The ability to manage and generate insights from vast quantities of data becomes critical in an investment climate that is volatile and uncertain. Building on our previous research on data use and management, our industry survey of more than 900 asset managers, asset owners, insurers and wealth managers reveals why investing in advanced data strategies is an increasingly important priority for the industry.

Many firms see HDS as a strategic imperative with significant economic benefits, enabling them to respond rapidly to new market conditions, customer needs or evolving regulatory requirements. Hong Kong’s investment institutions are well on the road to implementing HDS, with many of them outpacing their global rivals. Thirty-nine percent of respondents in the survey say that they already have a HDS in place, significantly higher than the global average of 26 percent. These advanced data strategies give Hong Kong’s firms some notable advantages. For example, 68 percent of them say that they are very effective at using data for defining investment objectives, versus a global average of 59 percent.

Firms in Hong Kong are also amongst the most enthusiastic in the survey about the potential of GenAI. Seventy percent of its respondents see GenAI delivering the most value in defining investment objectives in the front office, compared to 61 percent globally.

The report goes on to reveal how firms in different regions are working towards a HDS. It provides insight into how leaders in HDS expect to boost investment returns, increase revenues and deliver significant cost savings for their organizations. It also shows where firms are prioritizing their technology investments to deliver an enduring competitive advantage.