19 October 2026 | Ireland is one of the leading hubs of the international fund industry and plays a key role in the ongoing transformation of European capital markets. This year’s Irish Funds Annual Global Funds Conference focused on the opportunities this presents for asset managers, fund administrators and financial services providers, as well as the role of innovative technology in shaping the industry’s future. Nicolas Meier and Marc Schwarz attended the conference in Dublin on behalf of Profidata to strengthen relationships with clients, partners and industry representatives.

Under the theme ‘Ireland: Powering the Global Investment Future’, the Irish Funds Annual Global Funds Conference brought together more than 500 representatives of the international fund industry on 1 October 2026. The event took place at a time when Ireland is not only playing a significant role as an international fund centre but is also gaining importance in European capital markets through its EU Council Presidency.

This goes far beyond the competitiveness of individual financial centres. With the Savings and Investments Union, efforts to simplify regulation and the ambition to mobilise more private capital for investment, Europe is undergoing a structural transformation of its financial markets. For Ireland, whose fund industry has been closely connected to capital flows and cross-border investment structures for decades, this presents significant opportunities.

There are good reasons to be optimistic about these developments – a sentiment echoed by Pat Lardner, CEO of Irish Funds, in his address. Under the guiding principle of ‘Optimism, Thanks and Privilege’, he conveyed three key messages: optimism about the future of the fund industry, gratitude to everyone involved in the association and to conference participants, and an appreciation of the privilege of being part of this industry.

This outlook was also reflected in discussions throughout the conference, which demonstrated a clear awareness of the challenges posed by a complex market environment, alongside confidence in the Irish fund industry’s capacity for innovation.

A growing financial market places new demands on technology and processes

Asset managers, management companies, fund administrators and specialist financial services providers form a closely interconnected ecosystem in Dublin, whose significance extends far beyond the Irish domestic market. Fund administration, cross-border distribution and the growth of new investment structures have played a particularly important role in establishing the city as a financial hub. However, this growth is also placing increasing demands on operational infrastructure: fund structures are becoming more diverse, regulatory requirements more nuanced and data flows more complex, while economic pressure on financial institutions continues to mount. Increasingly, institutions are expected to manage growing business volumes without a corresponding increase in resources.

It is precisely at this intersection of growth, regulatory certainty and operational efficiency that Profidata comes into play. As a provider of investment management software and complementary services, we help financial institutions automate complex business processes across the entire investment lifecycle and ensure long-term scalability.

At the heart of our offering is XENTIS, our integrated investment management platform. XENTIS is an established software solution in the European market, bringing together portfolio management, order management, investment compliance, fund accounting and reporting, among other functions, on a single platform. For internationally active financial institutions, this integrated approach makes it possible to manage data and processes across different asset classes, organisational structures and regulatory requirements.

For alternative investments, XENTIS also provides functionality to manage complex investment and ownership structures, along with the associated processes. Flexible deployment models, including SaaS and on-premises solutions, allow clients to tailor their technology infrastructure to their specific requirements.

International expertise for local market requirements

For financial institutions in Ireland, this integrated approach can offer significant advantages. Rather than simply digitising individual processes, they can enhance their entire operational infrastructure by drawing on software, specialist expertise and services from a single provider. Particularly in a market characterised by cross-border fund structures, diverse regulatory requirements and high transaction volumes, Profidata’s international expertise can help financial institutions manage complex business processes efficiently and at scale.

“Ireland is a strategically important market for Profidata, where key developments in the international fund industry are particularly evident,” says Marc Schwarz, Head of Sales UK & Ireland at Profidata. “We are seeing growing demand for integrated, high-performance systems, particularly in the areas of alternative investments, regulatory compliance and digitalisation. This is precisely where we can deliver tangible added value through XENTIS and our specialised services.”

Looking ahead, it will be crucial for financial institutions to continue developing their existing IT infrastructures and integrating new technologies into a robust environment that complies with regulatory requirements.

The momentum felt in Dublin is therefore likely to extend well beyond this year’s conference. We would like to thank Irish Funds and the entire international fund community for the open exchange of ideas and the many valuable discussions in Dublin. We look forward to continuing the dialogue and helping to shape future developments in the Irish and European investment markets.