Author Archive

Windows in Financial Services speaks with Peter Johnson, senior vice president of Enterprise Architecture and Web Services at The Bank of New York Mellon to get his perspective on balancing the challenges of the current downturn with increasing demands from sophisticated customers. WFS: How do you strike that balance between cost ... Full story

When profit margins start to shrink, companies are tempted to dramatically decrease their IT budgets, with strategic IT development often suffering the worst of the cuts. But some companies this year are refusing to wait out the downturn, following a maxim that perhaps Ralph Waldo Emerson articulated best: “This time like all times is a very good one if we but know what ... Full story

SPRING 2009 Let’s call this the issue of smart investments. When companies start noticing that their profit margins are shrinking, the first reaction is often to dramatically decrease their IT budgets, with strategic IT development being an early casualty. But that does not seem to be the case this year. Underneath the attention-grabbing ... Full story

The Allianz Life Insurance Company of North America is not waiting out the financial crisis to make itself more attractive to agents who have gotten decidedly more picky over the years. It knows better.  “With the increase in the number of product choices, agents have more choice in who they do business with,” says Jason Linn, VP ... Full story

The insurance industry has not been drastically cutting IT spending as some have predicted but rather seem to be taking a more strategic look at their IT investments. The goal is a leaner and smarter enterprise that will be in a stronger position to compete for those customers that want more tip of the finger services. Windows in Financial Services speaks with Microsoft Financial Services ... Full story

  Cloud computing provides some good news for financial services companies focused on emerging from the current economic downturn with a competitive edge: no longer are huge investments needed for those huge computing resources needed to get closer to the customer. Indeed, it is not expected to be long before a substantial portion of companies in the ... Full story

Merrill's Kumar Vadaparty Sets Laser Focus on Post-Development First it was his data service framework, then it was his application lifecycle management framework. This year it is his Silverlight Framework. Kumar Vadaparty, third time winner of the Windows in Financial Services Developer Awards, is quickly earning a reputation as the innovative developer to beat. What makes Vadaparty stand out is perhaps his eagerness to ... Full story

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Vermont is already seeing the results of a strategic IT investment: so far, its compensation management system has helped it to streamline operations and has lead to half a million in savings. Another $2 million in savings is expected over the course of the implementation.  Developed to overhaul ... Full story

While Utica First Insurance Company already had a Web site that its agents considered user-friendly and fast, it decided it needed to better position itself for the years to come and make its agent experience a clear competitive advantage. “The .NET platform in Agency Link offered the ability to make this product smarter, increase the accuracy and speed of entering quotes, and ... Full story

  The London Stock Exchange has selected Rapid Addition for the provision of a FIX engine to its TradElect platform. The vendor’s RA-Professional engine will be used by the exchange in the development of an optional FIX 5.0 interface to TradElect. The interface is scheduled to go live this summer. “Offering FIX access is an important strategic ... Full story