FOUNDED IN 1997, Wombat is a global leader in high-performance financial market data management solutions, with offices in New York, Belfast, Chicago, London and Tokyo.
The company develops advanced software which is used to supply stock exchange data to financial institutions at high speed. This data is then used to make trading decisions, many of which are automated and rely on high-speed connectivity.
In 2007, Wombat's revenues grew 124 per cent to over $28 million. Today, Wombat has over 150 employees worldwide, with over 75 per cent coming from the Belfast engineering base.
A Queen's University graduate, Danny Moore, Wombat CEO, advises that the Belfast Centre of Excellence has been a cornerstone in supporting their mission to become a leader in the global market data, messaging and trading technology sectors.
In March 2008, NYSE Euronext (NYX) announced the closing of its $200 million acquisition of Wombat and celebrated the completion of the transaction and the introduction of Wombat as part of NYSE Euronext Advanced Trading Solutions by headlining the NYSE Opening Bell. NYSE Euronext Advanced Trading Solutions provides seamless high performance trading across asset classes, global geographies and time zones, and a common end-to-end platform for accessing liquidity in any market.
The group combines Wombat's market-leading data management and distribution solutions with the highest-performing enterprise software for financial connectivity (TransactTools) and the network and facilities infrastructure of the world's leading markets (SFTI).
Product/Service: Wombat customers are financial institutions, such as merchant banks, who use their products and solution systems to "purify" and "normalise" financial data generated by various financial exchanges around the world. These companies use this information to make "buy/sell" decisions on the financial exchanges around the globe. Speed and accuracy of data is of paramount importance to their customers. The Wombat brand is known particularly for its technical excellence, product quality, low latency (high speed) and competitive cost.
Customers: Wombat leads the financial trading technology market by providing a high speed market data and messaging platform with direct connectivity to more markets, in more countries around the globe, for more asset classes. They serve over 100 customers worldwide including the world's top 12 financial institutions.
QA: Danny Moore
Has your Irishness contributed to your success?
Absolutely! I really believe that entrepreneurial spirit is in the Celtic genes in Ireland, and that Irish people have always had an extra spark that differentiates us from the rest of the world.
Ireland has a tight pool of talented people who are eager to succeed when given the opportunity.
"Land of Saints and Scholars . . ." coming from a country with a history of creativity and achievement is inspiring.
What is your biggest business achievement?
In March, we sold Wombat to NYSE Euronext in a landmark $200 million all cash deal with a very solid staff retention scheme on top.
In the face of the "credit crunch" we significantly outperformed our peers within the Fintech MA market, delivered the best possible deal for our stakeholders, staff and customers and provided a great platform for the company to continue to grow and compete.
Which personal attributes do you think have contributed most to your success?
Hunger, grit and determination combined with a solid five year plan. It's a bit of a cliche, but all the landmark deals in the history of the company were intense competitive situations; and the team who "wants it" the most and puts in a bit of heart and soul typically wins. Having a grand design lets you know what battles to fight and which e-mails to delete.
Express the biggest challenge you see your industry facing?
The finance industry globally, and many of our core customers, has taken a big hit over the last 12 months in the "credit crunch". However, the sector is cyclical at the best of times and most observers expect a recovery in the next 11-18 months.
