Finding Solutions While Waiting for Godot

“Nothing happens. Nobody comes, nobody goes. It's awful.” ― Samuel Beckett, Waiting for Godot

“Everything comes to him who hustles while he waits.” ― Thomas Alva Edison

The quest for an SMA model communications hub has been ongoing for many years. The concept being an apparently simple and sound one – if the sponsors using managers’ models agree to a single format for the information, model delivery would be simplified. Gaining acceptance and agreement has proven to be the stumbling block.

In a FundFire article from November 2014, it was noted that "Ultimate success of the hub will depend on sponsor adoption.” (MMI Model Hub Launch Pushed to Early 2015, Fundfire, November 4, 2014, by Danielle Verbrigghe)

While there is no denying the logic of such an approach, current technology allows for other solutions until such time as the industry comes to a consensus. One such approach is delivery from a system flexible enough to map data to and from different formats. Archer is an example of how this approach may work:

• An integrated investment management platform allows for a single model portfolio to be used across accounts from different sponsors, and even across different distribution channels. For example, high-net worth (private wealth) and dual-contract SMA accounts.
• The model is updated by a portfolio manager, and changes, with notes, can be sent internally to execution traders as well as being sent to a model-only program in which the manager participates. The model-only file is formatted before being sent.