Data
How we work with clients
We work with leading asset and wealth managers and asset owners globally to support their data strategies and maturity across every part of their business - from foundational technology and service offerings, data management and governance through to advancements in analytics and reporting. We provide our clients with insights to support defining data strategies and operating models and identifying competitive data offerings to help them manage and leverage their data.
Our Capabilities span:
Data Strategy Development
- Definition of an effective data capability, to help support a firm’s strategic aims
- Broad engagement with business functions to understand pain-points and ambitions for data
- Coverage of data governance, management, operations and ‘end use’ from technology
Data Operating Model Design & Vendor Selection
- Deep investigation of a firm’s current state data operating model landscape
- Data operating model design across people, process and technology perspectives
- Implementation roadmap definition
- RFP design, build, and execution
Data Platform Design & Implementation
- Platform design, including: data architecture, data source assessments, mapping & transformations, technology, cloud and security architecture design
- Platform build and implementation, including: pipeline and ETL / ELT build, data storage and modelling build, MDM / EDM build, cloud infrastructure implementation and data governance and quality management tooling implementation
- Backed by a robust and proven delivery methodology
Data Analytics Enablement & Implementation
- ‘Data culture’ development, upskilling on data across business functions
- Design, build and implementation of dashboard and advanced analytics solutions across investment teams and support functions
Why Alpha?
Alpha are uniquely positioned to bring industry data expertise across a range of practice areas, as well as technical capabilities supported by our proven accelerators and frameworks. Rather than generic data recommendations and solutions, our industry expertise and proven technical capabilities enables tailored and specific support for our clients across the full operating model alongside delivery excellence in data
Q&A with Chris Rushworth, UK Data Practice Lead
What do Alpha mean by 'Data'?
'Data' has emerged as a strategic theme within investment management in recent years, driven by regulation but also competitive pressure - the ability to manage data and exploit it as a strategic asset is seen by many firms as a key enabler of future growth.
Why has Data become a strategic priority for many firms?
Breaking down information siloes, unlocking information to better understand its clients, better deploy its investment approach or better run its operations have all long been goals for Asset and Wealth Management firms – but realizing those goals has, historically, been an expensive and complex undertaking, particularly from a technology point of view.
Developments in technology and vendor offerings have significantly ‘lowered the moat’ making powerful and sophisticated data capabilities available to firms through cloud infrastructure and data sharing as well new advanced data analytics and data science techniques
Creation of a strong data capability that can exploit these advances is now becoming ‘table stakes’ for investment management firms as client and regulatory expectations demand ‘data driven’ information provision. Innovation is also becoming a strong motivator with recent developments in AI – exploitation of these new, exciting automation capabilities demands a strong data capability
What data challenges do firms face today?
Common challenges we see at clients include:
Establishing a ‘single version of the truth’ for key investment data sets to support processes such as a client reporting and client servicing
Distributing data around a firm e.g. into risk analysis and reporting platforms and enabling ‘self-service’ of data
Integration and matching of new datasets – particularly with respect to ESG
Creating a ‘data culture’ and skills base that encourages teams to innovate with the data they have available and to take on a ‘product mindset’ with the data sets they produce
What kind of practical steps can firms take to implement their data strategy?
Creation of a ‘data platform’ is a common recommendation in our work with clients – this is the collection of technology a firm needs to aggregate its data and ensure it is of the right level of quality. The landscape of vendor offerings for investment management data platforms id broad and rapidly changing.
Another common recommendation is the creation of a data governance model – ie focusing on the ‘people’ side of data. Agreeing, at a senior level, the ownership of key data sets as well as the policies and procedures to manage them can create immediate benefit for firms.
