In today’s rapidly evolving financial landscape, regulatory requirements and market expectations are in constant flux. For financial institutions, the ability to adapt quickly, maintain operational resilience, and ensure robust security is not just a competitive advantage—it’s a necessity. A cloud-first approach to regulatory platforms is emerging as the gold standard, offering unparalleled benefits in resilience, scalability, security, and agility. The transformation journey of European DataWarehouse (EDW), enabled by Publicis Sapient, stands as a compelling case study of how cloud-native infrastructure can future-proof financial services organizations.
The financial sector faces a unique set of challenges: regulatory divergence across jurisdictions, the need for real-time data processing, and the ever-present threat of cyber risks. Traditional on-premises systems often struggle to keep pace with these demands, leading to operational bottlenecks and increased compliance risk. By contrast, cloud-native platforms offer:
EDW’s journey exemplifies the operational and technical advantages of a cloud-first approach. As the first central data repository for asset-backed securities in Europe, EDW needed to adapt swiftly to new regulatory regimes—first under the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA), and later, following Brexit, under the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
At the heart of EDW’s transformation is a Microsoft Azure-based big data platform. This cloud-first foundation enables real-time processing, validation, and storage of billions of loan-level data records. The platform’s multi-instance architecture allows EDW to support both EU and UK regulatory requirements simultaneously, reusing up to 80% of the core solution. This not only accelerates time-to-market for new jurisdictions but also ensures operational consistency and cost efficiency.
Cloud-native infrastructure brings inherent advantages in resilience and security. EDW’s platform leverages Azure’s robust security framework, automated disaster recovery, and continuous monitoring to ensure uninterrupted service and data protection. Automated DevOps pipelines and infrastructure-as-code practices further enhance operational efficiency, enabling rapid deployment, consistent governance, and reduced manual intervention. These capabilities are critical in a sector where data integrity and availability are paramount.
Financial regulations are dynamic, with frequent updates and jurisdiction-specific nuances. The cloud-first approach allows EDW—and any institution adopting a similar model—to respond quickly to new requirements. Agile methodologies and modular platform design mean that changes can be implemented, tested, and deployed with minimal disruption, ensuring ongoing compliance and business continuity. Automated data validation and analytics pipelines further streamline the process, reducing manual effort and compliance risk.
EDW’s platform incorporates advanced data validation, completeness checks, and analytics capabilities. By leveraging cloud-native analytics and AI-driven tools, the platform can detect anomalies, automate reporting, and provide regulators with the transparency they demand. For issuers, investors, and regulators, this translates into a seamless, user-friendly experience and high-quality, actionable data.
EDW’s transformation was guided by several best practices that are broadly applicable to financial institutions:
The results of EDW’s cloud-first transformation are clear:
EDW’s success demonstrates that a well-architected, cloud-native regulatory platform can be adapted for multiple markets. Financial institutions and market infrastructure providers can accelerate entry into new jurisdictions, reduce compliance risk, improve operational efficiency, and lower total cost of ownership by embracing a cloud-first approach.
With decades of experience in financial services transformation and a proven track record in regulatory reporting, Publicis Sapient is uniquely positioned to help organizations navigate the complexities of cross-border compliance. Our SPEED framework—Strategy, Product, Experience, Engineering, and Data & AI—ensures that every solution is holistic, actionable, and aligned with both regulatory requirements and business objectives. Strategic partnerships with leading cloud providers such as Microsoft Azure and AWS ensure that solutions are tailored, secure, and scalable.
As regulations continue to evolve, the institutions that thrive will be those that embrace cloud-native, modular platforms—not just to comply, but to lead. Publicis Sapient stands ready to help you scale your regulatory reporting capabilities globally, delivering the technology, expertise, and partnership you need to turn compliance into a catalyst for growth.
Ready to future-proof your regulatory platform? Connect with Publicis Sapient’s experts to discover how a cloud-first approach can transform your operational resilience, security, and agility in financial services.