Architects of Electronic Trading: Technology Leaders Who Are Shaping Today's Financial Markets

CHAPTER 11

Technology and Alternatives

Benefits of Better Data

Today's data management challenges, discussed in depth in another chapter, are centered around logistical concerns and the extraction of value from massive quantities of both structured and unstructured data. In this chapter, William Murphy of The Blackstone Group shares his perspectives on another component of the Big Data challenge: data management in illiquid alternative investment products. User-friendly solutions to facilitate data collection have helped firms like Blackstone leverage technology to gather high-quality data from portfolio companies and, in the process, set new standards for transparency in the alternatives industry.

Data is at the core of contemporary markets. Frankly, it's always been the foundation for trading and investment decisions. In a mirror of general societal trends, capital markets are also experiencing a tremendous growth in data generation. Smart technologists regard this growth as a key opportunity and are innovating in the area of data management. Their technology solutions help market participants both gather and tap into new sources of data.

Better-quality, more comprehensive data in all markets, listed and OTC, is a contemporary trend, partly driven by regulation and partly the result of investor expectations with regard to transparency. Greater insights into these markets is ushering in a range of benefits for managers as well as end investors. Chief among them are superior pre ...