Exaxe has been shortlisted for the DC Technology Provider of the Year award at the 2016 Defined Contribution (DC) Awards, organised by Pensions Insight, which is due to take place in London on October 26^th. Exaxe has also been shortlisted for the Pensions Technology Provider of the Year at the 2016 Irish Pensions Awards, which is due to take place in Dublin on November 24^th.

Since winning the Pensions Technology Provider of the Year at the 2015 Irish Pension Awards, Exaxe has continued to innovate its products and grow its Irish and international client base. 2015 / 2016 has been a major growth period for the company with record levels of new sales and doubling its workforce in Sandyford.

Norman Carroll, CEO at Exaxe said: “We are delighted to announce that we have been shortlisted for the DC Technology Provider of the Year award. This is a new category to the awards so we are thrilled to be able to take part in these prestigious awards for the first time this year.  Combining that with the announcement that we have also been shortlisted again for the Irish Pensions Technology Provider of the Year award is a cause for double celebration. These two selections acknowledge the hard work we have completed for our UK and Irish clients as we strive to constantly innovate to improve service and reduce costs for pension providers via our SaaS based solutions.”

As the only awards event in the sector to focus solely on DC – and taking place immediately after DC Insight, the sector’s leading DC conference – the Pensions Insight’s Defined Contribution Awards celebrate all that is best in the world of DC. As more and more workers come to depend on DC arrangements for their retirement income, these awards recognise providers that go that extra mile for schemes, and schemes that go that extra mile for members.

This year’s awards ceremony will take place at 155 Bishopsgate, Liverpool Street, London on Wednesday 26 October, after the DC Insight Conference.

The full list of DC Awards finalists is available at: http://events.nqsm.com/e/dc-awards-2016/shortlist/

Now in their 5^th successful year the Irish Pensions Awards give recognition to those pension funds and providers who have proved their excellence, professionalism and dedication to maintaining high standards of Irish pension provision.

The Irish Pensions Awards winners, determined by an independent judging panel, will be announced at the highly anticipated gala dinner and ceremony on 24^thNovember 2016 at the 5 star Shelbourne Dublin. Over 300 guests attended the event in 2015 and this year is set to be even bigger and better than ever.

The full list of Irish Pensions Awards finalists is available at: http://www.europeanpensions.net/irishawards/

Profile Software, an international financial solutions provider, announced today its participation in Sibos 2016 the world’s premier financial event organised by SWIFT, taking place on 26-29 September in Palexpo Geneva, Switzerland, to showcase its pioneering product developments and international implementations.

Profile is exhibiting at stand no G07, demonstrating its innovative FinTech solutions for the industry including 'challenger banks' and 'crowdfunding alternatives', while presenting new products and enhancements to its solutions’ portfolio. The company and its team will present cases on:
> Banking
> Wealth Management
> Alternative Finance

By investing in new technologies such as mobile, web and cloud, Profile has implemented its solutions in leading financial services institutions to help them experience business agility and cost efficiencies, thus becoming an established vendor in the industry. During Sibos, professional delegates will have the opportunity to attend Profile’s happenings.

On the 27th of September at 16:00, Profile will host at its stand G07 a relaxing cocktail reception to allow professional delegates to find out more on its latest products’ developments while networking.

On the 29th of September at 14:45, Open Theater 1, Profile’s team, capitalising on its recent international implementations and industry expertise of the financial services sector, will present cases and intriguing trends through a short presentation on “A FinTech approach for Alternative Finance”.

Furthermore, a number of meetings with industry experts will be held at the stand, so interesting parties can request a meeting through the online form here.

Sibos is an annual conference, exhibition and networking event organised by SWIFT - the global provider of secure financial messaging services - for the financial industry with more than 8,000 delegates, from the world’s largest banks and financial institutions. The exhibition brings together business leaders, decision makers and topic experts focusing on the latest trends for the financial services industry. This year, apart from the Banking and Securities stream, a FinTech approach is greatly supported to further elaborate in this growing trend.

More information about the events around Sibos 2016 and the registration process are available on the event's website.

