TIBCO Software Inc., a global leader in enterprise data, empowers its customers to connect, unify, and confidently predict business outcomes, solving the world’s most complex data-driven challenges. Today, TIBCO announced its recognition as an overall Leader in Vendor Credibility in Dresner Advisory Service’s 2021 Wisdom of Crowds® Business Intelligence Market Study, making this the fifth consecutive report naming TIBCO a Leader. In addition, TIBCO was cited "best in class" for robustness and sophistication of its technology, and was given a perfect recommendation score.

“This year’s Wisdom of Crowds market study shows game-changing improvements for TIBCO in all the survey measures, across the board. To once again be highlighted by Dresner as a Leader is validation for the work our teams do in delivering a compelling customer experience and fostering innovation within our partner network,” said Michael O’Connell, chief analytics officer, TIBCO. “Our customers clearly see tremendous value in our products and technologies, and in the breadth of our expertise to support their journey to sustainable innovation.” 

In its 12th edition, The Wisdom of Crowds® Business Intelligence Market Study draws from a 33-criteria vendor performance measurement system evaluating 26 vendors' performance, market suitability, and capacity to deliver. The Dresner study includes input from thousands of users from companies big and small, from all functional areas and vertical markets worldwide. This year, Dresner cited TIBCO as above the overall sample and named it a Technology Leader in its Customer Experience Model and an Overall Leader in its Vendor Credibility Model. 

TIBCO’s focus on delivering an all-encompassing Hyperconverged Analytics experience spearheads the industry's need to democratise real-time analytics, providing agile decision models needed by organisations looking to fast-track economic recovery. This is driven by visual data science workflows that make quick work of exploring structured, unstructured, and streaming data to pave the way for adaptable and relevant customer experiences.

“We see more organisations reliably and consistently creating relevant insights across the enterprise, setting the stage for closed-loop processes that ensure timely, concerted action,” said Howard Dresner, founder and chief research officer, Dresner Advisory Services. “We congratulate TIBCO on their strong performance in this year’s market evaluation.”

Learn more about TIBCO’s robust offerings here.

Leading UK RegTech specialist SmartSearch has warned the UK could be left behind in the fight against money laundering and financial fraud, if it fails to coordinate with the new agency being formed by the EU.

It has emerged that the European Commission will launch the Anti-Money Laundering Authority (AMLA) as part of a raft of measures contained in its action plan, set to be revealed on July 20.

The AMLA is a dedicated agency working independently of member states’ national authorities, giving it much greater power to identify and act upon significant money laundering threats.

It will also have new powers to fine businesses in breach of regulations up to ten per cent of turnover, and it will be looking at risks from non-EU countries such as the UK.

John Dobson, CEO at SmartSearch which operates both in the UK and the EU, said: “The formation of a dedicated resource to tackle the growing problem of money laundering, primarily through sectors such as the property market, is a positive step by the EU.

“Since the outbreak of the global pandemic we’ve seen organised criminal gangs in the UK taking advantage by exploiting loopholes in AML processes and using increasingly more sophisticated forged ID documents to get their dirty money through the laundering process.”

As part of the UK Budget announcement in March chancellor Rishi Sunak announced the formation of a new HMRC taskforce to tackle tax evasion and fraud, which is set to employ 1,000 extra investigators.

Dobson says the task force needs to work alongside agencies in other countries and make use of the latest technology to identify the source of the most significant money laundering threats.

He adds: “Of course, this is a global issue so it’s vital that the UK coordinates its response with the EU and other nations, as organised crime gangs won’t be concerned about political borders.

“Obviously as we are no longer part of the EU, this new authority will have no jurisdiction in the UK, but in order to be able to fight the threat of money laundering here in the UK most effectively, it’s vital that we coordinate and cooperate with the AMLA, otherwise risk getting left behind.”

For more information about anti-money laundering solutions in the UK, please visit www.smartsearch.com

Finzly, a fintech provider of modern banking applications for payments, foreign exchange, trade finance and digital account opening, today announced a new partnership with ICBA Bancard, the payments services subsidiary of The Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA), to facilitate instant payments via Finzly’s Payment Galaxy, a payment hub for improved convenience, cash flow and efficiency for community banks and their customers. Finzly was a fintech participant in ICBA’s 2020 ThinkTECH Accelerator program.

“The rise in digital and contactless payments, fueled by the pandemic, has heighted demand for faster payments,” ICBA Bancard President and CEO Tina Giorgio said. “Through this collaboration, ICBA Bancard is helping community banks deliver payments when and where customers want while streamlining their payment processes for additional value and distinction in the market.”

Payment Galaxy enables the provision of existing payment services like ACH and wires, alongside the new instant payment rails, including The Clearinghouse’s RTP® and when available, FedNow^SM using a single, core agnostic, interface.

