There's just one problem. While technology is undoubtedly a powerful tool, it can only work with the inputs it's given. Which is a nice way of saying 'garbage [...]
Q&A with the Fundipedia Developer Team
We recently spoke to Senior Software Developer Steven Day about his experience of working at Fundipedia for over 10 years. You’ve worked at Fundipedia for over a decade – why did you join the company and what keeps you here? I started working at Fundipedia as an apprentice after I left college and had no real commercial or technical experience. My initial meeting with Simon and Dean was super relaxed and they were both very welcoming which is exactly what I was looking for in my first role. As I finished my apprenticeship and was offered a full-time position it never crossed my mind to [...]
Video – Modern approaches to data for asset managers + The European ESG Template – what you need to know
This webinar was recorded on March 10th 2022 and features: Simon Swords from Fundipedia Graeme Devlin from Devlin Mambo Simba Mamboininga from Devlin Mambo Simon will explore how asset managers are using modern processes and systems to put data governance on autopilot, allowing them to remain focussed on their core services. Topics include: How to align your data projects for successful outcomes The benefits of efficient data management Leveraging control models to automate data governance Integrating internal and external data sources Ensuring that your data across the market is consistent and accurate using automated reconciliation Using workflow to optimise your fund and share [...]
Fundi Launch Workflow
Fundipedia has added a new product to our comprehensive, end-to-end data management platform. Fundi Launch Workflow is a user-friendly, customisable, fully integrated fund and share class launch solution that is designed to help asset managers streamline and optimise their fund and share class launch processes. Building Fundi Launch Workflow, we set out to solve what we found to be the most common pain points experienced by asset managers when embarking on a new launch. With an ever increasing amount of data to process, constantly evolving regulations and competition to get new products to market faster, we understood the need for a product that would increase efficiency [...]
How asset managers and FinTechs can work better together
When the first wave of fintechs launched in the late 2000s and early 2010s, they made no bones about being in direct competition with traditional financial services firms. From the terms they used to describe themselves — challengers, or disruptors — to how they marketed their products, fintechs highlighted at every possible opportunity that they were more customer-centric, more agile, and, well, just better than incumbents. Then, in the mid-2010s, something happened. Fintechs and traditional firms realised they could achieve bigger and better things if they worked together instead of trying to out-compete each other. But despite widespread agreement that technology is fundamental to the industry's [...]
Fundi Launch Workflow Released
Fundipedia adds automated workflow for product launches to its platform for investment managers With Fundi Launch Workflow, investment managers can unify data, automate time-consuming processes, and align their product team around a shared purpose: launching products to market more efficiently and accurately than ever before. Fundipedia, the leading master data management platform for investment managers, is expanding its suite of tools with the addition of Fundi Launch Workflow. This latest addition to Fundipedia transforms the way product teams collaborate on the launch of new products, share classes and other product development processes. With Fundi Launch Workflow investment managers can efficiently collaborate on the completion of tasks [...]
Q&A with the Fundipedia Implementation Team
Recently, we spoke to Edward Dunkley (Ed), one of our Implementation Associates about what working at Fundipedia is really like. Ed –You were interviewed not long into this role and said that ‘understanding all the acronyms’ was what you found the most challenging. Is this still the case? My industry and project management knowledge has certainly improved but I still get the odd term or acronym I don’t know popping up! There’s certainly more to learn. I think the next step in improving my industry knowledge is moving from the ‘what’ to the ‘why’. So, for example, even though I might know what a [...]
Basic ESG and SFDR terms all Money Managers need to know
The SFDR was introduced by the European Commission, alongside the Taxonomy Regulation and the Low Carbon Benchmarks Regulation, as part of a package of legislative measures arising from the European Commission’s Action Plan on Sustainable Finance. The main provisions (Level 1) of the Disclosure Regulation came into action in March this year. The initial application date of detailed rules for requirements (Level 2) was set for January 2022. However, the European Commission decided to defer by six months as a consequence of its failure to hit the deadline for adopting draft regulatory technical standards (RTS) submitted by the European Supervisory Authorities (ESAs) in February. While this delay [...]
9 ESSENTIALS to gain a competitive advantage for your Wealth Management Firm
According to a cross-industry research by Accenture, over 80% of Asset Management companies don’t have enterprise-wide Master Data Management (MDM). Half of the respondents didn’t even regularly assess and update their data governance process definitions. So what is Master Data Management? MDM empowers Asset Managers to link all critical business data to a single point of reference. This reduces errors while ensuring business processes are not made redundant. It is the core process used to manage, centralise, organise, categorise, localise, synchronise and enrich master data while adhering to business rules. Why is MDM so important for the AM industry? Implementing MDM, and thus the ability to change [...]
8 pain points manual reconciliation brings to the table
In seeking to meet and overcome the challenges Investment Managers face in the wake of soaring trade volumes, increasingly complex transactions, and mounting pressure for faster reconciliation, firms today face an unprecedented level of hardship but also a myriad of opportunities. One of the greatest challenges Asset Managers must overcome is their capacity to meet the growing market demand for accurate and fast data reconciliation, regardless of volume levels. Efficient scaling has become impossible with existing manual processes. Here are 8 potential pitfalls of manual reconciliation that can hold your business back: Higher operational risk from unmatched data items Account errors that mislead Portfolio Managers, particularly regarding [...]
7 Risks and Lessons learned when implementing a 3rd party Product Master Data Management Platform
Fundipedia is a product data management platform built in partnership with, and delivered to the asset management industry. We work with some of the biggest names in the industry and through the delivery of dozens of successful Fundipedia installations, we have identified the most common risks and established strong mechanisms to mitigate them. From initial demonstration to user-ready, our implementation team will typically have Fundipedia Data Management up and running in less than 12 weeks. Delivered in an agile manner, ensuring the solution delivers value early and often using an incremental delivery model Client-owned and managed but delivered Software as a Service (SaaS) so you get the [...]
5 Competitive Boosters of an Automated Reconciliation System
Reconciliation is often overlooked and undervalued by firms. Done right, reconciliation can help you avoid regulatory risks, make informed decisions, and ultimately reduce costs. Unfortunately, reconciliation at many firms remains a laborious, time-consuming and risk-prone process relying heavily on spreadsheets and manual labor. This approach is not only inefficient but also fundamentally unsustainable in the long run. Planning well ahead, and considering automating your data reconciliation process early on, could be the competitive edge your firm has been seeking. Here are 5 competitive advantages to consider when deciding whether automated reconciliation is the right choice for you: 1. Informed investment decisions Asset managers are increasingly demanding further [...]