This year's TSAM focused on the increasingly important topics of data management, outsourcing and client-servicing technology. Delegates, speakers and exhibitors gathered to share their thoughts on identifying the key developments, trends and challenges for 2010. Cognito spoke to some of the attendees after the show.

Speaking on behalf of Citisoft, a leading investment management consultancy, David Roy, management consultant told Cognito: "There is high demand among the investment management community for domain expertise with the continuation of operational re-design and platform rationalisation throughout the middle and back offices. We see more businesses increasing their expenditure on new technology, primarily in the alpha generation, distribution and client servicing functions." Specifically, Mr Roy noted data management's prominent role in all these improvement areas. "These projects can be a real challenge unless approached and managed appropriately. Data must be seen as an enabler not a disabler.  It was encouraging to see evidence at the event of how this universally challenging area is being tackled."

Building on this, Peter van Kleef, president & CEO, Lakeview Capital Market Services highlighted: "Every business has its core expertise. Many companies now realise that it is proving successful to recruit the know-how actively and outsource important aspects of business operations. Fundamentally, this saves time and reduces costs. In addition, the overall risk is reduced because the supporting infrastructure is kept to a minimum, which is also very attractive."

"Data management outsourcing and application hosting were very popular cost cutting measures even before the financial crisis" added Danielle Newland, product manager, Eagle Investment Systems. "Despite this, those who buy into data management projects are still largely concerned that they might lose control of their data during the process. People are now talking about how to get the most out of their solution, both from a financial and control point of view. We are yet to see the ‘wave' of regulation anticipated in the wake of the financial crisis, and as a result there is an air of hesitancy in terms of institutions bankrolling data management projects. However, with GIPS 2010 and other regulatory developments just around the corner, people should be looking forward and anticipating what measures would be best to implement before this occurs."

The schedule of presentations, panel discussions and roundtables covered further topics of interest to the buy-side such as systematic trading strategies, portfolio management and OTC derivatives. TSAM annually hosts over 500 delegates and up to 40 exhibitors in London. TSAM North America is scheduled to be held in New York in September 2010.

Uday Singh, CEO, Osney Media, said: "TSAM is well positioned to provide a stimulating environment for the biggest names in the buy-side to get together and reflect on the past 12 months and, importantly, to plan for the future. Given the topics that have been at the forefront of this year's event, it will be interesting to see the changes and developments in this industry throughout 2010."

Another great event!

Asset managers remain cautious despite markets rebounding

TSAM, Europe's largest buy-side technology and operations event, is due to be held this year on 9th March at the Brewery in the City of London. Cognito is the official PR agency. The conference will bring together high profile players as they overview how they have ridden out the worst of the recent financial crisis; emerging stronger, better and wiser. Attention will also be drawn to where the buy-side should focus its efforts in order to stay afloat and sustain growth.

Among this year's 65 speakers are Mark Holt, head of technology for Systemic Trading at BlueCrest Capital; Colin Close, president, Netik LLC; and Martyn Cuff, managing director at Allianz Global Investors Europe. Cognito caught up with them before the show.

The event will address how the buy-side will emerge and progress in 2010. Mr Holt, BlueCrest Capital, reflects on his presentation: "Without the developments in electronic trading over the past decade, buy-side trading would not exist at its current output or scale. The progressive disintegration of investment bank proprietary functions and the technology available for market access has created an inevitable momentum to move more trading activity to the buy-side. Indeed, electronic trading is helping to naturally restructure the finance industry; a process that is far from over." During his address on the anatomy of a systematic trading strategy, he will talk delegates through the generation, implementation and execution of various systems and strategies.

Speaking about data management and the implications of outsourcing, Mr Close, Netik, said: "It is important we don't assume the crisis is completely over and that some of its' characteristically complex investment practices are not resurgent. They are. For example, hedge funds are back with the additional twist that multi-strategy funds are emerging as attractive products. Even securitisation is not dead with CDOs and CLOs quietly returning in evolved, lower leveraged form. Therefore, huge complexity remains in the middle and back office at a time when the regulators and money-owners are demanding better operational processes and more transparent reporting. For buy-side firms to satisfy these demands in 2010, they are investing in prerequisite enterprise data management solutions and using these to enhance reporting and enable the outsourcing of investment operations processes in order to achieve the best practice that is expected of them. Their ability to attract assets will increasingly depend on them demonstrating success in such initiatives." 

The conference will also examine the rapidly changing business environment. Speaking about its impact upon risk, Mr Cuff, Allianz Global Investors Europe, added: "Risk and cost management are going to become progressively more important throughout 2010 and beyond, changing the balance of the environment we have grown used to pre the financial crisis. Products are going to retain their importance, although a product push alone is not good enough, with instead, clients also wanting a tailored solution-based approach. In terms of where these products and solutions come from, we can expect to see continued globalisation. This is not just European and US fund management companies going into developing markets but there are early signs that companies in countries such India and China are interested in moving into mature investment management markets."

Organised by Osney Media, the event will showcase speakers throughout ten individual streams and delegates will be able to meet over 40 solution providers who are exhibiting on the day. Come and see for yourself!

For more information or to enquire about a free press pass email adam.honeysett-watts@cognitomedia.com