At the beginning of October 2022, Hypothekarbank Lenzburg successfully switched from the previous order management system GLOX with connections to SIX Swiss Exchange and Vontobel to our successor product MAX. In addition, the connection to the broker Allfunds was implemented. And the connection to the BX Swiss Exchange is being worked on for the first time:
'An exciting project, because this is the first ever connection from a MAX system to the BX Swiss. The trading functionality is already in production. Currently, we are working on the BX master and market data supply.' Dagmar Büschges, Project Manager, MACD
Our customer Schroders successfully went live with the MACD service MAX Fund Trade in November 2022. Due to the different workflows at many of the bank's trading partners, this was a very complex project in which we were able to implement improvements in close cooperation. For example in the area of the SWIFT interface.
'The MAX Order Management System for fund trading provides us with a higher degree of automation (straight-through processing technology), generates a better overview of our fund orders and optimises scalability in our business area.' Tenzin Sewo, Deputy Head Fund Execution, Schroders
In January 2023, the private bank Bergos migrated from the previous system XKYTE to the MAX Routing Hub with connection to the core banking system APSYS from FNZ with the switch to MAX, MACD is now also taking over the hosting. Using the MAX Routing Hub, direct connections to brokers, market participants and buy-side customers, e.g. via FIX or SWIFT, can be realised easily and quickly.
The ASP model (Application Service Provider) includes a connection to MAX which enables access to all markets available in the MAX network. This model is cost efficient because the IT footprint remains very small. MACD runs, maintains and monitors the systems and can react immediately. We ensure the reliability and high availability of MAX by means of our high-quality dual-site data centre in Switzerland.
Our MACD Community Event this year will take place on:
Thursday, 1 June 2023, from 1 pm
HWZ - Hochschule für Wirtschaft Zürich
There will again be exciting topics and plenty of time for networking and conversation. The invitations will be sent out soon.
By connecting several MACD custumers to the BX Swiss exchange, the number of monthly trades increased significantly in 2022. Among other things, BX Swiss uses the MACD exchange system AIXECUTE, through which our FIX customers can be easily connected to the exchange.
BX Swiss offers a wide range of equities and ETFs admitted to trading. In addition, the exchange has been providing with deriBX a trading segment for structured products since 2019.
MACD and Finnova have been working together in partnership for many years. 2022, the two companies have signed a product partner agreement, which brings some qualitative advantages, especially for our customers who use a Finnova core banking system.
As a product partner, MACD now has access at all times to the Finnova partner portal with an overview of all REST interfaces offered by Finnova as well as detailed interface documentation. MACD is informed in advance about upcoming changes. Furthermore, a Finnova test system is available to MACD.
In addition to the usual tests from our MACD destinations, we can now also send test requests directly from the Finnova core banking system. We are thus able to simulate the entire trading process - from the order entry in the Finnova core banking system via the MACD trading system to the corresponding destinations and back again - fully automatically.
Security is not only a top priority for our systems. It is also important that each and every employee keeps in mind that everyone is responsible for the protection of sensitive data and can do a lot to make it very difficult for potential data thieves.
That is why we are currently completing security training at MACD - we started at the end of 2022 with the following modules: GDPR, Secure Passwords, Destroying Data, Working Safely from Home.
In 2023, we will continue with the following topics: Multi-factor authentication, phone phishing, safe surfing, information in the cloud, security of mobile devices and general testing of users through e.g. landing pages.
In November 2022, George Macdonald, CEO MACD celebrated his 30th work anniversary with the teams in Urdorf and Aachen. In an interview, he gives an insight into the entrepreneurial and personal highlights of the past years and where the journey with MACD will go in the future.
Under the motto "Donation instead of cards" MACD always donates an amount of money to a social institution at Christmas time. 2022 not only the organisation 'SOS Childrens' Villages' was happy about this at Christmas 2022, but also the environment, as we did not buy and send real cards and thus saved material and CO2 emissions.
Tomislav Lukacevic has been working as a business project manager in the Technical Account Management team since 1 September 2022. He has many years of experience in project management in the financial sector.
