Reliability and Accuracy
Junction Partners expertise is focused on the evaluation, selection, installation, and ongoing support of investment accounting, portfolio management, performance and securities trading systems. Having completed numerous successful client engagements, Junction Partners has helped some of the financial industry’s largest and well-known firms achieve a higher level of efficiency and accuracy of operations.
Junction Partners is able to offer informed and educated solutions to your firm’s technology queries thanks to a wealth of experience with the leading financial technology systems. We’ve been able to help some of the largest institutional asset management firms with their trading systems needs based on a comprehensive review of specific investment system requirements, alternative service providers and software products, as well as a recommendation for the optimal system to satisfy your firm’s current and future needs.
Our knowledge and expertise runs deep
- Extensive market knowledge of the varied software vendors and products serving institutional investors and portfolio managers and experience with the vendor evaluation process.
- A philosophy that emphasizes practical solutions that incorporate your unique organization, personnel and technical resources, and current and future requirements.
- Development of a proposed recommendation resulting from careful evaluation of the cost-effectiveness of each alternative. Our goal is to identify an investment systems solution that will support your future requirements, address current processing requirements in a cost-effective manner, and enable you leverage the benefits of technology.
The Right Fit
In evaluating and deciding upon the systems that best fit your firm’s needs, Junction Partners employs a comprehensive analysis of current investment operations and trading work-flows beginning with on-site interviews with key management, traders and operations team members. The discussion includes the review of the following:
- Existing internal workflow documents from IT and Operations.
- Organizational structure and available resources
Detail data management and reporting requirements including:
- Front Office systems: trade history, STP capabilities, Charles River and Allocations
- Data aggregation and client reporting capabilities and requirements
- Pricing sources and reference data sources for equity and fixed income securities
- Custodian communication, reconciliation capabilities and confirm/affirm process
- Documented system requirements including custom applications
- System interfaces and interoperability capabilities and requirements.
- Audit controls, compliance and additional operational practices.
- Operations functions and work-flow characteristics
- Investment systems topology (systems application architecture).
- Performance measurement, composites and attribution needs.
- Client reporting, servicing and CRM tools.
- Portfolio pricing process.
- Electronic trade connectivity and STP considerations.
- Training and certification levels on current applications.
- Operational readiness to support of a quantitative strategy.
- Develop a profile including trading volumes, number of accounts, account types, systems used and operational workflows
The RFP Process
The RFI/RFP process is quite often the most important aspect of any implementation project. By using impartial and dedicated staff, Junction Partners can ensure that the whole process flows as smoothly and cost-effectively as possible.
Our proficiency in evaluation and selection of solutions for the investment management community has allowed Junction Partners to develop an unrivalled RFI/RFP process to support this important exercise. This approach allows us to add value to all types of RFI/RFP requirements in our specialist sector, from niche product selection through to multinational projects involving business-dependent core application replacements.
Junction Partners brings together a thorough understanding of our client needs with a detailed insight into the vendor and product landscape. We are constantly updating our information on new providers and use our first-hand experience of business processes and product functionality to ensure any selected package fully satisfies the client’s requirements.
Using prior project knowledge, Junction Partners can add value to one or all of the major steps of any RFI/RFP:
- Vendor Due Diligence
- Initial short list of vendors
- Production of RFP
- Collation and scoring of responses
- Vendor demonstrations (ensuring tailored presentations), including reference site visits if required
- Identify Final Solution, including a full project risk assessment
- Provide oversight through the Legal / Contract areas
Frequently, a third party like Junction Partners can more effectively speak on behalf of its client and cut through the typical complexities. This is particularly the case when multiple vendors are involved in delivering the solution of choice.
