Jul 05, 2012
BNY Mellon aims to alleviate buy-side collateral challenge
US-based
custodian and asset servicing firm BNY Mellon has consolidated its collateral
management-related services into a new unit that will help buy-side traders
manage the impact of new swaps regulations.
The new division,
called Global Collateral Services, combines BNY Mellon’s global capabilities in segregating, allocating,
financing and transforming collateral on behalf of buy- and sell-side clients. The
new business will be led by Kurt Woetzel, senior executive vice president and
head of global operations and technology at BNY Mellon.
More efficient management of
collateral is an issue that has come under increasing focus because of sweeping
changes to OTC derivatives markets that will be enacted from the start of next
year. The rules will require OTC derivatives to be standardised, where
possible, so they can be traded on-exchange and centrally cleared. As a result,
buy-side firms will have to secure their swaps exposures with collateral, a
process that is typically managed informally under bilateral deals.
"These regulatory
mandates will result in an unprecedented need for and effective deployment of
collateral across our entire client base, significantly increasing the demand
for the collateral management services we deliver," said
Woetzel.
Nadine Chakar, global head of
Derivatives360, Global Collateral Services, told
theTRADEnews.com that the firm has been looking at ways to leverage its
collateral expertise ever since the new derivatives rules were outlined by the
G-20 at its 2009 summit in Pittsburgh.
Derivatives360 is BNY Mellon's integrated unit designed to support clients' derivative strategies. The division includes execution, clearing, and collateral management, as well as middle- and back-office services.
“Our intent is
to retool and repurpose collateral capabilities to better service the
buy-side,” said Chakar. ”The
combination of our various units will allow us to create custom-made solutions
that meets buy-side firms’ needs and leverages our existing expertise.”
Chakar explained
that the new unit would help give the buy-side a full view of collateral
requirements across their subsidiaries and business areas, something it
currently has difficulty in managing.
Global Collateral
Services will also optimise money managers’ use of collateral by figuring out
the most cost-effective management of margin payments, and offer transformation
services that leverage BNY Mellon’s existing assets to help the buy-side find
the appropriate assets to meet collateral calls. The firm already operates a proprietary global collateral management technology
platform that processes a wide array of transaction types, including
derivatives, tri-party repurchase agreements, portfolio swaps, and
collateralised loans, as well as a wide variety of margin management
activities.
BNY Mellon manages over US$26
trillion in assets and administers around US$2 trillion in collateral.
Anish Puaar
+44 (0)20 7397 3817
anish.puaar@thetrade.ltd.uk