FinTech company OSTTRA accelerated user satisfaction, knowledge sharing, and innovation for global teams with Google Workspace.
OSTTRA tackles the complexities of post-trade processing in the derivatives market. It offers end-to-end solutions for the entire post-trade lifecycle, from trade capture and portfolio optimization to clearing and settlement.
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United Kingdom
FinTech company OSTTRA accelerated user satisfaction, knowledge sharing, and innovation for global teams with Google Workspace.
Google Workspace Results
With Google Workspace, OSTTRA has enabled real-time communication and collaboration, improved curiosity, and democratized innovation for all employees.
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97% of employees use Google Workspace daily
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+3 NPS in user satisfaction with Google Workspace
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15 applications developed from 30 ideas generated through a hackathon using AppSheet
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345 employees actively using one app developed from the hackathon
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Accelerates the recruiting process by analyzing resumes and drafting job descriptions with Gemini for Google Workspace
Imagine a world where managing derivatives trades is as smooth as clockwork. This is the reality for clients of , pioneers in the post-trade processing arena. Established in 2021, OSTTRA tackles the post-trade landscape with a range of solutions, such as risk management and portfolio reconciliation tools.
In its early days, OSTTRA recognized the value in unifying its communication and collaboration processes. By adopting , OSTTRA has revolutionized how its teams work together and democratized innovation.
From four disparate tech stacks to unified collaboration tools
“As an innovative technology company, we have an appetite for change and adopt a mindset of constant improvement. We chose Google Workspace because it shares our approach to innovation. With Workspace, things are always evolving and that’s a good thing.” - Lee Cox, Project Manager, OSTTRA
In 2021, four financial service leaders—MarkitServ, Traiana, TriOptima, and Reset—came together to become one brand. Representing more than 25 years of evolution in post-trade, the newly formed OSTTRA became a combined critical player and powerhouse in supporting global financial markets. From trade capture through portfolio optimization to clearing and settlement, the platform connects thousands of counterparties on its multi-asset networks that underpin the post-trade lifecycle.
Combining decades of expertise increased the companies’ firepower. However, consolidating four disparate tech stacks created significant challenges. "It was an interesting jigsaw puzzle," says Lee Cox, Project Manager at OSTTRA. "We weren’t coming from a single domain or tech stack, so we had unique security considerations when we brought it all together."
OSTTRA teamed up with to migrate its data centers to , making it fast, easy, and cost-effective to store and retrieve all its data. However, the company’s communication and collaboration processes remained siloed and clunky between teams, so it sought a new solution to empower more agile teamwork.
"As an organization with innovation in our DNA, we have an appetite for change and a mindset of constant improvement," Cox says. "We chose Google Workspace because it shares our approach to innovation. Things are always evolving and that’s a good thing."
One collaboration platform, one OSTTRA
“Google Workspace is user-friendly, mobile-friendly, and simple. Our teams can log in through a browser and have everything they need at their fingertips.” - Barry Kelly, Manager of Enterprise Platform Technology, OSTTRA
To bring OSTTRA onto Workspace, the team began by issuing new devices and then migrating 1,450 employees and contractors. Now, 1,100 team members actively use Workspace and OSTTRA aims to complete a company-wide migration within two months.
Previously, OSTTRA used virtual desktop infrastructure to access information across its disparate parts. With Workspace, employees have one place for all their communication and collaboration processes. And in a highly regulated industry where clients regularly share market-sensitive data and OSTTRA is accountable to regulators, data protection is paramount. Workspace offers built-in security parameters to ensure only the right people can access the documents and data they need.
"Google Workspace is user-friendly, mobile-friendly, and simple," says Barry Kelly, Head of Enterprise Platform Technology at OSTTRA. "Our teams can log in through a browser and have everything they need at their fingertips."
The platform’s intuitive interface has changed how OSTTRA’s teams work together. By offering instant updates within a single document, Workspace tools like , , and have empowered real-time information sharing, streamlined workflows, and enabled collaboration at scale.
"Many users haven’t experienced something like this before, so they don’t understand the value until they’ve used it," says Stylianos Thomas, Product Manager and Application Developer at OSTTRA. "All of the tools are interconnected. The more you use one, the easier it becomes to use the others."
Building user confidence and self-sufficiency with hands-on training
“We want to implement and introduce as many Workspace technologies as possible within the business and empower everyone to use them well. We’re using all of these features in the real world to make life easier for our teams.” - Stylianos Thomas, Application Developer and Product Manager, OSTTRA
OSTTRA's migration to Workspace hinged on three key ingredients: engagement, empowerment, and ease of use. Due to the disparate nature of the tech infrastructure, the team couldn’t execute a company-wide switch, so they began migrating employees in phases. This allowed for targeted training, ongoing support, and stronger adoption, ensuring a broader understanding of Workspace benefits across the organization.
The team also created Google Academy, a hub of shared knowledge where users can find training materials, ask questions, and provide support to peers. By supplementing this program with regular training sessions focused on specific tools and functionalities, OSTTRA has fostered a collaborative learning environment and reduced reliance on IT support.
"Our journey with Workspace is a continuous process," Cox says. "We have many users who have been using it for over a year now and some who are newer to the platform, but they can work together, share knowledge, and find new ways to collaborate."
These expert users, dubbed "OSTTRAnauts," serve as dedicated points of contact for colleagues seeking guidance. This peer-to-peer approach further encourages a sense of community and knowledge sharing. Because of these in-depth training programs, OSTTRA’s average NPS score reflecting how satisfied people are with Workspace went from 5.4 to 8.7 within the span of six months.
Unlocking innovation through no-code solutions
OSTTRA didn't just migrate to Workspace—the team actively explored its potential to empower employees beyond everyday use cases. For example, the team ran a hackathon through , a no-code app development platform now included with most Workspace plans, to allow all employees to innovate for the greater good of the business.
Understanding that successful innovation requires a prepared workforce, the team provided more than 115 hours of training on AppSheet. More than 100 OSTTRA employees participated, half of whom were non-technical users, highlighting the power of AppSheet to democratize app development for everyone in an organization.
"Everyone faces their own challenges in their roles and once you show them what's possible with the technology, they can run with it and build their own versions of the solution," says Rishabh Rawat, Application Developer at OSTTRA. "We ended up with 30 unique ideas that solved genuine problems faced by the business."
Of those 30 ideas, 15 applications have been developed by individuals and teams. One in particular, designed to streamline client service ideation, is now used by 345 employees at OSTTRA. This success story, along with other innovative entries, sparked a wave of inspiration as employees saw the potential of AppSheet to enhance existing workflows and create entirely new solutions.
A collaborative advantage
Looking ahead, OSTTRA plans to deepen its usage of Workspace, particularly with . After participating in the Gemini Labs program, the company continues to explore many use cases across departments to streamline workflows, enhance productivity, and bolster communication.
For example, Gemini has accelerated recruiting processes by analyzing resumes, suggesting interview questions, and drafting compelling job descriptions. Gemini also supports the development of test plans for new software, automatically generating comprehensive and efficient testing processes.
Developers are experiencing a new paradigm with the integration of Side Panel. This Chrome Extension feature, used to host content in the browser’s side panel alongside the main content of a webpage, promises seamless access to development tools within the Workspace environment. This will ultimately boost productivity and foster a more agile development cycle.
"We want to implement and introduce as many Workspace technologies as possible within the business and empower everyone to use them well," Thomas says. "We’re using all of these features in the real world to make life easier for our teams."