Waters
James Rundle: The Devil in the Details
The regulatory freight train is rushing full speed ahead in the opening months of 2012, but not without sincere attempts to derail it along the way. As well as that, James says, regulators are making efforts to gain real insight into how the financial…
No Turning Back: Firms Forge Ahead on Data Quality
In light of the global regulatory environment and firms looking to become more efficient while cutting costs, data quality has become a focal point for many technologists. However, the challenges are many and there’s still confusion as to who owns the…
Big Data Webcast
Waters gathered leading industry experts to discuss the latest developments in the big data space in a webcast on 14 February
First New York Securities' Jean Hill’s Blank Slate
Manhattan-based proprietary trading firm First New York brought Jean Hill on board to build its infrastructure from the ground up. However, there were several points during her career when it looked as though she was destined for any number of paths but…
February 2012: Is Hardware Sexy Again?
The emphasis is generally on the software side of the business, but Victor argues that hardware is just as sexy.
Hard Coding: The Benefits and Drawbacks of FPGAs
Field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) are being touted in certain circles as the next wave of technology in the financial services industry, gaining adherents for their ability to perform complex tasks at previously inconceivable speeds. However, with…
Do They Only Like Me for My Algos?
Unlike bulge-bracket firms, mid-tier broker-dealers have to make tough choices about which algorithms to white label and which ones to develop themselves. They want to optimize their value to clients, but aren’t always sure what clients are looking for…
The Case for Automation
IT teams are faced with supporting systems that facilitate high-speed trading where huge amounts of money hang in the balance. Overlooking even the smallest hiccup can bring the whole infrastructure to its knees. How can these increasingly complex…
Max Bowie: Is Your Data Half Empty or Half Full in 2012?
Rising interest in emerging markets and asset classes such as commodities could aid a recovery in the data industry this year. But after several lean years of staff and budget cuts, Max asks whether financial firms have left enough meat on the bone to…
Michael Shashoua: The Rise of Index Fund Data
Exchange-traded funds based on alternative weighted indexes are growing, creating greater demand for handling index data. Michael describes the effects the growth is having on data processing and how firms are thinking about managing increased data…
Anthony Malakian: The Changing of Mores
At times it seems like fund managers give too much credence to hackers, when the real danger lies within. As a result, many hedge funds are not embracing new technological outlets because of long-held beliefs and old habits—habits that Anthony says need…
Rob Daly: It’s All About the WAN
Although the industry focuses on cloud computing and Big Data, it really needs to look at the new bottleneck of wide-area network connectivity, according to Rob.
Cloud Computing's Critical Mass
Cloud computing is having a profound impact on society. Although relatively slow to adopt this technology—mainly due to security fears—more investment management firms are turning to the cloud to achieve scale, cut costs and improve client communication…
Credit Trading Gets a Kick
Icap Electronic Broking expects to see dramatic performance improvement in its BrokerTec credit-trading platform, as the firm nears the end of a two-and-a-half-year project to roll out the new global matching-engine architecture. By Rob Daly
Try Before You Buy: Firms, Vendors Employ Proofs of Concept
Technology vendors were once loath to give away their ideas for free. Financial service firms were similarly unwilling to invest in a project that might be a sunk cost. However, attitudes are changing, and it is now standard for companies to pay for…
60 Seconds with ...
Patrick Lastennet, director of marketing and business devlopment, financial services, Interxion
Risk and Compliance: Driven by Data
The efficacy of risk management and compliance practices across the buy side and sell side, two of the most high-profile business drivers for the foreseeable future, is entirely contingent on the quality and consistency of the data feeding those systems…
Numbers Game: Gauging the Impact of Big Data
Big Data is growing and is clearly a driving topic in 2012. As with many recent innovations, however, its definition is amorphous. In the first of a two-part feature, Waters examines exactly what constitutes Big Data, where it comes from, and why it’s…
AMERICAN FINANCIAL TECHNOLOGY AWARDS: Nothing Succeeds Like Success
The American Financial Technology Awards, now in their seventh year, recognize financial technologists from the buy side, the sell side and market centers who inject innovation into the capital markets through technology. Waters salutes the 2011 winners.
AMERICAN FINANCIAL TECHNOLOGY AWARDS: Best IT Team: Barclays Capital
JUDGE’S COMMENT: Barclays PRS turns data across multiple asset class into meaningful information. It also seems to put that information in the hands of the right people ... and gives Barclays the ability to create new reports and distribute them with…
AMERICAN FINANCIAL TECHNOLOGY AWARDS: Best CIO: Catherine Bessant, Bank of America
JUDGE'S COMMENT: Bessant's diverse background provides an invaluable perspective for one who has to oversee the technology needs for a corporate, investment and retail banking institution.
AMERICAN FINANCIAL TECHNOLOGY AWARDS: Best IT Integration Initiative: State Street
JUDGE’S COMMENT: It is a great innovation on the part of the staff to develop the Virtual Integration Architecture (VIA). I particularly like how this State Street technology effort led to reusable “process improvements and a project-governance approach.”
AMERICAN FINANCIAL TECHNOLOGY AWARDS: Best OTC Trading Initiative: JPMorgan
JUDGE'S COMMENT: This project was very challenging in terms of the business logic and integration it needed with various systems to create a single, consolidated statement for all cleared and bilateral asset classes.
AMERICAN FINANCIAL TECHNOLOGY AWARDS: Best Green IT Initiative: State Street
JUDGE’S COMMENT: This is a simple, yet effective solution that leaves lots of potential for the firm to make additional savings in other areas.