Managing cross-regulatory data challenges in practice

Abstract

‘Data management, at an industry level, is immature with few standards, minimal regulation over asset data content and a lack of industry leadership.’ The author has been using the above statement as part of industry conference presentations for the past three years. It represents a very stark message and articulates significant challenges for most financial services companies and their regulators. Furthermore, the regulators have set out detailed and specific regulatory reporting requirements that they describe as ‘evidence-based reporting’. This paper explores the standards and consistency expected by regulators and the challenges these pose for asset owners (such as insurers, pension funds, collective investment schemes, alternative investment funds and sovereign funds) and their suppliers. It outlines how investment firms can take advantage of their necessary and extensive investment towards delivering regulatory reporting to achieve not only compliance but also enduring benefits to their wider business.