## IT/Think Tank Division 

## One of Japan’s Leading Think Tanks 

## Daiwa Institute of Research Group 

The Daiwa Institute of Research Group encompasses a number of companies involved in research, information services and other support functions. The group includes Daiwa Institute of Research Holdings Ltd., the administrative parent of the group; Daiwa Institute of Research Ltd., which offers research and consulting services as well as providing systems support to companies in the Daiwa Securities Group; and Daiwa Institute of Research Business Innovation Ltd., which provides systems support to companies outside the Daiwa Securities Group. The synergy between these companies has made the group one of Japan’s leading think tanks, addressing sectors ranging from economics and social issues to corporate business strategy and IT solutions. In FY2011, the three main group companies generated a combined ordinary income of ¥6.4 billion, down 23.7% from the previous year. 

## Enhanced Skills in Disseminating Information are Making the Group an “Opinion Leader” in Japan 

The Daiwa Institute of Research Group has over 40 years of experi- ence in conducting macroeconomic research, financial and capital markets research both in Japan and overseas, and environment- related research. The group is working to enhance the knowledge and expertise it possesses, and its capacity to make proposals and recommendations based on such research. Furthermore, it is developing its ability to disseminate this information, in order to serve as a think tank and an opinion leader in Japan and overseas. 

## Consulting Services Help Clients Enhance Their Corporate Value 

As business adopts an increasingly global focus, the consulting needs of corporations are growing more sophisticated and diverse. To meet these needs, the Daiwa Institute of Research Group offers a broad assortment of different consulting services, from manage- ment consulting to business strategy, corporate financing strategy, and human resource and organizational consulting. The group also assists Japanese companies with their efforts to expand into Asian markets, with research on local business and investment conditions and consulting support for new business expansion plans. Using its accumulated consulting experience, the group can help customers make decisions and enhance corporate value. 

1. Enhance the Group’s presence by further increasing values as a think tank 

2. Create business opportunities by enhancing consulting services in Asia including Japan 

## Action Plan for FY2012 

3. Decrease system-related administration and development costs by introducing in-house IT development and the Group’s internal-cloud system 

## Optimizing the Cost-Effectiveness of IT Systems to Make the Daiwa Securities Group More Competitive 

The IT systems support business has adopted cost-value optimiza- tion methods such as building cutting-edge offshore development structures and one of the most advanced cloud computing environ- ments in Japan, to help make the Daiwa Securities Group more competitive. The group will improve systems development efficiency through its Chinese systems development subsidiary, SinoCom DIR Business Innovation Technology (Beijing) Co., Ltd., with the aim of establishing a cutting-edge offshore development structure. Efforts to develop the domestic cloud computing environment include not only the expanded use of cloud computing at the Daiwa Securities Group companies, but efforts to promote the standardization of cloud-computing platforms for operating core systems through the “Global Alliance for User-driven Cloud Computing” which the Group launched in collaboration with other IT companies. 

In step with the Group’s overall global strategy, IT governance for global systems is being upgraded to provide fuller IT support to the Daiwa Securities Group’s business activities. 

