Fidessa group plc (LSE: FDSA), provider of high performance trading, market data and global connectivity solutions for the buy-side and sell-side, is celebrating its 10th anniversary of offering Software as a Service (SaaS) systems to brokers in London and New York. Since delivering its first SaaS solutions in 2000, Fidessa has expanded the service across multiple regions to cover Asia, Japan, continental Europe and Canada, and now serves around 10,000 users across 600 clients. At the same time, significant new functionality and capabilities have been constantly added to keep the service ahead of market and client demands.
Chris Aspinwall, CEO of Fidessa, explains the decision to offer a new model: "Traditionally, Fidessa had been in the business of providing enterprise solutions to big international players. By 2000, this model was well established globally, and we recognised the opportunity to provide the same functionally rich and resilient technology, coupled with integrated market data and client/market connectivity, to a new audience through a SaaS delivery. We are proud that this model has proved so successful and that many of those original clients are still taking advantage of the service today."
Starting out with UK and US datacentres ten years ago, Fidessa now has a global network of centres providing services across the world, with industry-leading levels of up-time and a reputation for superior service delivery. It has also extended the range of SaaS services it provides to incorporate solutions for firms of any size on both the buy-side and the sell-side. Today Fidessa offers fully managed and integrated FIX connectivity to more than 2,400 buy-sides and 550 sell-sides through Fidessa's global network which carries order flow with a value of around $700 billion each month.
Many original clients that went live with the service back in 2000 are still using it today.
Trevor Gatfield, IT Director at Investec Securities, explains: "In the last ten years our requirements have changed dramatically, both in terms of throughput and with regard to the multiple venues on which we now trade. The SaaS model has scaled with us and supported us throughout and, importantly, it means we can get on with our core business. That’s good news for us and for our clients."
Bobby Tipping, Head of Trading at Arbuthnot Securities, agrees: "What really sets Fidessa apart is its people. We know their product has the functionality we need, but it’s the close working relationship we have developed that has made Fidessa the right choice for us – they are a true partner. The work they do for both buy-side and sell-side firms gives them a significant competitive advantage over their rivals too."
Jon Solodar, Managing Director and Head of US Institutional Trading at Canaccord Genuity, noted: "As the markets and our business continue to evolve our partnership with Fidessa has allowed us to remain flexible and expand our institutional equities offerings to our clients."
Russ Campbell, Chief Operating Officer at US-based Triad Securities, adds: "Fidessa has always had a reputation for delivering robust and resilient technology, and that’s the case with their SaaS solution too. In the ten years we’ve been using it, it’s been rock solid. Their broker neutrality adds to the package as well."
Aspinwall concludes: "Our SaaS solutions now serve a wide range of clients from international brokers and asset managers with operations around the world, through to niche regional brokers and hedge funds with highly specialised local needs. Offering multi-asset class support and a range of sophisticated trading functionality, these services can scale to match our clients' business growth, and also insulate them from the headache of dealing with more and more trading venues in the ever-fragmenting world of liquidity."
Fidessa’s SaaS services have increased and diversified far beyond the original sell-side OMS and exchange gateway. They now offer an unmatched array of powerful functions, including global order management, portfolio analysis, decision support, compliance, low latency DMA, execution management, algorithmic trading and smart order routing.