BNL, BNP Paribas Group, announces the availability of a fully electronic PIN code distribution for their cards. The service, called cl SecurPin, is provided by TAS Group – a company specialized in software solutions for e-money and cashless payments – and manages a “dematerialized” PIN code, both at issuance and in case of replacement for lost, with unrivalled benefits in regards to security and convenience.
 
BNL adopted this new service on Hello Mat! debit card from Hello Bank!, the BNP Paribas Group's digital bank active in Italy.
 
The customer gets the PIN for his card in the restricted area of the Hello Bank! site using the security codes generated from the Hello! app, which is downloadable for free on smartphones from all major app stores. In this way cl SecurPin allows quick delivery of the PIN and is much more secure than a code issued on paper, which is generally  subject to the risk of theft or loss.
 
“BNL continues investing in innovation and technology to make its service and offering model more and more competitive,” stated Marco Tarantola, Deputy General Manager in charge of the Retail & Private Division of the BNL. “We believe that innovation, especially in an evolving industry such as banking, primarily means knowing how to propose solutions that bring concrete benefits for the customers in terms of simplicity, speed and safety for their daily professional and personal needs”.
 
Roberto Carlucci, Director of TAS Group’s E-Money Business Unit, said, “In depth knowledge of the architectures and core processes of banks on physical, virtual and mobile channels is one of the differentiators of TAS Group. We are very attentive to implement technological innovation in a sustainable way for our customers, taking into account the banks’ daily challenges in recovering profitability while meeting risk management and regulatory compliance.”
 
In addition to electronic PIN management, TAS Group’s cl SecurPin solution allows for wider scope of applications related to the use of tokens. Besides payment cards, the dematerialisation services are key in all areas affecting the digital transformation of the FinTech industry. cl SecurPin integrates with the existing BNL core systems and is fully compliant to the rigorous standards set by PCI (Payment Card Industry sector regulations) and is applied to all methodologies and technologies employed by TAS Group for the implementation of solutions for the digital payments of the future as part of their cashless 3.0™ platform.

INDATA, a leading industry provider of software, technology and services for buy-side firms, today announced that Renaissance Investment Management, an institutional and high net worth investment manager with approximately $4.4 Billion in AUM, based in  the Greater Cincinnati Area  has expanded their use of INDATA’s Intelligent Portfolio Management® software suite.  The firm has implemented iPM Cloud, INDATA’s private cloud solution and upgraded to the latest version of the software, iPM Epic.

Renaissance, a long term INDATA client, had been looking at ways to streamline their IT infrastructure and also increase the efficiency of its investment operations. After a detailed review of available options open to the firm, Renaissance decided to expand and upgrade its use of INDATA’s solutions, choosing iPM Cloud for their technology infrastructure needs and iPM Epic for their front-to-back office investment software suite.

Among the key advantages of iPM Cloud for Renaissance was the ability for INDATA to host other applications including desktops for end users and other specialized proprietary applications in one outsourced private cloud environment provided by INDATA. 

“Having all of our key software applications in one place creates many efficiencies in terms of interoperability between systems, so expanding our partnership with INDATA was the logical decision. What impressed us most was the willingness of INDATA personnel to go out of their way to make our transition to iPM Cloud smooth and trouble free,” commented Sudhir Warrier, Senior Partner & Chief Operating Officer, Renaissance Investment Management. “With INDATA as our front-to-back office investment software provider, outsourcing our technology infrastructure via iPM Cloud streamlines how our end users are able to operate, allowing our firm to better focus on the business of investing and also satisfying industry best practices for disaster recovery and business continuity planning.” 

“We are delighted that Renaissance has decided to expand their usage of our products and services and we look forward to continuing to serve them as a trusted partner for their investment technology needs now and in the future,” commented David J. Csiki, President of INDATA.

Paxos, a financial technology company delivering revolutionary blockchain solutions for global financial institutions, today unveiled its new brand. The name Paxos is inspired by a technical term that represents a process for reaching consensus. The name underscores the company’s goal to leverage consensus-driven blockchain technology in transforming the way global financial institutions work together. The company’s flagship service, Bankchain, is a cloud-based platform-as-a-service (PaaS) solution transforming post-trade market infrastructures and back office processes for its global clients. Bankchain was previously recognized under the itBit umbrella, but has become established as an offering under the Paxos brand.

