A transaction can unravel in seconds due to missed red flags, incomplete diligence, unreliable sources and more. In investment banking, the cost of blind spots is often reputational fallout, failed deals, and millions in losses. For senior banking leaders, the margin for error is shrinking, and the pressure to act on risk with speed and certainty is rising.
The Data Deficit Is Undermining Risk Management
Many investment banks still rely on fragmented tools and outdated processes to conduct research. Analysts scramble across platforms, patching together data from disparate sources. What should be a rigorous due diligence process turns into a guessing game.
As noted by a Chief Legal and Compliance Officer in manufacturing interviewed for the Forrester Total Economic Impact
(TEI) study on Nexis, “To do the same thing that Nexis does for us, we would have had to add four or five full-time people worldwide. We still wouldn’t have gotten the same coverage.”
It’s not just about headcount but also about what your current systems are missing. Risks aren’t always visible in quarterly reports or headline news, rather, they’re buried in sanctions data, litigation histories, supplier controversies, and obscure regulatory notices. And without a way to surface that intelligence at speed, firms expose themselves to blind spots.
Proactive Data Analysis Can Reduce Exposure and Accelerate Action
If you're spotting risk after the deal is done, you've already missed your window. That’s why leading firms are turning to proactive research tools to flag issues earlier, validate assumptions, and make smarter decisions faster. According to the 2025 commissioned Forrester Consulting Total Economic Impact study, firms using Nexis saw a $1.1 million business impact over three years due to improved decision-making speed and confidence. When firms have the data to act quickly, they’re making faster decisions as well as smarter ones.
One Director of IT in the healthcare space interviewed for the TEI study, who oversees research used in board-level decisions, put it simply: “We use Nexis to perform more due diligence to validate criteria… It allows [the board] to green-light initiatives faster, but also to ask questions based on what the research is saying.” While the context is different, the benefit is universal: when decision-makers are equipped with credible, timely research, they act with greater speed and confidence. Investment banks, too, can follow this lead by enhancing due diligence workflows and empowering senior leaders to make high stakes calls with greater certainty.
Global Deals Demand Global Intelligence
Cross-border transactions introduce layers of complexity: unfamiliar markets, opaque regulations, local political dynamics. Risks are often hidden in local-language media, non-digitized filings, or foreign sanctions lists.
That’s where scalable research platforms provide a competitive edge. As the Chief Legal and Compliance Officer interviewed for the TEI study shared, “We do business all over the world, and the number of sources and depth that Nexis has… is critical for us. Our users get consistently deeper results, and … [they] trust they can count on those results more than the ‘cobble together’ approach we had before.”
For investment banks navigating cross-border transactions, regulatory complexity, and jurisdictional risk, trusted global coverage is essential. The ability to surface credible, consistent insights from markets around the world can be the deciding factor between a deal that closes seamlessly and one that falls apart under scrutiny.
Scaling Intelligence Without Scaling Headcount
While bringing in new talent has its advantages, it’s not a sustainable solution to rising data demands. A smarter approach is to streamline and automate wherever possible, freeing teams to focus on higher-value, strategic work rather than manual research.
Firms using Nexis reported a 30%-time savings in research tasks, equating to nearly $986,000 in efficiency gains over three years. That shift enables leaner teams to do more without compromising quality or speed.
It also transforms the role of the researcher. With high-quality data and powerful tools at their fingertips, teams move from simply gathering information to providing strategic insights. One CIO in banking interviewed for the TEI study noted that trust in Nexis data has empowered legal, compliance, and business teams alike: “There’s a degree of trust… bringing a prominent brand name, trustworthiness, and an excellent reputation.”
What’s Your Deal Risk Really Costing You?
The most damaging risks aren’t the ones in plain sight—they’re the ones hiding overlooked data, fragmented sources, and unchecked assumptions. In a landscape where transactions are more complex and timelines are tighter than ever, competitive advantage belongs to the firms that can surface risks early, validate opportunities with confidence, and act decisively.
Is your team equipped with the intelligence and trust in that intelligence to navigate what’s ahead?
Explore how leading firms are redefining risk management with Nexis. Download the latest Forrester’s Total Economic Impact study today. Results are for a composite organization based on interviewed customers.