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By James Williams – On Monday 10 June 2013, phase two of OTC clearing for interest rate swaps and credit default swaps began under the Dodd-Frank Act. For the buy-side community, collateral management is set to become a more complex, far-reaching exercise involving higher volumes of collateral, increased margin calls, and more counterparties to deal with. »

To paint a picture of the hedge fund space today is to show a world of tightening margins, an industry where fee-structures have shifted away from the historic 2 and 20 compensation structures and a business model restrained by regulatory changes. At the same time, as margins tighten, the modern investor continues to have a high expectation of operational and cost efficiencies, pushing fund managers to do more with less. Managers are adapting quickly and aspiring to create systematic efficiencies by lowering operational costs. Depending on the fund’s size, strategies may vary, but the desire for highly-flexible, scalable solutions, fed by reliable data, remains a constant. »

BCS Prime Brokerage (BCS), an independent Russian financial institution, has launched an international brokerage business after being granted UK regulatory authorisation by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to deal and advise on investments and hold client assets. »

One of the most important relationships for any new hedge fund manager is with their chosen prime broker. This is who the manager relies upon for financing positions through margining, providing leverage, lending securities for shorting selling activity, clearing and settling trades. For prime brokerages within universal banks, such as UBS, JP Morgan, Citigroup, the level of support might also extend to fund administration and custodial services. »