OMERS builds a data delivery platform in 20 percent of the typical time, unlocking self-service analytics using Azure Synapse Analytics

With its diversified investment portfolio, employees spread across multiple offices, and more than half a million members, the OMERS Administration Corporation (OMERS) needs secure access to data and analytics to maximize value over the long term. However, its legacy IT system required teams to use spreadsheets for lengthy and complicated manual analysis.

OMERS set out to unify information in a single solution that would empower employees to use analytics to derive insights. “As an engineering team, we work in service of our business partners to deliver technically sophisticated data analytics solutions that are simple to use on a self-serve basis,” says Mohammad Mirza, Director of Enterprise Data, Software, and Integrations Engineering at OMERS. Its approach focused on driving value for business teams across OMERS by advancing strategic priorities through the democratization of data in a secure and governed manner.

OMERS had an ongoing relationship with Microsoft, and it deepened that collaboration for this effort. Together, the organizations empowered a team of finance and technology professionals from OMERS, along with Microsoft experts (Fusion Team), to create a new Finance Data Platform. The new offering would be underpinned by the broader enterprise data delivery platform that transforms the ability for OMERS to find and use data for accurate and timely analysis. “This project is central to what we are trying to achieve in Finance, which is to derive business insights from data and remove the natural barriers that tend to develop in large, complex organizations,” says Robert Macleod, Vice President of Finance Operations at OMERS. “This platform is critical for our Finance transformation.”

Unlocking self-service analytics in 20 percent less time

The OMERS Fusion Team began working on building its Finance Data Platform using Microsoft Azure Synapse Analytics as its foundation. “The Fusion Team brought together the right minds in the right environment with the right approach to deliver an accelerated outcome,” says Sami Ahmed, Senior Vice President of Architecture, Infrastructure, Data, and Analytics at OMERS. This collaboration supplied the OMERS Finance Team with an enterprise-class Finance Data Platform in 20 percent of the typical time frame. “Our new Finance Data Platform is facilitating near-real-time visibility to our business units,” says Aneeq Siddiqui, Director of Finance Data and Analytics at OMERS. “It’s helping to turn data into insights and insights into outcomes for the employees who need them.”

The Fusion Team also developed self-service analytics using Microsoft Power BI. The goal was to provide a data solution on Microsoft Azure that would simplify business intelligence at scale. “By adopting a market-leading lakehouse architecture underpinned by data mesh principles, our Enterprise Data Delivery Platform adds flexibility to how we deliver products and services at OMERS,” says Diponkar Paul, Manager of Enterprise Data Engineering at OMERS and a Microsoft Data Platform Most Valuable Professional. “Our design choice has a direct impact on our ability to serve as both a trusted delivery partner and platform operator for Finance.”

Identifying new opportunities using Azure Synapse Analytics

The solution that OMERS built is the foundation of a Finance Data Strategy that includes data engineering, data governance, business intelligence, and AI and machine learning. It provides a centralized repository and uses Azure Synapse Analytics for data processing. The solution also uses Microsoft Purview to visualize the data lineage and provide assurance to users that the data they receive is secure and transparent. Finally, OMERS built an accessible front end for its data platform with a powerful search capability that it developed using Azure Cognitive Services. The goal is for everyone in the organization to enjoy secure access to data with a few clicks of a mouse. Combining this functionality has had a powerful impact.

The OMERS Procurement Team analyzes its enterprise spend with analytics products powered by the Finance Data Platform. “Through our dashboard, we were able to increase our visibility and explore new opportunities for potential cost savings,” says Bill Siomos, Vice President of Procurement Services at OMERS. “With this solution, I can go to my colleagues, show them what their spending is, and have deeper discussions about improvements. That changes the narrative of our support model and helps us lead with our front foot.”

Using Fusion Teams to deliver more than 20 secure, multifaceted solutions for finance

Since the launch of the Finance Data Platform, OMERS accelerated the development of new products and solutions that enhance business value. “The Finance Data and Analytics Team has been able to deliver more than 20 new data products that are powered by the Finance Data Platform,” says Ludimila Queiroz, Product Manager of Finance Data and Analytics at OMERS. Financial planning and analysis dashboards pull information from multiple source systems to provide business leaders with visibility on expenses and the workforce. The Procurement Team’s enterprise-spend dashboard uses an embedded AI model to provide near-real-time analytics to the team for decision support.

With members at the core of everything that OMERS does, the organization is focused on ensuring that it operates in the most efficient way possible and that it is creating insights that drive positive impact. “People are at the heart of everything we do,” says Siddiqui. “When we lead with a Fusion Team and are focused on improving the people experience, that is when great things happen.”