Cutter Community Discussion - ChatGPT and Generative AI: Industry Applications

David Joyce leads Cutter Associates’ Client Experience, ensuring client satisfaction across all engagement points as the voice of the client within Cutter. A senior technology and operations leader, David brings over 25 years of experience in leading operations, risk, and technology teams to help them devise and implement agile solutions, mitigate risk, increase scale, and build a culture of operational excellence.

Most recently, he served as an independent consultant to asset management, insurance, and fintech firms, providing expertise and guidance in the areas of derivatives, portfolio integration, customer success, project management, regulatory and control environments, and software development and implementation. Prior to consulting, David spent 20 years at American International Group (AIG) in a variety of increasingly senior roles. At AIG, he implemented innovative tactical and strategic solutions for the firm’s global businesses and led over 40 employees in multidisciplinary teams that performed investment and insurance operations, regulatory and control supervision, IT support, and workforce and facilities management.

Gina McCafferty has 30 years of experience in the financial services industry. She served at Cutter from 1999 to 2011 as Principal and Managing Director of CutterResearch, and she was instrumental in growing that business. Gina returned to Cutter in 2017, and established and ran the company’s Wealth Management research division. In 2019, she was appointed to Head of Research, responsible for Asset Management and Wealth Management product development and delivery to over 200 member firms around the globe. Gina was previously at Investit Ltd., where she served for six years as head of the company’s research service. Prior to that, she held senior positions at DST International with product responsibility for their global accounting and performance measurement systems, and at SunGard as Vice President of Client Services for their securities trading products.

John O’Neill has garnered extensive expertise in IT and Operations for investment management firms over the past 25 years. As a Program Management Director at State Street Global Markets, he was responsible for agile delivery of security reference and pricing data to securities finance analytics platforms. He also worked as an architect on their corporate actions automation and Gold Copy transaction projects. At KLP, John worked with IT leadership to establish future state architecture, including the selection of a new MDM platform. At Acadian Asset Management, he provided guidance during the initial stages of their SS&C middle office platform implementation. At Alexandria Real Estate Investment Trust, he managed components of their digital transformation project

At Bank of New York, John provided project leadership for street facing trade message testing of a hedge fund middle office lift out. He managed key components of reconciliation activities during production parallel testing.

As a product manager for Eze Castle, John introduced a new data management line of business, with the first product moving from concept to client in five months. He also created a Security Master solution that integrated market data from Reuters and Bloomberg. John extended a data management platform to support regulatory reporting workflows, and introduced an ETL system to import and aggregate data from accounting systems, third party administrators, risk systems, and prime brokers. Working directly with top investment managers, John implemented custom performance aggregation and risk reporting solutions.

As Director of IT for Geode Capital Management (2018 AUM $359B), John was responsible for the selection and implementation of technical hardware, software, networking, and communications. John also served Geode as Director of Operations for trading, portfolio management, and cash management. Other roles at Geode included Information Security Officer, where he designed and implemented all procedures, and Manager of market data systems, where responsibilities included contract management, systems design. John also served as a member of the Operating Committee, responsible for the direction, reporting, and management of all major initiatives. Also at Geode, John worked with general counsel to establish master feeder fund structures, implemented FIX connectivity for Inforeach EMS over private broker and TNS circuits. He managed the implementation of all portfolios, ETFs, and pilot funds with custodians, brokers, accountants, and third party administrators. He selected and implemented CRM solutions, and he created regulatory compliance solutions for pre-trade and post-trade analysis and reporting. John also managed the approval and communication of index fund cash flows through all channels, and managed the contract execution of structured notes, CDS, and convertible bonds. John holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from UMass Amherst.

John Refford joined Cutter Associates in 2018 as a consultant in the client-facing practice. John brings deep expertise in digital marketing technology within the financial services industry. Prior to joining Cutter, John spent 20 years at Natixis Investment Managers, most recently as Senior Vice President, Marketing Technology. There, John led the effort to digitize and modernize the firm’s marketing strategy by launching new digital capabilities and marketing channels. He pioneered the firm’s social media and lead generation programs focused on building brand awareness and driving advisor engagement. Prior to joining marketing at Natixis, John spent 12 years in IT, where he was responsible for the firm’s system, network, and security for global offices. John was a member of the Investment Management Education Alliance and served as a Digital Council board member from 2015 to 2017. A recognized leader in digital strategies, John has presented numerous times at industry events on digital marketing topics. He holds a bachelor of science in computer science from Fitchburg State College, a graduate certificate in technology management from Worcester Polytechnic Institute, and an MBA from Babson College.