Bankchain delivers instantaneous settlement, offering market participants reduced risk exposure and increased operational efficiencies. Paxos’ strategic relationships with leading market participants and infrastructure providers such as Euroclear allows Bankchain to seamlessly connect to today’s existing settlement systems.

“Increasingly, the financial services industry is embracing the transformative potential of blockchain technology. Paxos is making that potential a practical reality,” said Paxos CEO Charles Cascarilla. “Our collaboration with Euroclear to create a trusted blockchain settlement infrastructure for gold is just the beginning, and an important first for the industry.”

The Paxos team—whose leadership launched itBit, the innovative crypto-currency trading platform—consists of experienced financial services professionals with post-trade and market infrastructure expertise, leading technologists and engineers. The company has offices in New York, London and Singapore, providing a strong presence in key global financial centers as it continues to grow its staff and services across capital markets.

FIME is pleased to announce that its Japanese laboratory has achieved AMEX Enabled accreditation* for functional testing on contactless payment terminal kernels, in line with American Express’ Expresspay specifications. FIME has also been accredited by EMVCo for EMVCo’s Book C-4 specification, which defines the mandatory and optional functionality required when implementing terminal kernel 4. These latest accreditations enable contactless payment terminal and mobile point of sale (mPOS) manufacturers, as well as kernel developers, to validate their products in any of FIME’s French, Japanese and Taiwanese laboratories.

The separate accreditations from AMEX and EMVCo ensure the effective operation and market interoperability of contactless payment terminals by outlining the minimum software functionality required to operate effectively.

“Ongoing EMV migration and the upcoming 2020 Olympics in Tokyo are driving an increase in EMV chip deployments and the adoption of contactless payment technology across Japan,” comments Arnaud Peninon, VP Global Laboratories at FIME. “These latest accreditations are part of FIME’s ongoing strategy to support local terminal manufacturers and kernel developers with the widest test and consultancy portfolio available on the market. These certification processes foster stability and security across the region’s expanding contactless infrastructure.”

The Japanese laboratory will use FIME’s qualified test tool, EVAL, to perform formal certification testing. The tool is available to purchase for in-house pre-certification testing to help identify issues that can lead to delays later in the process.

Intellect iGTB, the organisation behind the world’s first comprehensive global transaction banking solution announced that its client CIBC has implemented phase 1 of the bank's next generation payments infrastructure for business clients. CIBC's goal is to drive growth by leading with innovation while helping to simplify how clients manage their business.

Phil Griffiths, SVP & Head of Global Transaction Banking, CIBC said, "CIBC is focused on innovation that makes a difference for our clients, and leveraging this new platform enhances our ability to deliver new capabilities, support emerging technologies such as blockchain, and positions us well to lead in the rapidly evolving payments market in Canada and the United States as they move towards real time payments and transmitting enhanced remittance data.”

Al Carpetto, EVP & Head of America's, at Intellect iGTB said, “We are thrilled to support CIBC's innovative agenda in the Transaction Banking and payments space. Helping banks and their customers to manage payments, automate receivables, while also optimizing liquidity is all part of our end goal. iGTB has invested in the right technology and believes that our Payment solutions will help CIBC and our customers in their journey of digital transformation.”

Intellect Design Arena Ltd, a specialist in applying true digital technologies, is the world’s first full spectrum Banking and Insurance technology products company, across Global Consumer Banking (iGCB), Central Banking, Global Transaction Banking (iGTB), Risk, Treasury and Markets (iRTM), and Insurance (Intellect SEEC). With over 25 years of deep domain expertise, Intellect is the brand that progressive financial institutions rely on for digital transformation initiatives. Intellect pioneered Design Thinking for cutting-edge products and solutions for Banking and Insurance, with design being the company’s key differentiator in enabling digital transformation. FT8012, the world’s first design centre for Financial Technology, reflects Intellect’s commitment to continuous and impactful innovation to address the growing need for digital transformation. Intellect generates annual revenues of more than USD 124 million, serving more than 200 customers through offices in 40+ countries and with a diverse workforce of more than 4,000 solution architects, domain and technology experts in major global financial hubs around the world. 

