Symbiont, the market-leading smart contracts platform for institutional applications of distributed ledger technology, today announced a strategic partnership with Chinese software giant Hundsun Technologies Inc, which includes an investment by a division of Hundsun in Symbiont’s Series A-1 round. 

The carrier neutral data communication specialists at Custom Connect are making the cloud easier to navigate, cheaper, and more reliable with the launch of their Cloud Application Performance service. With a clear understanding of how mission-critical the cloud is to enterprises all over the world, Custom Connect will now offer CAP to connect global clouds with just one port and fixed, predictable, and transparent pricing.

The service will transform how enterprises navigate the quickly growing cloud technology sector, but also offer customers guaranteed bandwidth performance - one of the biggest challenges facing the cloud today. 

Custom Connect’s CEO, Olav van Doorn: “Everything is moving into the cloud, and at Custom Connect, our vision is to secure the ever-important cloud application performance for our clients anytime, anywhere. We’re shifting away from the rest of the industry that’s focusing on their own ‘cloud islands’ instead of securing cloud network performance for global enterprises. With CAP, you gain full control over your global interconnected clouds, get guaranteed performance, as well as fixed predictable and transparent pricing”.

Custom Connect’s CTO Rutger Bevaart: “With Custom Connect’s newest service, the Cloud Application Performance, innovative businesses can now connect to every single cloud service in the world via one port, manage global cloud connections with one partner, and can rely on guaranteed bandwidth with end-end application performance. It’s never been easier to connect to the cloud”. 

Custom Connect is a global data communication specialist that provides solutions to connect your offices, data centers, or cloud environments anywhere in the world. Our carrier neutral operating model is not bound to any single provider, meaning we can access any operator, carrier, or network worldwide. With our connectivity-model, we secure engagement with your customers, partners, and employees.

TIM Group, the global provider of software, services and platforms for institutional investors to achieve market-beating returns has recruited a new Sales Director in its New York office to increase its footprint in a key market and to continue to support its US clients.

Jeff Bauman joins the team from Thomson Reuters where he was responsible for selling quant datafeeds and analytics. Bauman joined Thomson Reuters as part of the StarMine acquisition in 2008. He began his career as an equity research analyst for Prudential Securities and Smith Barney. Jeff holds an MBA in Finance from Fordham Gabelli School of Business. Jeff will report to Michael Chiappinelli, Head of Sales - North America.

“Jeff’s career is the perfect combination of equity research, strategy and technological expertise, that will help TIM Group further connect financial industry professionals through our proprietary network,” said Chiappinelli. “TIM Group is revolutionizing how investment advice is distributed, analyzed and monetized and the appointment of Jeff will go a long way to expanding our network into new firms. We are looking forward to further growing our US team.”  

The appointment of Jeff is the latest move the TIM Group has made as the company grows into its new office space at 888 Seventh Avenue, New York where it provides local delivery of client services and assists clients with specific requirements generated within the US market. Today, TIM Group’s network includes more than 2,800 sell-side contributors providing trade ideas to more than 250 buy-side firms globally. 

“Market changes around the world are driving the need for trade ideas and market analysis delivered in real-time to provide the buy-side with demonstrably predictive insights into future stock prices,” said Jeff Bauman. “I look forward to growing TIM Group’s buy-side client base and contributions from the sell-side in the U.S. as the financial industry seeks the information necessary to make informed trade decisions.”

CloudCraze, the enterprise B2B commerce platform built natively on Salesforce, has collaborated with Deloitte Digital and awarded the leading creative digital consultancy Platinum Partner status, the highest level in the CloudCraze partner program. Together, they deliver full-service cloud-based B2B commerce solutions for enterprises in the manufacturing and consumer goods industry that are quick to implement, Salesforce-integrated and more profitable long term.

The alliance enhances the value that both companies bring to B2B commerce customers through the combination of Deloitte Digital's deep technological experience, industry insight and full suite of implementation services and CloudCraze's cloud-based B2B platform delivering speed to revenue, flexibility and customer focus. Deloitte Digital's vast industry experience and robust offerings have already made them instrumental for implementations with several of CloudCraze's high profile customers, including a large multi-national beverage and brewing company and one of the largest member-owned agricultural cooperatives.

"Deloitte Digital's creative, cloud-based approach to digital transformation has been a major asset for our customers over the years and our combined solutions provide unmatched value," said Ray Grady, president and chief customer officer at CloudCraze. "We look forward to leveraging Deloitte Digital's vast industry experience and are excited to have them on board as an integral CloudCraze Platinum Partner."

