Data Management
& Analytics

The asset manager desired a comprehensive data strategy to enable advanced analytic capabilities, including AI and ML.  Provided uniform and secure access to data assets through Denodo, a data virtualization platform.  Roll-out of an enterprise-wide data governance program and utilities (catalog, glossary, lineage) improved data quality, accessibility, and availability.  Poor data warehouse query performance was addressed by migrating the data warehouse to Snowflake, resulting in a materially lower TCO.  Data science platform was selected and integrated.  Outcomes included improved business agility and innovation via self-service data analysis, significant reduction of technical debt, and citizen-development for advanced AI and ML. 

Olmstead is guiding a mid-tier investment manager's Portfolio Analytics team through the design and selection of a data warehousing solution with the end goal of automating and scaling their client pitch books and enhancing their client reporting capabilities. Olmstead has established an Agile methodology, including new processes and new tools (Jira, Symphony, BOX). Olmstead has lead the project kick off, educated the client, and coached the client throughout the process. Our team has managed the Agile process, including building and managing Kanban Board, Sprint Planning, Sprint and Story management, and daily scrum meetings. The project has also included Resource planning and management, resulting in burn rates and load balancing reports.

Our Client had spent five years implementing new solutions for areas including trading, accounting, collateral management, performance and attribution. Each new solution created a new "island of data" for the business which resulted in additional complexity in the environment and confusion about which data to use or trust. Olmstead was engaged to design and manage the implementation of a strategic data management platform (Markit EDM) and data governance program. The approach introduced an enterprise data architecture coupled with the rollout of a comprehensive data governance program and an integrated data information access portal.

Olmstead architected and implemented a modern data platform for an asset manager with low technical debt, inclusive of a new data governance framework. After a series of POCs affirming the target state, we have now moved on to implementing the tech stack and delivering over 30 governed data domains, 100+ Power BI reports, and key business use cases including, performance recons and cashflow processing workflow automation. The architecture includes Snowflake, Denodo, Azure Data Storage/Data Factory/Key Vault, Power BI, Power Automate, Power Apps, FactSet, Freshservice, and GitHub.​

Implementation of a comprehensive enterprise GIA platform (Eagle). Worked across multiple work streams, managing discovery and requirement sessions, the automation of the nightly batch cycle, disaster recovery, and documentation of processed and procedures through parallel. Led the upgrade of the Eagle platform and the User Interface design of a proprietary transaction management and distribution system.

 The asset manager’s business strategy was hampered by legacy technology, data challenges, and lack of data governance. Olmstead was hired to recommend a strategic data platform and deliver a migration plan to elevate data quality and accessibility. Desired outcomes are business user self-service and isolation of the legacy accounting platform. The target state includes AWS, Snowflake, data virtualization, new ETL/ELT tooling, a CAP (client, account, product) mastering solution, Tableau, and data governance utilities. The new platform enables the retirement of several systems, including the legacy data warehouse, and positions the asset manager for a higher quality implementation of a new client reporting platform and a less complicated migration away from its old portfolio accounting solution.  

Olmstead was asked to evaluate the scope of effort that a large Investment Management firm required to comply with the October 2016 SEC Modernization Act requiring RIC's to provide enhanced reporting and disclosures beginning June 2018. Olmstead's approach included conducting an "As-Is" assessment of their data environment including the IT architecture, data flows, Operations and Reporting. Olmstead then worked closely with IT and business stakeholders to define a future state business and IT architecture to support the new reporting requirements which surfaced gaps versus current state. We also delivered a detailed N-PORT and N-CEN data gap analysis down to the field level specific to the client. The gaps were used to build a roadmap and supporting resource and cost estimates which enabled the client to quickly seek executive approval to begin the project, without risk of delays and limiting risk of meeting their regulatory deadlines.

Anthony is a Managing Director, leading Olmstead’s efforts to empower data-driven asset managers. He is an accomplished technologist with 20 years driving technology and data initiatives for large and small asset managers.  He was  Head of IT Common Services at Western Asset, where among other responsibilities, he enhanced the firm’s data architecture and developed its cloud strategy, leveraging data virtualization, Snowflake cloud data warehouse, a data science platform, and data lakes. Anthony was CTO at Fischer Francis Trees & Watts (now BNP Paribas Asset Management), where he built a sophisticated global investment management platform that elicited digital transformation across the firm.  At his core, Anthony is a software and data architect/engineer driven to enable asset manager innovation and agility.  He is a problem solver who delivers and moves the needle.

Stephen's LinkedIn Profile
sonderegger@olmst.com

Stephen leads Olmstead’s Data Management services focused on Distribution – sales, marketing, and servicing. He is the chief architect of Olmstead’s AWS / Snowflake Data Lab, which houses our distribution data services and data model, providing accelerators for client communications systems implementations. Stephen leads client engagements providing data architecture, business & data analysis, data engineering, and project management. He has served as an architect and technical lead for client reporting, sales enablement, web, and CRM integration projects from requirements definition and planning phase to re-design and re-platforming. He has also managed the design and architecture of enterprise data hubs / warehouses / lakes, resulting in fast time-to-value integrated views of investment and CRM data.

