Clients

The DCM market is critical to corporate financing in Europe, but the new issue execution process hasn’t been modernised. Everyone knows this, but until recently, banks didn’t always look at DCM in ways that captured the full costs, with front office bankers being measured on deal profitability and league tables. Now institutions know they’ve got to take out costs, automate and externalise functions – not least because borrowers are asking intelligent questions.

In 2018 in Europe borrowers paid around $5.7 billion in new issue fees. However, with the high cost base for dealers in the industry the margins are small. Therefore, taking unnecessary cost out of primary market administration is now firmly on the radar of both treasurers and dealers.

The time is ripe for traditional ways of bond origination to make way for a more digital approach, to do what has been aspired for so long – by taking the first step towards the creation of an independent platform that allows bond issuers efficient and effective direct access to the market place and bond investors. The FIX Marketplace marks the first step in this ambitious journey to democratise the capital markets for better transparency and broader financial inclusion. This can only be done effectively in consultation and collaboration with market players and participants, including arrangers, issuers, investors, lawyers, auditors and clearing houses. Through this collective effort, we can enhance the capabilities and features of the FIX Marketplace to best transform the market for the better.

This is a powerful collaboration for innovation in an important and complex market. Working with the grain of new issue dealers and their embedded market knowledge is the only way to identify and drive sustainable change. Listening to the market is critical to ensure innovation is feasible and relevant, and that’s already generating a positive response.