CloudCraze has worked closely with Deloitte Digital to build accelerated solutions. They combine a unique set of solutions and platforms, including Salesforce and CloudCraze commerce on Salesforce, to offer Deloitte customers a unified customer experience across the digital enterprise. The interactive platform was developed in response to customer need for a more robust integration of digital cloud platforms across CRM, commerce, digital marketing, and other customer engagement channels.

"Working with CloudCraze has allowed us to create even more engaging, strategic and flexible B2B commerce solutions with CloudCraze's unique speed-to-market and cloud-first, SaaS-based approach to customer engagement," said Paul do Forno, managing director, Deloitte Consulting LLP, and commerce and content practice lead at Deloitte Digital. "CloudCraze's unique offerings strengthen the digital ecosystem platform we have built and we're excited about the value the strategic alliance will bring our combined customer base."

This alliance comes at a time of growing importance for robust digital offerings in B2B. Estimates from Gartner show the digital commerce platform market will have grown at a compound annual growth rate of over 15 percent from 2015 through 2020. With a cloud-first, customer-centric approach to commerce, the CloudCraze and Digital Deloitte's joint services will enable B2B companies to stay ahead of the SaaS adoption curve, offering them a more efficient and engaging approach to commerce.

Research on the global payment cards market forecasts continued strong growth in the Middle East and Africa and highlights significant opportunities for the international card schemes

Many people still do not have a payment card

According to RBR’s Global Payment Cards Data and Forecasts to 2021, the number of cards in issue in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) increased by 13% to 611 million in 2015, making it the world’s fastest growing region. Large unbanked populations mean that many people do not yet have a payment card, and indicate significant potential. RBR forecasts that the number of cards in the region will rise to 910 million by the end of 2021.

Domestic scheme cards favoured in some markets because of lower issuing costs

By far the largest payment cards market in the region is Iran, where all payment cards are domestic-only, as a result of the ongoing imposition of international sanctions. The RBR study shows that domestic schemes are also present in Israel, Morocco, Nigeria and Saudi Arabia. Domestic scheme cards are sometimes favoured because of their lower issuing costs – in Morocco, for example, Centre Monétique Interbancaire (CMI) cards are frequently issued as entry-level products.

Share of Cards by Scheme in the Middle East and Africa, 2015

Source: Global Payment Cards Data and Forecasts to 2021 (RBR)

Rapid growth presents a large opportunity for international schemes

Mastercard and Visa make up a large and growing share of the remaining cards in the region outside of Iran and RBR’s report shows that they have made notable gains in Nigeria and Saudi Arabia. This is through both organic growth and agreements for their brands to be added to domestic scheme cards to enable cardholders to use them outside the country of issuance. Cards featuring both a domestic and international brand were most recently launched in Saudi Arabia, where “mada” debit cards were introduced by the Saudi Payment Network (SPAN) in 2015.

According to RBR’s Chris Herbert: “International schemes are using various strategies to take advantage of the fast growth in the Middle East and Africa and they will continue to increase their share in most markets. Nevertheless, ongoing sanctions against Iran mean that domestic schemes are likely to be the only cards present in that country for the short term at least”.

Today, IG Group, a global leader in providing trading and investing solutions, unveils first retail IPO on its investment platform. The IG Group has launched the service along with applications open for the Global Ports Holding IPO.

The recent advancement of IG’s investment platform enables investors to subscribe to upcoming IPOs and placings through IG share dealing account or share dealing ISA. Furthermore, IG’s platform does not charge additional fee, thus participating in the offers will cost little, only a dealing charge.

Peter Hetherington, CEO of IG Group, says: “The addition of IPOs is further proof of our commitment to Investments and another important step in the development of our offering. We actively encourage feedback from our customers and they told us they wanted access to retail IPOs on our award-winning platform. I believe our customers will see this as a further reason to continue to invest and trade with IG.”

 Sapient Global Markets, a leading global provider of business technology and consulting services for the financial and commodity markets, today announced the availability of its Client Connect asset management offering as a fully managed service.

The asset management industry is in a state of transformation brought on by a number of factors, including increased competition for assets requiring product and marketing transformation; a sharper focus on long-term cost management even as firms continue to invest in transformation; and increasing compliance and transparency demands by regulators and clients alike.

Client Connect is a suite of offerings that helps asset managers reduce costs while delivering more agile transformation and innovation. Through a powerful combination of analytics, CMS, sales and CRM tools, it provides highly automated, digital capabilities for asset managers. It transforms how investment managers connect with prospects and clients, as well as how they attract, retain and service investor assets in a world of increasingly connected and engaged investors.

