By Patricia Regnault, Europe head of asset management at Linedata
Linedata responds to interim findings in the FCA’s Asset Management 
Market Study around barriers to entry, innovation and technological advances, ahead of next week’s (20 February) deadline for feedback:
Increases in the overall burden of regulation presents an ongoing barrier for those asset management firms looking to invest in product development or improve efficiency to keep up with fierce competition in the industry. There is no other choice but to dedicate time and money to implementing forthcoming regulations, which require both organisational and technological change to be compliant.
MiFID II has implications for processes through the entire value chain: from data requirements, to commission unbundling, and reporting. Without a robust and agile technology strategy, asset management firms simply won’t survive. The only option is to adapt and change IT platforms to ensure MiFID compliance; a substantial investment which leaves little room to focus on other areas of the business when it comes to innovation and technological advances.
Understanding and adjusting to evolving regulatory requirements also demands a significant time investment. For MiFID II this is acutely enhanced by the grey areas that still exist. Even though its scope is now better defined, ongoing questions bring nothing but confusion and, in many cases, a last minute scramble to comply. For small and mid-sized players it’s particularly challenging to keep up, with limited resources dedicated to compliance and employees already overwhelmed by day-to-day operations.
With no apparent end in sight when it comes to the increasing regulatory burden on firms, a move towards RegTech platforms that can offer an all-in-one integrated and flexible solution should address the significant time and cost burden on the buy-side. Modern platforms built upon next-generation technology will address present and future regulatory obligations, and will equip asset managers for digital transformation.
about Linedata:
Linedata is a global solutions provider dedicated to the investment management and credit community, with close to 1250 employees in 20 offices across the globe. Linedata has been at the service of the financial industry from day one, and applies its market and client insight to provide innovative and flexible mission-critical software and services that help its clients grow in over 50 countries. As a pioneer for over 15 years with the set-up of SaaS infrastructure for the financial industry, Linedata remains committed to this model throughout the global financial community and for its full range of products. Linedata is Headquartered in France, and is listed on Euronext Paris.