Darcy has over seven years in front and middle office operations experience.  Throughout, she has been focused on process improvement and technology enablement.  She had a leadership role in the firm wide adoption of an enterprise-wide data governance initiative, including operating model design, technology assessments, strategic oversight, and program implementation.
Prior to joining Olmstead, Darcy was a portfolio analyst at Western Asset Management, where she was key to designing and implementing a cloud-based system for acquisition, surveillance, and securitization of residential whole loans.  Darcy holds master’s degrees in Financial Engineering from Claremont Graduate University and Mechanical Engineering from Georgia Tech.

Before joining Olmstead, Michael was with FactSet for eight years. He was a Senior Software Engineer in their Content Strategic Business Unit. Michael has distinguished himself as a leader and expert in data-centric software development through solving complex challenges to drive data value realization for FactSet and its clients. Michael possesses a broad technical skillset and a strong business knowledge of the investment management industry. 

Jeff Bellavance is a Manager and a Senior Data Analyst in the Data & Enabling Technology group. He has built a reputation for fixing operational inefficiencies, optimizing workflow, and reducing operational risks within firms. Jeff also has over 25 years of experience in the investment management industry. Jeff was a senior analyst in the Equity Portfolio Strategy group and the head of performance and analytics for PanAgora Asset Management. While at PanAgora, he led the transition to a new attribution platform, re-engineered and optimized the performance team, and was instrumental in transitioning the performance and analytics team’s perception as a process inhibitor to a value adding partner to the client reporting, factsheet generation and RFP process. He also has extensive experience working with, and managing vendor relationships such as MSCI, FTSE Russell and FactSet and was coordinated integration of ESG Analytics from MSCI and S&P Global Trucost for client reporting. Jeff also spent a large part of his career working for State Street Global Advisors as a vice president and head of U.S. Performance and Analytics where he managed teams across North America and outsourced work to India. Jeff is also a CFA charter holder.

Samuel Densmore is a Manager in the Data & Enabling Technologies Group for Olmstead. Consistently recruited by enterprise leaders to transform IT development organizations, craft impactful and effective technology strategies, and resolve complex business challenges, Samuel is a collaborative and innovative leader. He expertly drives the development, implementation, and adoption of new processes and deconstructs challenges into logical steps toward resolutions that increase efficiency, connect teams, and achieve company objectives. Most recently Samuel served as the chief technology officer at AlphaSimplex Group LLC. He assembled enterprise-wide IT staff into a single, centralized group serving the technology needs of this multibillion-dollar investment management organization. He was responsible for developing and articulating the company’s technology strategy, roadmap, and infrastructure, and led the teams accountable for their implementation.

Before AlphaSimplex Group, Samuel held vice president roles in two distinct Bank of New York (BNY) Mellon organizations; The Boston Company and Asset Management Operations. He built high-performing teams and developed technology strategies to support custom applications, services, and infrastructure for boutique business units within BNY Mellon. He has also led the conversion of Independence Investment’s legacy systems to modernized frameworks, trained cross-functional teams, and constructed business continuity programs across multiple organizations.

 Nick Taylor is a Senior Consultant at Olmstead Associates to empower data-driven asset managers. An accomplished data scientist with over a decade of industry experience driving business intelligence initiatives for small and large asset managers. His time at Ares Management and Genesis Capital / Goldman Sachs saw him develop multiple dashboards that are used throughout the firm. His time in LPL Financial saw him reduce manual entry by 90%, automate reports and reconciliations, and automate a key investment and strategy deck. Nick lives and breathes automation & data optimization, a data-driven problem solver who works towards a firm’s strategic goals.

 Robert Puffer is a Senior Consultant for the Data & Enabling Technologies Group for Olmstead.  Possessing over 25 years of experience in the buy-side technology space, Robert is an expert developing and architecting Data Solutions for different financial platforms.  Working for over ten years at Fidessa, expert level understanding was built implementing and integrating buy-side, portfolio management, trading and compliance front office systems.

In addition, Robert leads projects from a technical perspective to on-board and integrate middle and back-office platforms and understands the full trade life cycle process. In the last seven years, Robert has worked as a consultant and employee at large assets managers designing and developing Enterprise Data Management systems (Markit EDM/Cadis) and Modern Data platforms (AWS, Azure, Databricks etc.).  Robert also has many years of experience working with Data Governance groups to help make data secure, understandable, of high quality and available.  With a focus on designing and building Data Solutions, Robert will put his experience to work and leverage best practices around Data strategy, development and governance.