SAS, the leading provider of business analytics software and services, has been placed in the Leaders quadrant of the Magic Quadrant for Operational Risk Management Software for Financial Services ¹ by Gartner, Inc.

According to the report, the Leaders quadrant "tends to be occupied by vendors with software applications that are addressing qualitative as well as quantitative aspects of risk management of ORM. These vendors have achieved a high level of market acceptance and enable a consistent view of operational risk across the organisation as compared to separately designed and implemented risk calculation engines or audit, control and compliance reporting tools. Such vendors approach operational risk more comprehensively and holistically across the enterprise and link operational risk to CPM. They have robust organisational structures and professional services resources."

Gartner's report evaluated SAS software on its ability to execute and its completeness of vision. According to the report, "this axis (ability to execute) evaluates ORM software application vendors on the quality and efficiency of the processes, systems, methods or procedures that enable their performance to be competitive, efficient and effective, and to positively affect revenue, retention and reputation." The completeness of vision axis "evaluates ORM application vendors on their ability to convincingly articulate logical statements about current and future market direction, innovation, customer needs and competitive forces, and how well they map to the Gartner position."

"With increasing importance, SAS understands that customers need an overall enterprisewide solution to address different types of risks including operational, regulatory and market," said David Rogers, SAS Global Product Marketing Manager for Risk. "I believe that the SAS vision in governance, risk and compliance echoes Gartner's conclusion that end-user clients should view risk management technology with the same degree of significance and substance as other significant enterprise platforms."

SAS® OpRisk Management
SAS OpRisk Management is comprehensive solution built on the SAS Business Analytics Framework, a powerful blend of data integration, analytics and reporting capabilities. SAS OpRisk Management helps institutions optimise capital allocation while mitigating risks in all areas of their organisations.

In June 2009, SAS also ranked first in Chartis Research's Operational Risk Management Systems 2009 report for a fifth straight year.

Currently, more than 200 organisations use SAS for operational risk management, including: ABN AMRO, (Netherlands), Caisse Nationale des Caisses d'Epargne (France), ING (Netherlands), Kookmin Bank (Korea), Riyad Bank (Saudi Arabia), Vattenfall (Sweden) and Woori Bank (Korea).

About the Magic Quadrant
The Magic Quadrant is copyrighted August 2009 by Gartner, Inc. and is reused with permission. The Magic Quadrant is a graphical representation of a marketplace at and for a specific time period. It depicts Gartner's analysis of how certain vendors measure against criteria for that marketplace, as defined by Gartner. Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in the Magic Quadrant, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors placed in the "Leaders" quadrant. The Magic Quadrant is intended solely as a research tool, and is not meant to be a specific guide to action. Gartner disclaims all warranties, express or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.

1. Gartner Research. Magic Quadrant for Operational Risk Management Software for Financial Services, Douglas McKibben, David Furlonger, August 28, 2009.

About SAS
SAS is the leader in business analytics software and services, and the largest independent vendor in the business intelligence market. Through innovative solutions delivered within an integrated framework, SAS helps customers at more than 45,000 sites improve performance and deliver value by making better decisions faster. Since 1976 SAS has been giving customers around the world The Power to Know®.

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Further Information

SAS Institute
Sophie Kriefman
PR Executive
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Email: sophie.kriefman@suk.sas.com