Lauren Dillard, Executive Vice President and Head of Global Information Services at Nasdaq sat down with Julie Cooling, Founder & CEO, RIA Channel to discuss opportunities in Nasdaq’s data services, analytics and index licensing business.
Dillard joined Nasdaq in 2019 from The Carlyle Group, where she served as COO and CFO of its Investment Solutions Group before leading it as Managing Director. No stranger to the power of customized solutions, Dillard foresees several opportunities for Nasdaq to expand its footprint in the model investing business with Dorsey Wright models, as well as client driven products such as indexes. Nasdaq’s unique index licensing solutions provide advisors, asset managers, ETF sponsors and wealth managers with the ability to launch a variety of financial products. Nasdaq’s experienced team delivers seamless, well-researched products, as well as access to the intermediary marketplace via Nasdaq’s reputation and distribution network. Nasdaq indexes support 332 ETPs listed in 20 countries on 24 exchanges globally.
Dillard further discussed increased advisor demand for thematic indexes in areas such as AI, cloud computing, and cyber security. Disruptive technologies with expected longevity that envelope new processes or have established new standards will outlast fads that infiltrate traditional indexes. Even micro themes provide investors with traction over broad-based passive benchmarks.
Dillard noted the data-driven value created not only within the technology sector, but also in environmental, social, governance (ESG) investing. Transparency is critical in order to execute appropriately within the ESG public or private investing arena. Nasdaq recently launched an ESG data portal as a solution to standardize reporting, capture company ESG insights and distribute performance information. The Nasdaq Future Australian Sustainability Leaders Index (NQFASL) exemplifies a custom ESG index created to provide access to Australian-listed stocks with an ESG focus.
Quandl was acquired by Nasdaq in 2018 and offers data, analytics and insights to some of the world’s largest financial institutions. The Quandl platform provides alternative investment data to financial professionals seeking an edge to generate alpha, identify acquisition targets or evaluate fundamental factors of potential or existing investments. Dillard says Quandl is successfully adding value to Nasdaq’s suite of data offerings, and anticipates further penetration across the advisor marketplace as alternative usage becomes more mainstream.
Finally, Dillard discussed Nasdaq’s commitment to advisor education, specifically regarding strategy due diligence, portfolio construction and aligning with advisors and wealth managers seeking to establish processes toward data-driven decisions. Nasdaq’s eVestment furthers its mission toward supporting the institutional and advisory ecosystem. Manager due diligence and intelligence often begins at eVestment. In addition to holdings, attribution, performance and consultant searches, Nasdaq supports manager-to-advisor connections virtually, like no other firm in the industry. Dillard is eager to expand the Nasdaq data exchange to further assist the “uncovering of signals throughout the noise.”
For more information:
Nasdaq Custom Indexes
Nasdaq ESG Data Portal
Nasdaq eVestment Institutional Search Portal
Nasdaq Quandl Alternative Data Platform Nasdaq’s Dillard On Data Driven Investment Solutions
Lauren Dillard, Executive Vice President and Head of Global Information Services at Nasdaq sat down with Julie Cooling, Founder & CEO, RIA Channel to discuss opportunities in Nasdaq’s data services, analytics and index licensing business.
Dillard joined Nasdaq in 2019 from The Carlyle Group, where she served as COO and CFO of its Investment Solutions Group before leading it as Managing Director. No stranger to the power of customized solutions, Dillard foresees several opportunities for Nasdaq to expand its footprint in the model investing business with Dorsey Wright models, as well as client driven products such as indexes. Nasdaq’s unique index licensing solutions provide advisors, asset managers, ETF sponsors and wealth managers with the ability to launch a variety of financial products. Nasdaq’s experienced team delivers seamless, well-researched products, as well as access to the intermediary marketplace via Nasdaq’s reputation and distribution network. Nasdaq indexes support 332 ETPs listed in 20 countries on 24 exchanges globally.
Dillard further discussed increased advisor demand for thematic indexes in areas such as AI, cloud computing, and cyber security. Disruptive technologies with expected longevity that envelope new processes or have established new standards will outlast fads that infiltrate traditional indexes. Even micro themes provide investors with traction over broad-based passive benchmarks.
Dillard noted the data-driven value created not only within the technology sector, but also in environmental, social, governance (ESG) investing. Transparency is critical in order to execute appropriately within the ESG public or private investing arena. Nasdaq recently launched an ESG data portal as a solution to standardize reporting, capture company ESG insights and distribute performance information. The Nasdaq Future Australian Sustainability Leaders Index (NQFASL) exemplifies a custom ESG index created to provide access to Australian-listed stocks with an ESG focus.
Quandl was acquired by Nasdaq in 2018 and offers data, analytics and insights to some of the world’s largest financial institutions. The Quandl platform provides alternative investment data to financial professionals seeking an edge to generate alpha, identify acquisition targets or evaluate fundamental factors of potential or existing investments. Dillard says Quandl is successfully adding value to Nasdaq’s suite of data offerings, and anticipates further penetration across the advisor marketplace as alternative usage becomes more mainstream.
Finally, Dillard discussed Nasdaq’s commitment to advisor education, specifically regarding strategy due diligence, portfolio construction and aligning with advisors and wealth managers seeking to establish processes toward data-driven decisions. Nasdaq’s eVestment furthers its mission toward supporting the institutional and advisory ecosystem. Manager due diligence and intelligence often begins at eVestment. In addition to holdings, attribution, performance and consultant searches, Nasdaq supports manager-to-advisor connections virtually, like no other firm in the industry. Dillard is eager to expand the Nasdaq data exchange to further assist the “uncovering of signals throughout the noise.”
For more information:
Nasdaq Custom Indexes
Nasdaq ESG Data Portal
Nasdaq eVestment Institutional Search Portal
Nasdaq Quandl Alternative Data Platform