It’s exciting that cloud technology, which is fuelling iTunes and managing everything I read, review and share with friends, is the same magic that’s enabling asset managers to serve their clients in my working world.

Our clients are worried about regulatory changes. Their clients are worried about holding risky assets during volatile times. But they shouldn’t worry; complying with regulation can come down to one basic thing: clean, accurate, easily accessible data.

Technologies that maintain data integrity and provide strong portfolio analytics tools can help companies face regulations head on, confidently and simply. And the sweet spot is, these technologies also help investment management companies answer customers’ needs too.

Consider this: consumers now expect to be able to access massive amounts of data now, from wherever they are in the world. Whether it’s a download from iTunes, a bank account balance, or the latest weather forecast, consumers expect the data will be accurate and trustworthy. In the same way, asset managers expect that when they access critical portfolio analysis data, that data will be “clean.”

So here it is: companies who invest in data management technologies can be one step ahead of the competition by simply making the lives of their employees easier. This is especially true for teams involved in regulation. They can be confident in pulling clean, accurate data versus going through numerous people, spreadsheets, files and wasting untold amounts of time, to access the data and cross-referencing for accuracy. They also have a much easier job of ensuring compliance if their data clearly shows how their customers’ portfolios are exposed to risk.

You may think it’s not that simple, but it really is. It’s exciting that cloud technology, which is fuelling iTunes and managing everything I read, review and share with friends, is the same magic that’s enabling asset managers to serve their clients in my working world. The infrastructure that makes iTunes (and Google Docs and countless others) possible is the same that will give smart asset managers a greater advantage.

Operationally, the cloud reduces the cost of ownership and boosts efficiencies in three ways.

• Consistent data: cloud-based technologies for asset managers bring data that once lived separately in the front-, middle- and back office into one place.
• Always accessible: enabling employees to use the same technology at anytime from anywhere. The best cloud-based analytics platforms provide both the ability to quickly create reports and the technology to easily share that data, which leads to smarter conversations with clients.
• Deployed in seconds: Reduce your IT footprint and focus on client relationships. It’s about less spend and freeing up time too.

Need I say more? Our clients need secure data management technology and risk reports that are simple and easy to share. Their clients are demanding risk reports that are easy to understand and ready now. I say ask about cloud technology to improve data management, get compliant and serve your clients better.