Finzly's instant payment solution takes the complexity out of instant payments and can be up and running in as little as three months. The payments hub features: 

• Preloaded connections to the Fed and The Clearing House for instant payments
• Built-in compliance features, powerful audit trails and meaningful dashboards
• Bulk payment service to pay in real-time or future date scheduling
• A secure system for payments and messages for fraud management

“We are very excited to partner with ICBA Bancard and are eager to see more community banks pursuing the road to innovation through smarter payments transformation,” Finzly Founder and CEO Booshan Rengachari said. “Finzly’s payments hub not only helps banks stay relevant in today’s fast-paced market, but also helps future-proof their payment infrastructure.”

he National Association of Minority Mortgage Bankers of America (NAMMBA) and Finastra have partnered to bring about positive change in the mortgage industry, meeting the needs of underserved communities and developing a more diverse mortgage workforce. As a Diamond Plus Partner to NAMMBA, Finastra will support the purpose-driven organization’s efforts to enrich and improve the situations of women and minorities who work in the real estate finance industry. This vision aligns with Finastra’s own commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the financial services industry and the idea that finance can be a source of change for the good of society.

“We’re extremely excited to forge this long-term partnership with Finastra and welcome their support in pursuing our vision for the mortgage space,” said NAMMBA Founder/CEO Tony Thompson, CMB. “Over the next five years, NAMMBA will expand its mission to foster diversity and inclusion in other areas of financial services, such as retail banking and wealth management. As the largest pure-play software vendor serving the entire financial services industry, Finastra will be a meaningful partner in helping NAMMBA achieve this goal.” 

The partnership will lead to a greater understanding of how technology can be leveraged to drive positive change in mortgage decisioning, from eliminating bias in lending to making funding accessible to communities in need. In addition to gaining access to the diverse and experienced talent pool of NAMMBA’s members, Finastra will have the opportunity to work with NAMMBA to provide training, education and career development resources to the real estate finance industry, and support sustainable home ownership in communities across the United States.

“Finastra believes that when technology and real-life challenges meet, the global community is presented with the opportunity to build a better tomorrow that tackles significant challenges around financial inclusion, fairness in financial decisions, and support for individuals and communities as they navigate through change,” said Puja Agrawal, Chief Operating Officer, Americas, Finastra. “We are proud to partner with NAMMBA in its mission to support women and minorities in the real estate finance industry, and in doing so, bring greater opportunities for all on the path to home ownership. Together we can redefine finance for good - driving meaningful change in the financial services industry and building a more equitable world for all.”

According to NAMMBA, over the next five years, 75 percent of all first-time home buyers will be women, millennials or people of color. Although there is concern across the industry about a stagnant or shrinking housing market, purchase mortgage opportunity is not only growing, it’s changing. According to NAMMBA’s most recent mortgage market forecast, the three largest diverse borrower groups (Asians, African-Americans, and Hispanics) generated more than $292 billion of purchase opportunity in 2020, which amounts to 24.2 percent of all purchase dollar opportunities. However, this borrower group faces systemic obstacles to realizing their goals of home ownership, which can be overcome through a mix of education, understanding, representation and technology.

FinTech Expert Joins Executive Team to Drive Client Success, Capture Market Opportunity and Execute Strategic Vision 

Broadway Technology, a leading provider of high-performance front-office solutions, today announced it appointed Bruce Boytim Chief Operating Officer. Boytim joined Broadway’s expanded executive team to optimize business development processes, drive strategic direction and deliver seamless client experiences. He is responsible for accelerating global growth, driving day-to-day operations and ensuring Broadway’s technology offerings continue to exceed client requirements.

Boytim brings extensive business development, strategy and operations experience to his role at Broadway, with expertise in establishing and growing new businesses and commercial products and expanding into new geographies across various financial and regulatory environments. His experience spans all areas of business operations including revenue growth, finance, technology, organizational structure and compliance. Prior to Broadway he served as COO and CSO at Pico, where he expanded the company’s footprint and significantly increased revenue, growing the company into a dominant financial services provider. He was previously Vice President at the New York Stock Exchange, where he oversaw NYSE Technologies’ Risk Management and Managed Connectivity business and was involved in the launch of the Mahwah datacenter. Earlier in his career he held roles as manager of the Americas Sales Engineering and Electronic Trade Support desks for cash equities and derivatives at Merrill Lynch, COO/CCO of Wave Securities LLC, and risk management and compliance at Northern Trust and TD Waterhouse.

“Broadway is in a period of hyper growth and continued innovation, and we’re thrilled to have an executive of Bruce’s caliber join our Executive Team,” said Michael Chin, CEO of Broadway Technology. “Bruce’s deep industry knowledge and proven operational and go-to-market expertise will be critical as we expand into new markets and capitalize on the significant opportunities ahead of us. His rich experience leading organizations through periods of transformation and rapid growth while maintaining focus on customer success will ensure we continuously add value in today’s dynamic trading landscape and best position Broadway for future growth.” 

