Metasite

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the CEO of Solum Financial Limited

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

At Solum Financial, we provide tailored derivatives advice and technical solutions to fund admins, banks, supranationals, corporates, insurance companies, public sector entities, law firms, and asset management firms.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Metasite to accomplish?

Help build a web-based derivatives portfolios valuation and data quality control platform, which would be provided as a SaaS to institutional clients of Solum Financial

SOLUTION

How did you find Metasite?

Referral

Why did you select Metasite over others?

• Pricing fit our budget
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Referred to me

How many teammates from Metasite were assigned to this project?

6-10 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

Metasite played a pivotal role in developing a complete derivatives portfolios valuation and data quality control platform from the ground up. This encompassed both front-end and back-end development, DevOps, comprehensive testing, and stress tests, all executed by Metasite's engineering team. The Metasite team provided comprehensive support to Solum Financial throughout the project. 

This began with refining the functional specifications and architecting the proposed platform, progressing to designing the web-based user interface, and culminating in the delivery, testing, deployment, and ongoing maintenance of the functional software. The project's initial phase involved analysis and specification by a Metasite Business Analyst, working in collaboration with Solum's Product Owner. 

As the project advanced, Solum directed the implementation of specific features. Given the project's nature, the team chose Scrum for project delivery, which proved essential in managing uncertainty and aligning with client expectations due to its continuous iterative nature. The technology stack included a Java REST backend, Java for calculations, and an Angular frontend. 

Testing employed Spock and JUnit for unit tests, Karma/Jasmine for additional unit testing, and Protractor for end-to-end testing. The project featured automated deployments to AWS and continuous integration via Jenkins2, with integrations made with the OpenGamma Strata Library.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

The primary measurable outcome was the successful delivery of the new derivatives portfolios valuation and data quality control platform by Metasite's engineering team. This comprehensive delivery included front-end and back-end development, DevOps, end-to-end testing, and stress testing. 

This enabled Solum Financial to offer the platform as a Software as a Service (SaaS) to our institutional clients. Moreover, the solution passed technical due diligence and was approved for production deployment by one of the world's largest banks, underscoring its success and reliability.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Our operations thrive in a highly agile environment, allowing us to swiftly shift priorities as needed. The project utilised Scrum for its delivery, facilitating continuous, iterative updates. This approach was pivotal in aligning with our expectations and adeptly managing uncertainties throughout the project. 

Metasite’s engagement went beyond merely addressing our queries. They invested time in explaining their processes and thoroughly understanding our objectives and the rationale behind our decisions. This commitment has positioned them as long-term partners for us. We would readily recommend Metasite to our colleagues and others seeking their expertise.

What was your primary form of communication with Metasite?

Virtual Meeting

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

Metasite distinguished itself from other contenders in the initial Request for Proposal (RFP) process, notably for their extensive experience with clients of varying scales in the financial sector and their proficiency in our specific field of financial instruments. Working with Metasite gives the impression that they are an integral extension of our own team.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Metasite could have done differently?

Not really. Right from the outset, the Metasite team exhibited exceptional professionalism and expertise. Their commitment and meticulousness were crucial in guaranteeing that the platform aligned with our clients' needs and successfully underwent stringent technical due diligence at one of the world's major banks. 

The management and communication from Metasite were exemplary. They consistently responded swiftly to our requirements, demonstrating a readiness to exceed expectations to achieve the best results for us.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Director of Bond Radar

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Bond Radar is the premier intelligence and data service provider for the Global Primary Debt Issuance Markets, including Syndicated Bonds, Syndicated Loans and Leveraged Finance. Backed by dedicated and trusted professionals with many years of experience and extensive contacts globally, Bond Radar offers real-time updates throughout the new issue deal execution process across the Investment Grade, High Yield and Emerging Markets. 

The definite service offers insightful post-pricing deal reviews, and comprehensive market summaries, as well as access to a user-friendly accurate database of historical priced deals, enabling customised searches to generate charts, league tables and book distribution statistics. The services are available via the Bloomberg system (please see our menu page on BRRD), via the secure Bond Radar website, through your mobile device via the Bond Radar app, and via our APIs.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Metasite to accomplish?

Following the establishment of Bond Radar in 2002, we sought a technology partner capable of crafting and implementing the core digital platform for Bond Radar. Our aim was to facilitate the creation, management, and dissemination of our intelligence and data products to our institutional clientele. 

Our requirements extended beyond the initial design and development phases; we needed a partner who could also provide ongoing maintenance and hosting services for the platform, in line with specified Service Level Agreements (SLAs). We selected Metasite as our primary technology partner on the basis of a recommendation by a trusted third party.

SOLUTION

How did you find Metasite?

Referral

Why did you select Metasite over others?

• Pricing fit our budget
• Good value for cost
• Referred to me

How many teammates from Metasite were assigned to this project?

6-10 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

The project revolves around a sophisticated backend infrastructure, developed in Java, which enables the Bond Radar team to curate and manage intelligence and data for real-time distribution to our institutional clients. This distribution network encompasses a data-enriched web frontend, bespoke integration with Bloomberg Professional service, the Bond Radar mobile application, and more recently, REST APIs for broader accessibility. 

