Thomson Reuters Mulls Entity Data Content Connections

After beefing up its data management group with industry veterans, Thomson Reuters is assessing new opportunities for improving integration of entity data to help clients mitigate risk.

Boston-based Tim Lind, formerly at Omgeo, joined Thomson Reuters as global head of strategy and business development for enterprise content at the end of 2010, and his work will involve reviewing opportunities for content enhancements and delivery. “There are opportunities we’ve identified and want to grow,” he says.

One of the areas the firm is looking at is client entity data, particularly in terms of building connections between people and companies. “I think it’s a really interesting space,” says Lind, who sees this as being a growing problem in today’s market.

Thomson Reuters will build services that bring content types together, in order to achieve a general acceptance of common methodologies to link client entity content.

To do this, Lind says the vendor would use data on legal companies and partnerships, as well as work with partners. “As I look to the assets of Thomson Reuters, I think the organization is in an ideal position to bring these two [content sets] together,” he says.

Improved data linkages would help firms monitor exposure to specific clients and entities. “The other aspect to this is valuation risk,” says Lind, explaining that to understand the value of collateral debt obligations, for example, investors need to understand what parties they are dealing with: “The core of the investment industry is still: What is the value of my portfolio?”