“Broadway has a longstanding and exceptional record of technology excellence, product innovation and commitment to client service, and tremendous opportunity to further evolve its offerings and capture market share. I am proud to join the Executive Team to help accelerate go-to-market strategy, optimize operations and expand our global growth opportunities,” said Bruce Boytim, COO of Broadway Technology. “Broadway has always been at the forefront of innovation and this is an exciting time in the company’s growth story. I look forward to working with Broadway’s talented team and global customers to continue this legacy as we lead capital markets further into the future.”

State Street Corporation today announced that its service contract with the National Pension Service of Korea (NPS), the world’s third largest pension fund^[1], has been renewed.  State Street will continue to provide back-office and middle-office services for the NPS’ global equity and alternatives portfolios which have KRW 222 trillion (USD 195 billion) and KRW 49 trillion (USD 43 billion) assets under management respectively^[2].

“We are excited to be continuing our long-term partnership with the NPS,” said Ian Martin, global head of Asset Owner Segment at State Street. “Over the past decade, the NPS has diversified its investment portfolio by raising allocations to foreign and alternative assets. Searching for returns across multiple asset classes requires a fresh approach to mitigating risk and managing data. We are proud to be helping the NPS harmonize and capitalize on data. This reappointment underscores our capabilities in terms of supporting pension funds to manage risk effectively, drive operational efficiency, balance liquidity and achieve better outcomes for their members.”

State Street has been providing custody, fund accounting, performance and analytics, mandate compliance and securities lending services to the NPS’ global equity and alternatives portfolio since 2014. In 2018, the NPS appointed State Street to support its middle-office operations, including Investment Book of Record (IBOR) services, transaction management, trade processing and data consolidation and customization services.

“Over the past seven years, we have built a strong partnership with the NPS based not only our capabilities but also on our focus on continuous innovation and commitment to prioritize environmental, social and governance (ESG),” said Mostapha Tahiri, chief executive officer for Asia Pacific at State Street. “Sustainability is one of the six investment principles of the NPS and it is also a core value for State Street. We embed ESG principles into everything we do to create a more sustainable future for our business and the communities we serve. Many leading institutional investors in Asia Pacific, like the NPS, have been incorporating ESG factors into their investment processes. In the fast-paced, ever-changing financial services industry, we innovate constantly to help our clients stay abreast of and manage critical business issues.”

State Street services more than 500 asset owners across pensions, corporations, endowments and foundations globally. Its asset owner solutions range from asset management, liquidity, investment operations and global custody, to institutional accounting, and data and analytics.

Combine the streaming services with AI technologies and blockchain

• The aim is to improve consumer accessibility and participation by providing consumers with access to personalised live content enriched by contributions from other users.
• COPA EUROPE will also use Artificial Intelligence technologies to generate personalised content tailored to users' preferences and needs.
• With blockchain technology, both professionals and fans of sports and eSports will be directly involved in the buying/selling of content.

Worldline, the European leader in payment and transactional services, is leading the COPA EUROPE project under the auspices of the European Commission (Directorate‑General for Communications Networks, Content and Technology), which aims to develop new technologies for the generation, distribution and consumption of advanced and personalised digital content in the field of sports and eSports.

COPA EUROPE will implement a cloud-based infrastructure to collect, host, transcode (adapt to different encoding formats) and distribute digital content from European sporting events. The platform will encompass all the necessary services, building blocks and 5G connectivity to provide an end-to-end service, including collaborative content generation and multi-channel distribution from anywhere in high-quality interactive formats.

Thanks to blockchain technology, both sports broadcasting professionals and sports and eSports fans will be at the centre of the decision-making process for the purchase/sale of content, agreeing the terms and conditions in an agile, automatic and transparent way, and maintaining the option to unsubscribe at any time. This ensures the immediate compensation agreed with the authors of the content, preserving their ownership rights over the content.

COPA EUROPE will also use Artificial Intelligence technologies to generate personalised content tailored to users' preferences and needs, which will enable European content providers to deliver more and better products leading to the expansion of their subscriber base through better quality services and, as a result, higher returns on investment.

Furthermore, in the particular case of eSports, COPA EUROPE will draw on transmedia storytelling technologies for the distribution of stories across multiple channels, complementary to the narrative media, to create a unified and complete entertainment experience that is far more rewarding to experience than the sum of its individual components.

According to Toni Paradell, R&D Manager at Worldline Iberia: "Our project aims to bring the most advanced technologies to the sports and eSports sector. We are however aware of the very difficult times that the leisure, culture and sports sectors are going through, but precisely such a situation motivates us even more to work hand in hand with all the relevant actors in COPA EUROPE's ambition to contribute to the activation and recovery of these sectors".