5x scalability boost for a top US investment bank by streamlining structured notes

• Fragmented systems and duplicated work: We saw the same trade being re-keyed and reconciled across tools, creating breaks and rework
• Retirement capacity constraints: We addressed limited buyback/retirement throughput that restricted business scaling
• High operational friction: We reduced operational friction that was contributing to elevated inventory levels
• Compliance complexity: We simplified execution by integrating approvals and checks into automated workflows

• Streamlined trade initiation + treasury approvals: We integrated the primary issuance entry point with treasury workflow approvals to reduce turnaround time and eliminate offline follow-ups
• Pre-settlement trade finalization (T-5): We established a standard process to finalize trades five days before settlement, improving readiness and reducing last-minute operational risk
• Multi-account booking in RMS: We implemented booking across issuance, hedge, and loan accounts with the required accounting treatments to scale without increasing exceptions
• Cross-platform position management: We connected secondary position management with middle- and back-office flows, so positions, bookings, and updates stayed consistent end-to-end
• Intelligent retirement automation: We built an automated buyback selection mechanism prioritizing highest notional positions, optimizing cash-flow outcomes and routing approvals through treasury-integrated workflows

Achieved 5x issuance capacity and 8x retirement (buyback tear-up) efficiency by consolidating 15+ fragmented systems into an automated, straight-through platform.

• Scaled issuance capacity by 5x (growth without linear cost): The bank now handles 5x higher issuance volume through integrated architecture and digitized workflows, directly supporting business growth while reducing operational cost pressure
• Improved retirement efficiency by 8x (speed + quality): The bank reduced retirement turnaround time from 10 hours to ~2 hours, cut errors from 10% to 1%, and scaled monthly retirement capacity from 30 to 400 transactions
• Embedded compliance into daily operations (less drag, more control): Regulatory/ compliance execution became ‘business as usual’ for the bank, reducing the compliance burden while strengthening risk management
• Reduced secondary balances: The bank reduced secondary balances, leading to lower working capital costs for desk; reduced settlement error, resulting in reduced claims from clearing houses; and reduced operational and reputational risk
• End-to-end automation (strong finish): A fully automated issuance platform with near-real-time pricing, workflow tools, document generation, repositories, and full trade lifecycle support positioned the bank to scale structured-notes growth with materially lower operational risk