For over twenty years, Metasite's engineering team has been entrusted with the ongoing development, maintenance, and enhancement of the technical foundation supporting Bond Radar's offerings, ensuring our ability to deliver exceptional service continuously.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Metasite-built bespoke digital platform has become pivotal for Bond Radar, enabling real-time dissemination of our intelligence and data products to over a thousand financial institutions globally. A notable early achievement was Metasite's successful integration of our platform with the Bloomberg Professional service through the Bloomberg Multi-Product Feed (MPF), allowing automatic Bond Radar data distribution to over 300,000 Bloomberg terminals. 

Currently, Bond Radar operates with a workforce of nearly 40, spanning offices in London and Hong Kong, and serves a client base of over a thousand financial institutions worldwide. This success is underpinned by the robust digital platform developed, hosted, and maintained by Metasite's engineering team.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Our engagement is managed by a dedicated Metasite engineering team, led by an adept Team Lead and staffed with finance-savvy software developers and QA engineers. Our work is guided by AgilePM methodologies, aligning well with our operational dynamics and preferences. 

The competence of Metasite's project management has consistently impressed us, as evidenced by the high-quality and dependable solutions they've developed. Their responsiveness to our requirements is exemplary, facilitated by founder-led management that ensures direct accessibility and engagement at all levels.

What was your primary form of communication with Metasite?

Virtual Meeting

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

Metasite's niche focus on the financial sector and their choice to employ only experienced senior and mid-level professionals, many with financial industry backgrounds, truly distinguishes them. Their ability to blend startup agility with the rigour required for bank-grade security and reliability in their digital solutions, coupled with a culture that aligns well with our team, underscores their uniqueness and value.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Metasite could have done differently?

Over our twenty-year partnership, our collaboration with Metasite's engineering team has evolved alongside our business growth and the increasing complexity of our digital projects. 

Inevitably there were occasional challenges every few years or so (e.g. a underestimation of a particular project's complexity or a slight miscommunication regarding the technical debt in another project), however Metasite's management consistently demonstrated responsiveness, transparency, and a commitment to resolving issues promptly and effectively.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Head of System Development of Watu Credit

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Watu is an Asset FinTech revolutionizing mass-market mobility across Africa through financial inclusion and accessibility. At a median age of 18, Africa is the youngest continent globally and is growing at an unprecedented rate. With an estimated 1.2 billion person growth in the next ten years, Watu is committed to transforming urban mobility and the financial lending landscape. 

We are continuously helping to shape a brighter and better future by giving people opportunities to build and change the course of their lives. By providing access to affordable and flexible financing for two and three-wheelers, we have provided over 600,000 loans across 7 countries and positively impacted the lives of more than 3.6 million people. We are also actively promoting financial literacy and independence, adoption of digital payments and increased regulatory and safety compliances. 

As we expand our footprint across final frontier markets, we have made a conscious decision to be the pioneers of Africa’s movement toward ‘clean and green mobility’. Through the financing of new electric motorbikes, we are leading the way to a cleaner and sustainable continent.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Metasite to accomplish?

• We required an all-in-one system capable of supporting core banking operations, onboarding new clients, managing and tracking vehicle assets, and performing other daily tasks. Metasite was selected as the principal technology partner, responsible for the development and support of Watu Credit's core IT systems.

SOLUTION

How did you find Metasite?

Referral

Why did you select Metasite over others?

• Pricing fit our budget
• Good value for cost
• Referred to me

How many teammates from Metasite were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

Metasite began the project by first figuring out what needed to be done and then putting together the right team for the job. They mainly used Java (Spring), Angular, MySQL, Redux, Spock, and Gradle as their tech tools. The engineering team at Metasite started by taking the Mifos X fintech platform, which is open-source, and tweaking it to meet the specific needs of Watu Credit. 

They worked alongside the in-house developers from Watu Credit for this. They also created a completely new system for onboarding clients, making it easier for Watu to handle applications from new clients online.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

The project resulted in the successful implementation of an integrated system, which delivered significant improvements in both customer onboarding experience and day-to-day work efficiency. The system was successfully replicated in four additional countries after the initial implementation, demonstrating its scalability and success. 

With the new system, users were able to easily onboard customers and transfer critical information to the core banking system, streamlining the process and reducing errors. Additionally, the system enabled tracking of customer payments, loan restructuring, and provided real-time usage data for vehicles. These outcomes demonstrate the project's success in improving both efficiency and functionality, resulting in a significant positive impact on the company's operations.

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Metasite tackled the tasks by undertaking thorough scoping and assembling a dedicated team.

What was your primary form of communication with Metasite?

Virtual Meeting

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

Metasite had a strong background in developing systems that would support core banking operations, onboard new clients, manage and track vehicle assets.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Metasite could have done differently?

Based on our experience with Metasite, we cannot identify any areas for improvement or areas where they could have done something differently.