As a managed service, Client Connect offers a cost-effective approach for firms that no longer want to run these functions in house, or are looking to advance these processes without large infrastructure investments. Through the provision of automated, cloud-based services and software managed and integrated by Sapient, it delivers high-quality client-facing information at a lower cost, across the following areas:

• Reporting and marketing collateral production: Automates and manages marketing reporting and collateral production processes, enabling firms to use the latest digital technologies for a faster, more cost-effective approach.
• Marketing operations: Optimizes existing sales and marketing technology investments to rapidly deliver value to partner, client relationship and sales groups. Firms can access the most current digital platforms for content-driven marketing, campaign strategy and execution, as well as increase impact through effective testing and analytics.
• Data management: Maps, transforms and validates data to ensure consistency and availability for use in a variety of ways, for example in documents, website and client portals.
• Content and document management: Controls tasks involved in managing, tagging and updating content across all relevant digital touch points, such as web, social, portal, email and events.

“Asset and wealth managers are assessing new digital technologies to automate the production of marketing, sales and service collateral, reducing manual processes, improving time to market and increasing their ability to respond to client demands,” said Jarlath Forde, vice president at Sapient Global Markets. “Client Connect helps firms evolve from being focused on the production of obligatory collateral to assets that differentiate them in the marketplace, distributing insights, identifying and attracting prospects. Through our expertise and industry knowledge we can support them to look beyond existing processes and explore how innovative tools and techniques can be used to accelerate digital transformation efforts and become more client-centric.”

Charles River Development has partnered with OTAS Technologies and incorporated OTAS’s global equity trading analytics in the Charles River Investment Management Solution (Charles River IMS). The partnership makes OTAS’s trade analytics available as a separately licensed add-in to Charles River’s portfolio management workspace and combined order and execution management system (OEMS).

“OTAS can be a real alpha generator,” said Lee Garf, VP, Product Management, Charles River Development. “It gives portfolio managers and traders real-time access to the best market intelligence and improves communication throughout the front office. Portfolio managers can monitor their trades, and traders can recognize opportunities sooner and respond more quickly to changing market conditions.”

“Incorporating advanced analytics from OTAS into the portfolio management and trading workflows provides actionable signals that support instant decision making and improve front office efficiency,” said Tom Doris, CEO of OTAS Technologies. “This provides constant insight into what’s happening with trades, which improves both transparency and productivity for buy-side firms.”

Imperial Capital Group, LLC ("Imperial Capital") announced today the hiring of Jonathan Glionna and Scott Marchakitus, two seasoned credit analysts who will join the firm's credit sales & trading analysis team designed to create global trading ideas for its institutional investors.  Glionna joins the financials analysis team in NY covering global banks, insurance and financials while Marchakitus joins the high-grade sales and trading analysis team also in NY to cover investment grade and cross over corporate credits.

"With the hiring of these veteran analysts, we continue to demonstrate our commitment to creating trading ideas for our clients," said Tom Corcoran, President of Imperial Capital, LLC.  "Both Jonathan and Scott come to Imperial with extensive credit analysis experience and established track records within both the US and European markets, further distinguishing Imperial as a global leader in credit sales & trading institutional analysis."

Mr. Jonathan Glionna joins Imperial Capital as a Managing Director and Senior Desk Analyst with 20 years of industry experience who will primarily cover Global Financials including European Banks and Latin American Banks for Imperial Capital's Credit Sales & Trading Group. Mr. Glionna spent the last 8 years at Barclays as a Managing Director, serving as the Head of Global Bank Credit Research in London and most recently, the Head of US Equity Strategy Research in New York. Mr. Glionna began his career with Lehman Brothers in New York as a Vice President in the Fixed Income Research Group covering the US Financial sector including banks and mortgages. After seven years, he joined Wellington Management Company in Boston as a Vice President and Fixed Income Analyst with a focus on US, European, and Japanese banks and US finance and brokerage companies. Mr. Glionna later returned to Lehman Brothers in New York as a Senior Vice President. In addition, Mr. Glionna earned a Bachelor of Science in Quantitative Methods from Babson College in Massachusetts.

In addition, Mr. Scott Marchakitus joins Imperial Capital as a Managing Director and Senior Desk Analyst with more than 22 years of industry experience who will primarily cover investment grade and cross over corporate credits for Imperial Capital's Credit Sales & Trading Group.  Most recently, Mr. Marchakitus was the Director of Credit Research at Goldman Sachs overseeing Investment Grade and High Yield Credit Research while also covering North American and European telecom, cable and satellite operators. Prior to Goldman Sachs, Mr. Marchakitus worked with JP Morgan in New York and London for 10 years as a Vice President in the Fixed Income Research Group covering a variety of sectors including TMT, gaming, transportation, energy, and chemicals. Mr. Marchakitus began his career as a financial analyst at Citibank in New York.  Mr. Marchakitus earned a Master of Science in Finance from the University of Baltimore and a Bachelor of Science from Towson University.  In addition, Mr. Marchakitus holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation from the CFA Institute.