Settlement Operations
Cost-effective settlement.
Secure and efficient settlement.
For many organisations, settlement operations is the core of their business activities. Settlement departments are challenged to provide their service at the best possible price and with the highest level of process stability. Only innovative and efficient service with scalable processes and systems ensures long-term success in this market environment characterised by low margins and high levels of competition.
We add value above and beyond the standard. We deal with all aspects of trade settlement on the German and Austrian markets, including OTC transactions and exchange-traded transactions of various product types. There are number of tasks to be accomplished to ensure that outstanding transactions are settled on time and securely, to avoid financial risks for your company. We can help you accomplish this. We support constantly evolving settlement operations with a comprehensive service portfolio geared towards the practical requirements of our clients.
We have the well-founded experience necessary to optimally design every type of clearing and settlement process, or to provide you the best possible advice regarding an outsourcing project. We support you from the initial set-up and design through to the successful implementation of your settlement systems and also advise you throughout the testing phase – depending on need, either in a supporting capacity or with the complete assumption of test and migration management.
99%
STP rate
100%
transaction security
Our service portfolio for Settlement Operations.
- Analysis and optimisation of existing processes/systems in compliance with regulatory requirements
- Evaluation of settlement processes and support in their optimisation
- Support in teh integration, migration and development of settlement systems
- Support with release upgrades or outsourcing of settlement systems
We are not just designers, we are doers.
Release upgrade of a Securities Settlement System
In close collaboration with our client, we are integrating a new release for the existing securities settlement system. An update of the hardware as well as operating and data warehouse system also became necessary as part of the conversion to the new version to be able to use the complete functions at full capacity and to technically prepare the system for future expansions.
In addition to the main system, the connected peripheral systems also needed to be updated to the new status of development due to the technical upgrade. The system comprises a large number of functions and is connected to external systems via a multitude of interfaces.
Each release upgrade has a far-reaching impact and demands testing work in all the relevant business departments. Coordinating the collaboration with the business departments involved is a core responsibility of project coordination. Additional Firstwaters consultants are being used to manage the test activities. In doing so, the task is to also integrate a department-wide approach to test management and automation within the framework of release upgrade projects.
Introduction of BO solutions over all asset classes
Settling OTC transactions is one of the core consulting areas of Firstwaters, which has become one of the leading consulting companies in this area in recent years.
In addition to the secure and efficient settlement of transactions, the focus is also always on compliance with the increasing regulatory requirements. Independent of specific system solutions, our project work has given us outstanding expertise in settlement that we use to the benefit of our clients.
At the moment, we are supporting a major German bank in modernising the settlement of its securities business. As part of expanding the use of the Calypso system, we are currently also supporting a German state bank in the back-office migration of money market and foreign exchange business (FX, MM and FXO) to Calypso.
Outsourcing the Settlement of Securities
Within the framework of an outsourcing project for securities settlement to a service provider, a major German bank placed its trust in the consulting services of Firstwaters.
On behalf of the bank, we assumed responsibility for the coordination of the BA and development team for the provision/delivery of transactions to the outsourcing service provider.
The task was to design an agile procedure model and its application for the dynamic management of the project together with the internal approval partners at the bank.
Let's talk.
Would you like to optimise your settlement systems? We would love to hear about your challenges in dealing with settlement operations. Get in touch with our experts and let us develop a joint vision together.
Thorsten Fiekert
+49 6021 4 54 84 62
settlementoperations[at]firstwaters.de