Sydney Cutter Connect 2024

Jon Chandler brings more than ten years of experience in the financial services industry to his Director's role at Cutter Associates. Prior to joining Cutter, Jon was a senior business analyst for State Street Global Advisors (SSGA), where he was involved in a number of projects for the front and middle office, including UAT design and execution for an order management system (Fidessa IMS), the implementation of a web-based due diligence platform (FundInsight), and an enterprise solution to support blended benchmarks. Prior to his project roles, Jon was a principal in fixed income trade operations at SSGA. He has extensive experience with post-trade operations and applications, such as OASYS/CTM, PORTIA, MBSExpert, and Failstation. Jon earned a bachelor of arts in history from the University of Florida and an MBA from Northeastern University.

Recent research assignments and publications include the following:

• Alternative Investment Systems
• Collateral Management
• Investment Accounting Solutions
• Order Management Systems
• Performance Measurement and Attribution Systems
• Reconciliation Solutions
• Risk Management Systems

Jason Inzer has over 20 years of experience managing data, analytics, and technology at leading investment firms. He has worked directly in the front office throughout his career, specializing in data management and data analytics for front-office applications. Jason has successfully led multiple data and digital transformation projects for large organizations and has helped firms develop a data-driven culture to optimize business processes and create new sources of value. He has a strong technical background, with in-depth knowledge of modern data platforms and tools. Prior to joining Cutter, Jason spent five years as Chief Data and Technology Officer for Sustainable Insight, an environmental, social, and governance (ESG) asset management firm, and 15 years at Deutsche Bank in roles that included Global Head of Data and Analytics of Deutsche Bank equity research and Head of Research Analytics at DWS Investments. Jason holds a bachelor of arts from The Ohio State University and a master of science in business analytics (MSBA) from NYU Stern School of Business.

Gina McCafferty has 30 years of experience in the financial services industry. She served at Cutter from 1999 to 2011 as Principal and Managing Director of CutterResearch, and she was instrumental in growing that business. Gina returned to Cutter in 2017, and established and ran the company’s Wealth Management research division. In 2019, she was appointed to Head of Research, responsible for Asset Management and Wealth Management product development and delivery to over 200 member firms around the globe. Gina was previously at Investit Ltd., where she served for six years as head of the company’s research service. Prior to that, she held senior positions at DST International with product responsibility for their global accounting and performance measurement systems, and at SunGard as Vice President of Client Services for their securities trading products.

Kathy McDermott has more than 20 years of experience in the financial services industry. She joined Cutter Associates in 2011 and has authored a number of Cutter Research reports on a wide range of topics. She spent ten years as a consultant for a variety of asset management firms, with a focus on business analysis for front and middle office projects. Kathy was previously the senior business analyst, equity trading systems, at Wellington Management, specializing in the firm’s proprietary electronic and basket trading applications. Earlier in her career, Kathy worked for Thomson Financial Services (now Thomson Reuters), supporting FirstCall and PORTIA clients in Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, and Thailand, and later went on to manage PORTIA implementations. She also worked at LongView (now Linedata) as an account manager and then product manager of electronic trading. Kathy earned her bachelor of arts in mathematics from Hamilton College.

Recent research assignments and publications include the following:

• Alternative Data and the Expanding Universe of Investment Information
• Behavioral Analysis in Investment Management
• Client Reporting Systems and Practices
• Data Access for Business Users
• Managed Data Services
• Market Data Administration
• Mastering Client, Account, and Product Data
• Order Management Systems
• Outsourced Trading: Has the Time Come?
• Reference Data Management Solutions

Rein van Rooyen is a results-driven finance and investment industry leader with international experience spearheading teams and achieving outcomes within highly competitive environments. Rein is well versed in leading change agendas, including building capabilities, integrating functions, culture journeys, structure realignment, and operational transformations. Rein comfortably navigates ambiguity, drives forward change, and develops innovative commercial solutions with a sustained commitment for stakeholder centricity and broader organizational impacts. A global thought leader and champion of innovation and transformation, he has extensive experience across superannuation, investment management, banking, risk, and insurance. He has a deep understanding of investment management system use and design.

Prior to Cutter, Rein spent five years at QSuper, where he led the middle and back office for the AUD 100 billion fund, including overseeing investment data, investment performance & analytics, investment risk & compliance, trade support, cash & treasury, collateral management & optimization, valuations & alternatives, investment implementation and deal team, as well as fund operations. He also worked for PwC in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands, where he led a variety of client engagements.

Alvin Chia is the Head of Digital Assets Innovation for Asia Pacific at Northern Trust. He is responsible for developing market-leading innovations that align with Northern Trust’s digital asset strategy. Alvin drives Northern Trust’s interactions with fintech, industry bodies, regulators, and government to positively influence market change in line with the organization's strategic direction.

Alvin brings more than 10 years of experience in various innovation-related roles. Most recently, he was the Expert Senior Manager of Innovation at Bain and Company, where he helped senior leaders from Fortune 500 companies achieve their strategic ambitions. Prior to Bain, he served as the Vice President of Innovation at DBS Bank, where he co-created numerous flagship digital products and services for the bank across Asia.

Alvin is an alumnus of the National University of Singapore (NUS) and Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and is currently completing a doctoral degree in digital innovation at NUS.

Daniel joined the Future Fund in March 2019 as the Head of the newly established Investment Data Management Business Unit. This unit is responsible for managing the entire lifecycle of investment data and information, collaborating with Agency teams to address their current and future data and information needs. It ensures access to high-quality, fit-for-purpose data to support investment decision-making. The Business Unit is organised into four key areas: Data Operations, Data Experience & Governance, Knowledge Management, and Relationship Management.

Before joining the Future Fund, Daniel spent 13 years at BNP Paribas Securities Services, where he led Data as a Service product. He also held various data and analytics roles at Abrdn Asset Management, Deutsche Asset Management, and Northern Trust Global Investments.

Mr. Patrick Tompsett is a Regional Director – Enterprise Data Solutions at FactSet. In this role, he is responsible for leading FactSet’s Data Solutions business in APAC, which is focused on delivering financial market data and API tools to the buy- and sell-side communities. Before this role, Mr. Tompsett served as the head of buy-side sales for Iress in Australia and, before that, at Man Group and NYSE Euronext in the United Kingdom. He earned a degree in Business from the University of Technology, Sydney, and a Master of Applied Finance from Macquarie University.

With over 25 years of experience in the financial services industry, Nicle currently serves as the Investment Data Governance Manager at Aware Super. She leads the data governance workstream, focusing on establishing and managing the data governance framework for the investment data domain. Nicle has accumulated 16+ years of expertise in investment data management, governance, and investment reporting, holding positions across superannuation, fund management, and life insurance companies. She has led BAU teams and played key roles in numerous transformation projects. Her career is marked by a profound commitment to enhancing the quality and trustworthiness of data, ensuring substantial value is added to the business.