Data driven: researching the future of financial trading

Back (l-r): Neil Penfold from Thomson Reuters, Andrew Fletcher from Thomson Reuters, Professor Andy Nix, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Bristol, and Professor Dave Cliff, Head of The Merchant Venturers School of Engineering at the University of Bristol. Front (l-r): Professor Hugh Brady, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Bristol, and David Craig, President of Financial and Risk at Thomson Reuters. Dan Rowley

Press release issued: 6 May 2016

With automated trading systems transforming the face of financial trading, research into how to optimise the vast quantities of data being produced has never been more important. A new partnership between the University of Bristol and Thomson Reuters will ensure the UK remains at the forefront of this industry transformation.

The investment will fund the Thomson Reuters Lecturer in Financial Informatics and Data Science, building on the University’s well-established reputation for leading research in automated trading for financial markets.

Today’s announcement was made when David Craig (BEng 1992), President of Financial and Risk at Thomson Reuters, visited his old University to formally sign an agreement.

Announcing the new lectureship, David Craig, President of Financial and Risk, Thomson Reuters, said: "At Thomson Reuters, we value deep, strategic relationships with university partners that bring new insights to our thinking through collaborative research.

"We know that financial informatics and data science are areas where there will be a growing need for new talent in the future. Therefore, I am delighted that we have embarked on this exciting new relationship with my alma mater, and I look forward to working closely with them and the exciting opportunities it will provide."

The creation of this new lectureship will spearhead data science research at the University of Bristol, while also ensuring data science students develop the real world experience necessary to make a valuable contribution to industry upon graduation.

Professor Dave Cliff, Head of The Merchant Venturers School of Engineering at the University of Bristol and Professor of Computer Science, said: "Trading in financial markets is increasingly automated; where human traders used to haggle over prices to agree a deal, now computerized automated trading systems often do that job at lightning speeds.

"We are generating more data in one day than we did in the course of centuries past. This surge in data creation clearly demonstrates the value and necessity for a post in Financial Informatics and Data Science, and we are delighted to be working with Thomson Reuters in this capacity."

The collaboration is a vital link between academia and industry, allowing the post-holder to develop teaching materials based around Thomson Reuters' financial analysis software Eikon.