Together toward the future of digital banking. Effective immediately, Fidor AG and GFT Technologies SE have reinforced their cooperation and signed a strategic partnership agreement to focus on developing mobile financial and banking apps, as well as the related sales and marketing. It’s an initial step to shape the next generation of digital banking within a strong network. One main pillar will be GFT’s Digital Innovation Labs, where both parties will combine their expertise to develop ideas, innovations and prototypes. The team will employ agile development to make the prototypes market-ready, and the resulting products will be put on the market quickly as possible. GFT and Fidor have already developed the new O2 Banking’ solution together, which will be Germany's first mobile-only, full-service bank account. Since last week, the app is available within the Apple Store.

The partnership also includes the sales and marketing of Fidor Operating Systems (fOS). “Both parties had very positive experiences together during our first cooperation, O2 banking. It’s simply a matter of logic to continue working together. Our cooperation with GFT will allow us to be even more efficient in developing new offerings for the future of mobile banking", says Matthias Kröner, CEO of Fidor AG. “We’ll be pursuing new paths together primarily in the areas of prototyping and international sales". After the recently announced acquisition by the second-largest banking group in France, BPCE, the Fidor Group plans to not only develop domestic markets and expand internationally, but continue focusing on technological advancement as well. “We’re well-positioned for the future and we want to be the leaders in innovation so that we can continue to spearhead contemporary banking”, adds Kröner.

GFT is a renowned industry specialist in the financial sector that operates worldwide. A team of 4,500 employees in 12 countries supports leading banks and insurance companies with advisory, creative and technology capabilities. “The market for IT digitalisation solutions continues to grow – particularly in the financial sector. GFT has almost 30 years of experience in implementing complex IT projects. Fidor will ideally complement our solution portfolio in the digital banking area. It’s set out to be the perfect match”,  says Marika Lulay, COO of GFT Technologies SE. GFT’s Innovation Labs are already a proving ground for today and tomorrow’s digital banking environment. “Everything revolves around co-innovation, ensuring all key stakeholders are included in the design of the customer experience right from the very start. We’ve got a lot of plans to shape the digital future of banks!”

Customer needs are changing as the possibilities of digitalisation continue to grow – and it’s more than a matter of keeping pace; it’s about shaping new developments for the long term.

VocaLink, the global payment partner to banks, corporates and governments, today announced that Don Chow has joined the firm as Senior Vice President, Asia Pacific. Based in Singapore, Don will be responsible for business development throughout Asia Pacific, working across the full range of VocaLink products.

Don has spent nearly two decades working in the global payments sector in Asia Pacific, driving business development and sales. Don joins from NTT Data, where he was Partner in Global Payment Consulting. Prior to that, Don was Vice President of North Asia at ACI Worldwide, leading cross-functional global teams through the planning and execution of business strategies.

Kris Kubiena, International Sales Director at VocaLink, commented, “Don has joined VocaLink at a very exciting time for the business, particularly in the Asian market, where we have agreed to deliver proxy payment services in Singapore and we continue our ongoing implementation in Thailand, supporting the PromptPay programme.

“Since our landmark Immediate Payments Solution (IPS) project in Singapore, we have launched exciting new overlay services linked to Immediate Payments. These include, PayPort, our suite of access solutions that provide banks and corporates with gateway connectivity to the Immediate Payments infrastructure and Accura, our insights business that leverages transactional data to solve issues for businesses, policymakers and the consumer. Don’s regional experience and expertise will be invaluable in introducing these solutions to the Asia Pacific region as we continue our international expansion.”

Since launching Singapore’s FAST project in March 2014, VocaLink has empowered customers of the 14 participating banks to make instant and secure interbank transfers via online and mobile channels, progressing from the standard three working days. 

Don Chow added, “VocaLink has transformed Singapore’s payments infrastructure and I’m very much looking forward to working with the team to roll-out further projects in the wider Asia Pacific market, starting with Thailand later this year. Our focus is to continue to respond to industry demand for faster payments in more countries, which in turn supports our broader objective to be the leading real-time payment infrastructure provider globally.”