Asset Owners¹ play a pivotal role in the institutional side of the investment landscape, utilizing capital markets to fulfill the long-term needs of beneficiaries. Their objectives are intricately tied to liquidity requirements and investment horizons, overseen by stakeholders such as Boards, Trustees, and Investment Committees. Given the diverse asset classes involved, a blend of internal
Read Full ArticleThe AI Revolution: Must-Knows for Financial Operations Leaders
The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the financial sector is not merely a trend but a transformational evolution redefining the industry. This paper illustrates strategic business cases within financial operations where AI has not only been implemented but has also generated substantial value. At Meradia, we are convinced that the intersection of human creativity
Read Full ArticleMeradia’s 2024 Industry Outlook
As we conclude the first quarter of 2024, the financial services industry continues to evolve at a rapid pace, driven by transformative technologies with potential to reshape investment operations. At Meradia, we anticipate a dynamic year will continue to unfold, characterized by innovation, regulatory shifts, and strategic opportunities. Reflecting on discussions with my team and
Read Full ArticleLes secrets des stratégies de transformation des données réussies
Le secteur financier connaît une véritable vague de transformations. Les fournisseurs exercent une forte influence sur le front-office, fournissant des données et des applications intégrées, tandis que les prestataires de services d’actifs prennent en charge les opérations post-marché, middle-office et back-office. L’IA générative, le traitement du langage naturel (TALN) et l’apprentissage automatique offrent des possibilités
Read Full ArticleData Mesh – Investment Industry Trend or Unicorn?
Recently, we attended a financial data industry event and listened to one company after another share their experiences in their data governance and management journey. That day, we learned that only a few had moved forward with a data mesh save for leaders in the industry. Those leaders shared their implementation stories, and we will share this question with you. What came to our minds at the time was whether Data Mesh was a unicorn in the investment industry. Is the self-service data platform a myth or a reality? With that question in mind, we spoke to several firms at the gathering and interviewed others afterward to learn about the data mesh ‘state of the union’ in the investment industry.
by Andrew Jacob, CFA
Read Full ArticleUAT for Performance Transformations Is Notoriously Difficult. It Doesn’t Need To Be.
User Acceptance Testing (UAT) can throw projects into a frustrating and mind-numbing stall, which is catastrophic to any transformation. The terror of botching a go-live event with insufficient data commonly leads users into a frenzy of checking, double-checking, approving, re-checking, and reapproving. As the process repeats across test cases, progress toward user confidence seems negligible.
Read Full ArticleOperational Challenges of M&A with Jonathan Boersma, CFA | GIPS® 2023
During the 27th Annual GIPS Standards conference hosted by CFA Institute, Jonathan Boersma, CFA, was invited to speak on mergers and acquisitions with CFA Institute’s Director of Global Industry Standards Beth Kaiser Schwartz, CFA, CIPM, and Insight Investment’s James O’Leary. View the video here: https://players.brightcove.net/pages/v1/index.html?accountId=1183701590001&playerId=rkcysOOFe&videoId=6339983404112&autoplay=true Jonathan also wrote about the operational challenges of mergers and
Read Full ArticleFacing the Challenges of Mergers and Acquisitions
With one in six asset managers expected to be acquired or go out of business in the next five years, preparing for M&A activities is crucial for success. It’s important to consider each option’s potential benefits and challenges and to carefully evaluate whether M&A activities align with your firm’s goals and values. However, these processes can have significant challenges, including cost management, personnel, and legal and regulatory issues. Jonathan Boersma, CFA’s latest article, « Facing the Challenges of Mergers and Acquisitions », explores these challenges and provides considerations for mitigating them.
by Jonathan Boersma, CFA
Read Full ArticleMaximizing Value In Asset Management: A Closer Look At Insourced Operations
INVESTMENT OPERATIONS IS AN ASSET, NOT A LIABILITY What is the role of investment operations in asset management? Should asset managers insource, outsource, or use managed services? The decision is a difficult one. Discussions around modern target operating models and how to utilize investment operations have highlighted the benefits of outsourcing middle and back-office functions.
Read Full ArticleRevolutionize Investment Operations With AI-Driven Data Catalogs
Are you looking to stand up or revise a data catalog? Is understanding your data one of your company’s goals or principles? Understanding the full scope of your data involves a top-down understanding and a bottom-up inventory. This provides valuable insights into your current state to enable multiple efforts to be launched at your firm, but who has the time? The new methodology developed using AI technology and industry expertise reduced the time and client resources required to inventory data and stand up a catalog to a fraction of the normal amount. In this paper, we share the methodology and tools to help you achieve your firm’s goals both effectively and efficiently.
by Andrew Jacob, CFA, Senior Consultant
Kevin Coffin, CIPM, Zengines, Head of Customer Success