Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), Asia's largest global software solutions and consulting services company, has announced the successful launch into live operation, in Dresdner RCM San Francisco, of its banking software QUARTZ^®. Dresdner RCM needed a modern equities trading and portfolio management system with enough flexibility to be interfaced with the in-house systems as well as with the US external reporting systems. Just nine months after selecting QUARTZ^® and beginning the gap analysis, which involved some important extensions of the system, Dresdner RCM went live at the end of the first quarter of 2002.

Oliver Bussmann, managing director, information technology, Dresdner RCM, explains, "Implementing a complex project that meets the requirements of the portfolio managers and traders within nine months is an incredible accomplishment. This is mainly due to the flexibility of the QUARTZ^® architecture and commitment of the TCS QUARTZ^® team".

Anantha Padmanabhan, director of asset management systems at Dresdner RCM Global Investors mentions, "An important factor in this implementation was having the TCS staff seamlessly integrated into the implementation team of DRCM employees and consultants. With its open architecture and ease of integration with other products, QUARTZ^® provides us a robust technology platform in automating our front office processes gearing us towards straight through processing".

According to N G Subramaniam, TCS VP and head, QUARTZ^® business unit, "This first US project was extremely important for us. The challenge, besides the short time-frame, was to interface with many different systems. Once again QUARTZ^® has demonstrated its comprehensive data architecture, outstanding performance and flexibility".

This first implementation of QUARTZ^® in the US is a new success for QUARTZ^® package that stands out for its straight through processing capabilities, openness and its flexibility. Thanks to the expertise and experience of the 20,000 consultants of TCS, implementations can be made successfully in a timely and cost-efficient manner.

QUARTZ^® is based on a multi-tier client-server architecture. The powerful object-oriented package protects existing hardware and software investments, largely automates front, mid and back-office operations, provides multiple language support and offers complete flexibility to interface and integrate with third party products and in-house applications.

QUARTZ^® is currently being implemented in several other banks and financial institutions across the globe.

QUARTZ ^® is essentially an integrated software package realised as a collection of proven architectural and business components for financial institutions. Solutions have been delivered to traditional banks, internet banks, brokerage / securities houses, asset managers and central banks across the globe using QUARTZ^®. Its advanced design and technology supports operations in multi-currency, multi-lingual, multi-company, and multi-branch environments. Its component-based architecture enables easy integration with external applications and supports multiple delivery channels and retains the flexibility to add new delivery channels as technology evolves.

QUARTZ^® makes it possible to automate to a large extent front, back and middle office functions and may also be implemented as an outsourced solution in small and middle size banks. Large finance service providers may use QUARTZ^® as a platform for their own future developments or extensions.

• Client/server-based comprehensive banking solution of the latest generation

• Object-oriented

• Improves service quality and productivity

• Broad range of functions

• Risk management functions with real-time monitoring of positions and risks

• Constantly growing object library

• Multi-currency, multi-language, multi-branch and multi-organisation capability

• Platform for own developments and extensions by the banks

• Consolidated view

About Tata Consultancy Services
Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), a division of Tata Sons Limited, is Asia’s largest global software solutions and consulting services enterprise. With over 19,000 professionals working at 106 branches in 29 countries and 5 continents, the company has over 800 global clients including 7 of the US Fortune 10 companies. Its clients include companies such as American Express, AIG, Boeing, Citibank, Dell Computer Corporation, General Electric, Hewlett-Packard, Kellogg’s, Lucent Technologies and Nike among others. Tata Consultancy Services has 23 global development centres, 15 of which are assessed at SEI-CMM Level 5 – the highest number in the world. TCS has established the Tata Research Development and Design Centre (TRDDC) in Pune, Maharashtra, dedicated to software research and development and the only one of its kind in Asia. The company’s website can be found at www.tcs.com

Dresdner RCM is the global platform for the Allianaz/Dresdner Group's worldwide institutional asset management business outside Germany. With a staff of more than 800 worldwide, Dresdner RCM has its investment management, client servicing, and operations in San Francisco, London, Hong Kong, and other key world financial centers. The firm combines the financial strength of the group with a successful investment culture and the full range of capabilities required of today's asset managers. Dresdner RCM provides a global organization to offer clients a complete array of sophisticated investment management strategies and services around the world including:

• Sophisticated, global multi-product capability and asset allocation expertise;

• Disciplined investment philosophy and process;

• Extensive proprietary research network, financial strength and resources

Dresdner RCM has assets under management and advice of more than US$80 billion* as of 31 December 2001, representing more than 720 institutional and retail clients around the world.