Author: Andrew Jacob

Data 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

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Revolutionize 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

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Don’t Be Afraid of the Mesh

You cannot avoid hearing the term, but what is implied by the term ‘data mesh’? It is the latest step in architecture, governance, and data management evolution. We have lived (or view the history) through the databases to data warehouses, data virtualization, and then to data lakes and now lake-houses. Companies in our industry acknowledge the shortcomings of these frameworks, including accrued technical debt, ongoing and rising costs, and sprawling data lakes, which have not delivered the promised land to analysts and operational business users.

by Andrew Jacob, CFA

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Natural Allies: Investment Performance and the Data Office

This paper proposes that Investment Performance was (and in many cases, is) the original Data Office where governance issues come to a head. If this logic is true, starting a Data Governance effort with Investment Performance takes advantage of a natural ally already positioned to solve those very problems. This natural alliance may be the most efficient mechanism to understand the strengths and weaknesses of an enterprise’s existing data strategy and potentially advance efforts to resolve them rapidly. Starting with that premise, this paper looks at how a new or revamped data governance program would benefit from either starting at the end of the investment value chain – Investment Performance – or by aligning the Data Office and Investment Performance under the Chief Data Officer (CDO). As many Meradia projects intersect Data and Investment Performance, this paper highlights the synergies and overlap between these functions.

by Laurie Hesketh, CIPM, PMP
Andrew Jacob, CFA

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From Complexity to Efficiency – Modernizing Data Pipelines

In the fast-paced world of investment asset management, accurate and timely data is crucial for informed decision-making. Data pipelines serve as metaphorical vehicles that facilitate the movement of data from its source to delivery points. Traditionally, investment asset management firms have relied on multiple pipelines for different data sources, resulting in complex and cumbersome processes. This paper explores the concept of modern data pipelines in investment asset management, their advantages over traditional pipelines, and best practices for their implementation.

by Andrew Jacob, CFA

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Nine Trends Defining Financial Data Management in 2023 and Beyond

While it’s impossible to know exactly what to expect for the future of the data management and governance industry, research and experience combine to yield what we believe will be the top trends over the coming years. These trends will shape the technology, operations, and performance of nearly every firm in the investment industry in some way.

by Andrew Jacob, CFA, Senior Consultant

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4 Mistakes When Implementing a Data Catalog

Building and implementing a data glossary are two common goals for many investment firms in their annual strategy setting. But what happens when you rush into it without proper planning? Four common mistakes can occur which can hamper your development or make the final product irrelevant. This paper will discuss these missteps and offer prevention strategies.

by Andrew R. Jacob, CFA, Senior Consultant

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Market Data Contracts – Managing the Invisible Fence

Market data is like a river that flows through an investment firm’s landscape, supplying the essential data to function and operate competitively. Exchanges and vendors that own and provide this data often charge a premium due to its exclusive nature. The way investment firms acquire this data is via market data contracts, which may carry restrictions that seem onerous. In this paper, we will discuss the nature of these restrictions and four approaches to handling them.

by Andrew R Jacob, CFA, Senior Consultant
Jose Michaelraj, CIPM, CAIA, Manager

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The Wave of Mandatory ESG Financial Disclosures Has Begun. When Will the Wave Hit the U.S.?

Over the past two years, the world has seen Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) disclosure requirements grow at a rapid pace, and the first sets of ESG financial disclosures go into effect. Now, a trend of mandatory ESG financial disclosures has begun. From required stress tests in Q1 2022 mandated by the European Central Bank to New Zealand’s new law enshrining a global climate-related disclosure framework, 2022 will go down in history as a period of change. Here, we help investment managers understand mandated requirements and what U.S.-based companies can expect in 2022.

by Andrew R. Jacob, CFA, Consultant…

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