Middle and Back Office Solutions Insights

Global Investment Performance Standards (GIPS) are voluntary, ethical standards based on the fundamental principles of full disclosure and fair representation of investment performance. As investor expectations increase and product innovation develops, the standards are evolving to remain relevant and maintain their core purpose: ensuring... read more

Given the importance and complexity of the compliance process, it is only natural to consider outsourcing the checks needed to perform for client onboarding versus managing them in-house. The risk of not using the correct Know Your Business (KYB), Know Your Customer (KYC) and Anti-Money Laundering (AML) information to onboard a new customer is... read more

The Fifth Anti-Money Laundering Directive (5AMLD) is set to have a big impact on the payments and wider financial services sector. 5AMLD is designed to further restrict access to financial services by criminals, strengthening transparency rules to prevent large-scale concealment of funds. Amidst concerns over the terrorist threat, demands... read more

Banks shouldn’t feel pressured into wholesale changes to their core banking systems, when the real battle for innovation and customer retention will be won with software and services sitting in the middle layer, says SunTec CEO Nanda Kumar. “Humans have 70 different organs, and each has its own function. You don’t try to change... read more

Over half a century on from the ATM’s birthday, headlines about ATMs closing at a record rate and the rise of so called ‘ATM deserts’ – areas where the cash dispenser is a rare sight – have not been in short supply. ATMs under threat from rising costs One of the main reasons why cash and ATMs are under threat is... read more

Hedge fund launches are at 18-year lows and emerging managers are facing an uphill battle for capital when compared to their larger, more established peers. According to the FT, “the composition of the hedge fund industry’s investor base has also changed over time. Allocations are now dominated by large institutional clients that... read more

Cost-cutting has been a go-to for many buy-side managers since the financial crisis, as fees, and therefore margins, slumped while regulatory outlay soared. But 10 years since the darkest days in investment management, a corner has been turned. The 100 buy-side firms we spoke to for this year’s industry survey displayed a... read more

Artificial intelligence (AI)'s potential is difficult to pin down. In a competitive market like investment banking every advantage is needed to come out on top in terms of profitability, lead generation and customer experience. Yet according to a June 2018 survey from Greenwich Associates, just 17% of investment professionals are... read more

Alistair Rennie joined IBM in 2007 in the firm’s Toronto Software Laboratory and has held a number of senior and executive roles. Previously general manager for IBM’s Industry Analytics Unit, he is responsible for leading the creation and delivery of cognitive solutions for the financial services industry. Bobsguide caught up with... read more