Top Stories of 2015: Best of the Sell Side

Regulation. Mergers and acquisitions. High-frequency trading. These are not new topics on the sell side, however every year they seem to rise to the top. 

This year was no different, as all of those subjects got a fair amount of press throughout the year. But there were also other topics that took the spotlight.

Cyber security is one that has continued to gain steam over the past few years, peaking this year. Innovation labs also seemed to be a popular talking point. The question of where a chief data officer can fit into a firm also came up several times.

So take your time poking around. Below we've compiled 10 of our best stories from the past year pertaining to the sell side.

The Impact of Reg SCI

Fresh off the announcement of Regulation Systems Compliance and Integrity (Reg SCI), experts spoke to WatersTechnology about the implications the mandate would have not only on those it looks to regulate, but on the entire market.

Information Sharing Among CISOs Key to Firms' Protection

Cyber security certainly was in the spotlight throughout 2015. In fact the topic was so popular we dedicated an entire issue to it (April 2015). The importance of sharing information between chief information security officers (CISOs) was touched on in this story.

In the World of High Frequency Trading, Big Data Still Remains a Challenge

Big data and high-frequency trading are two hot topics that were combined at a panel at this year's North American Trading Architecture Summit, which looked at how to cope with the massive amount of data being produced in a low-latency world.

What BCBS 239 Means for the Industry

With a looming deadline of January 2016, BCBS 239, the set of guidelines around risk data aggregation and reporting, was a popular topic throughout the year. Unlike the June 2015 feature, which focused on the struggles banks are facing in meeting BCBS 239's requirements, this story looks at the eventual impact of the regulation on the industry.

No Single Model for CDOs as Firms Continue to Shape Role, Panelists Say

The role of chief data officer has become a trending position amongst banks as the amount of data consumed by organizations explodes. At the North American Financial Information Summit a panel discussed what makes the role different from a typical CIO or CTO position.

Latest Cyber Attack on Banks: Critical Heist or Just Hype?

Of all the areas we cover in financial services, cyber security is probably the area that draws the most attention from the general public. But how much are the reports of the latest breaches hyperbole? Following a report in The New York Times on a cyber attack on ATMs that spanned six continents, WatersTechnology looked at what was real and what was hype.

Deutsche Bank Aims to Implement 50 Ideas from New Innovations Labs in First Year

Innovation labs and fintech partnerships are all the rage nowadays. WatersTechnology chatted with a source about Deutsche Bank's plan to implement 50 ideas from its newly built innovation labs.

Saxo Hands Over Keys to Technology Toolsets with OpenAPI Initiative

Saxo Bank provided access to the software for its trading infrastructure with the launch of its OpenAPI initiative in the hopes of providing clients the opportunity to create their own customized trading front-ends.

SS&C CEO Discusses Acquisition Flurry, Plans for Future

One of the biggest deals of the year came early on when SS&C purchased Advent for $2.63 billion. Bill Stone, SS&C's CEO, spoke with WatersTechnology about that deal, along with several others made by SS&C in 2015, and the future of the firm.

MiFID II on Pause? Vendors React

One of the biggest regulatory announcements came in November when the European Union decided to delay the introduction of MiFID II legislation by as much as a year. WatersTechnology spoke to vendors throughout the industry about the decision.