Our free news roundup includes items about the swearing-in of SEC commissioners, HKEX’s head of technology risk, and Northern Trust puts the ‘E’ in ESG.
Allianz to Use AWS as Platform Host
Allianz Global Investors, an asset manager, has adopted IHS Markit’s thinkFolio investment management platform for its global fixed income business, the firm says in a statement, which also notes that the firm will “leverage thinkFolio as a managed service hosted on the Amazon Web Services … cloud.”
The thinkFolio cloud-based platform is intended to “provide Allianz Global Investors with enhanced decision support, portfolio modelling and trade generation. As part of the managed service delivery of thinkFolio, IHS Markit will manage upgrades and real-time feeds, and execute overnight data loads and start-of-day processes,” according to IHS Markit officials.
The capabilities of IHS Markit’s thinkFolio encompass portfolio modelling, order management and trading, cash and FX management, compliance, and the investment book of record, the vendor statement also notes.
Allianz Global Investors includes more than “760 investment professionals in 25 offices worldwide and managing EUR 538 billion in assets for individuals, families and institutions,” per the statement.
Two SEC Commissioners Formally Sworn In
Hester Peirce
The Securities and Exchange Commission reports that Caroline A. Crenshaw and Hester M. Peirce have been officially sworn into office as SEC commissioners. Ms. Crenshaw, a Democrat, and Ms. Peirce, a Republican, were both unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate on Aug. 6, 2020, the SEC notes in a statement.
“Caroline brings to the Commission a deep knowledge of the SEC and its work on behalf of America’s investors and I look forward to seeing her expertise further benefit the Commission’s work,” SEC Chairman Jay Clayton says in a prepared statement.
“As a Commissioner, Hester has been a tremendous advocate for our markets and investors, and I know she will continue to be a strong voice for them in the years to come,” Clayton says. Peirce is starting a second term as a commissioner.
“Before joining the SEC in 2013, Commissioner Crenshaw practiced law at Sutherland, Asbill and Brennan LLP, where she represented public companies, broker-dealers, and investment advisers on complex securities law investigations and enforcement matters,” the commission’s statement notes.
Commissioner Crenshaw fills a term that expires on June 5, 2024, per the SEC statement, while Commissioner Peirce’s term will expire on June 5, 2025.
HKEX Names Group Head of Technology Risk
Brian Lee
Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited (HKEX) reports that Brian Lee has joined as managing director, group head of technology risk. He reports to John Killian, the HKEX group risk officer.
Lee joins from the Hong Kong Monetary Authority, where, the HKEX statement points out, he worked for 25 years and held a “number of senior roles in Hong Kong and New York,” such as division head of operational and technology risk.
At the Hong Kong Monetary Authority, Lee most recently was a division head of the banking policy department. Before that post, he served as division head of operational and technology risk, chief representative of the New York representative office, and a division head of the banking supervision department, per the HKEX statement.
Northern Trust Bolsters the ‘E’ in ESG
Custodian bank Northern Trust has improved its environmental, social and governance (ESG) analytics capabilities by including new reporting for key environmental data categories, officials say.
The new capability is included in Northern Trust’s new “ESG Insights” product suite sold via the Investment Risk and Analytical Services group, officials say. “It complements the ESG Insights: Ratings Summary, launched in April 2020, which provides investors with periodic snapshot analysis across their portfolios, setting out investment ‘scores’ against ESG factors.” Northern Trust partners with information services provider IdealRatings to create the reports.
“The enhancement allows Northern Trust’s clients — typically asset owners such as pension funds — to interrogate specific environmental risk indicators for their investments,” according to officials. The firm is also launching the “ESG Insights: Environment” report that will offer investors access to environmental analytics “using a range of factors — including carbon footprint analysis.”
The information from Northern Trust will help institutions “engage with asset managers and stakeholders around the environmental impact of their investment portfolio, as well as to generate data and analytics for publishing in their annual disclo1sures. The detailed information provided supports clients in determining if they are meeting sustainable investment goals and satisfying ever-increasing regulatory requirements,” officials add.
The firm’s Investment Risk & Analytical Services group offers asset owners and asset managers around the world analytical solutions, officials say.
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