S&P Global Unveils Scientist-led Climate Research Group

S&P Global has established a Climate Centre of Excellence, bringing together scientists and strategists to help guide the data and ratings company’s environment and nature research and methodologies.

The centre will harness the company’s market and ESG datasets to generate sustainability-linked information that can be used by clients of the company’s S&P Global Market Intelligence, S&P Global Ratings, S&P Global Commodity Insights, S&P Global Mobility and S&P Dow Jones Indices businesses.

“To push the frontiers in climate research, S&P Global scientists are diving into some of the most complex data and modelling challenges in the physical and economic sciences,” said the centre’s chief science officer Terence Thompson. “We are bridging multi-disciplinary gaps and perspectives to enable advancements in our science-driven methodologies providing actionable information on climate-related risks and opportunities.”

Among the themes the centre aims to tackle are physical and climate hazards, probabilistic risk modelling and supply-chain exposure.

AI Added to SmartStream’s Air Data Management Platform

SmartStream has added artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning capabilities to the latest version of its Air data management platform.

The Dubai-based maker of transaction technology for financial institutions has incorporated the technology into the ninth version of its SaaS-based product with the creation of two modules, Air Data and Air Cash.

Air Data is an automation module that streamlines tasks including cross-checking between different systems, pre-settlement error detection and trade record comparisons. Air Cash handles cash reconciliation.

CommCentral Unveiled by Broadridge to Monitor, Utilise Communications Data

Broadridge Financial Solutions has rolled out CommCentral, a cloud-based application that enables bank and broker-dealer clients to query and surface insights from investor communications.

Users of CommCentral can also create customised alerts and communications monitors to unearth cues and prompts that can generate and streamline workflows.

CommCentral “offers firms immediate access to essential communications data through intuitive dashboards, helping streamline tasks and facilitating informed decisions”, said Swatika Rajaram, head of US proxy and post sale at Broadridge. “Firms will achieve enhanced efficiency and insights into investor communications and ongoing trends leveraging our expertise and transformative technology.”

ESG Software Firm Datamaran Doubles Funding in $33m Financing Round

ESG software maker Datamaran has received a US$33 million financial injection via a Series C funding round. The facility will help accelerate the London-based company’s expansion in the US and build out generative artificial intelligence capabilities.

The latest funding round was led by Morgan Stanley Expansion capital and doubles Datamaran’s total external financial commitments.

Datamaran has almost 200 clients, including JPMorgan, for whom it monitors more than 400 external ESG risk factors.

EZOPS Acquisition Boosts NeoXam’s Data Management Capabilities

NeoXam has acquired EZOPS, a company that offers clients artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled data control, workflow automation, reconciliation, and regulatory reporting services.

Paris-based financial software specialist NeoXam said the purchase would enable it to expand its presence in US, Ireland and India, where EZOPS has its offices. The move comes as NeoXam seeks to bolster its AI capabilities to enhance its software.

With 150 staff, the EZOPS acquisition will increase NeoXam’s headcount to 800 globally. NeoXam said the New York-based firm brings data management, regulatory reporting, reconciliation and automation expertise.

“These capabilities are expected to complement NeoXam’s existing offerings, allowing the combined entity to deliver more powerful and comprehensive solutions to clients across the financial industry,” NeoXam said.

The company has had a busy 2024 including a recent agreement to handle the entire reporting process for Ecofi, Groupe Credit Cooperatif’s asset manager, and the integration of data, indices and other services linked to ETFs and other passive funds via SIX’s ULTUMUS feed to its DataHub.

Canoe Provides Data Services to Alt Funds Processing Firm Fundcraft

Fund-of-fund management clients of Fundcraft now have access to Canoe Intelligence’s data management capabilities, enabling them to streamline their data and document processes.

The deal will see the alternative investments operations services provider utilise New York-based Canoe’s artificial intelligence (AI)-enhanced technology to collect, clean, validate, order and distribute their data.

Luxembourg-headquartered Fundcraft said also that the deal will help fund managers better integrate their data sets, enhance documents management and increase operational efficiency.

This announcement comes after Canoe raised $36 million in a Series C funding round from backers that included Goldman Sachs’ alternatives venture investor.

“By combining Canoe’s expertise in automating document and data management with Fundcraft’s comprehensive platform, we’re making it easier for fund administrators to work smarter and focus on what matters most—driving value for their clients,” said Canoe vice president of sales in the Europe, Middle East and Africa region Toby Bailey.

ISS ESG Adds Biodiversity Data to Fund Rating and Screening Tools

ISS ESG has incorporated nature-focussed data into its ESG funds assessment tool.

Investors can use the ISS ESG Biodiversity Fund Screening dataset to establish the risks from nature and water loss faced by equity and bond funds. It expands the sustainable investing arm of ISS STOXX’s Fund Rating and Fund Screening tools, which offer clients a broad spectrum of ESG assessments of their holdings.

“ISS ESG has applied its extensive ESG research and data management expertise to enhance its ESG Fund Rating thematic coverage, developing a broad and deep dataset to help support a wide range of investor use cases,” said Till Jung, head of ESG business at ISS STOXX.

SG Fund Rating can be accessed via its DataDesk and through data feeds, APIs and the cloud. It is built on 2,600 ESG data factors.

Informatica to Manage Data, Governance for Lenders Mortgage Insurer Helia

Helia, an Australian lenders mortgage insurer, has selected Informatica to improve data management and governance around its claims processing capabilities as the home loans sector sees a surge in digitalisation.

Sydney-headquartered Helia said the artificial intelligence (AI)-powered data services company would help it accelerate claims and streamline its data pipeline. It hopes that the using Informatica’s Intelligent Data management Cloud will also enable the company to enhance its customer engagement using chatbots and automated decision making.

“By taking control of our data and implementing AI-powered data governance, we’re building a foundation to surpass our customers’ expectations and maximise value from AI,” said Michelle Soakell-Ho, data governance leader at Helia.

Bloomberg Lets Customers Test Drive its Datasets

Bloomberg is throwing open its data trove to prospective users, enabling them to interact with the information before deciding on whether to buy into new datasets.

The Virtual Data Room will give customers the chance to explore the coverage, quality and usability of Bloomberg’s Bulk Data License datasets. The service is designed to accelerate the data onboarding process, which usually takes a minimum of three months, New York-based Bloomberg said.

“The Virtual Data Room is akin to test driving a new car before you buy it,” said Brian Doherty, Global Head of Data License at Bloomberg.

BlueFlame AI Applies GenAI to Alternative Markets Data Processes

BlueFlame AI said it has made the process of mining and analysing data from documents easier for private and other alternative market participants with the creation of its Nexus product.

The offering, backed by generative artificial intelligence (GenAI), enables clients to pull critical data from unstructured sources such as management and board decks, presentations, contracts, reports and other documents, the London-based company said.

“In today’s data-driven investment landscape, the ability to quickly extract valuable insights from vast amounts of unstructured information is crucial,” BlueFlame AI chief executive Raj Bakhru said.