Developing a centralized SQL-based data management system to modernize portfolio and risk management operations

Cortland Credit is a rapidly growing alternative investment manager specializing in private debt and public bond portfolios. Five years ago, the firm operated with fewer than 15 employees; today, the team has expanded to over 30 professionals. With this growth, the firm’s existing data management system – based primarily on Excel and CSV files stored on Microsoft SharePoint – has become increasingly inadequate for supporting portfolio and risk management operations. Cortland Credit plans to modernize its infrastructure by developing a centralized SQL-based data management system. This database will consolidate and standardize datasets, enforce consistent update processes, and provide structured permission controls across teams. Once implemented, this system will serve as the backbone of a Portfolio Management Platform that integrates portfolio analytics, risk management tools, and performance monitoring into a unified framework. A central component of this initiative is the development of a private debt pricing model that leverages the SQL-based platform. Unlike public bond markets, private loan markets currently lack standardized and widely adopted pricing methodologies. As a result, private debt valuations are often less transparent and less consistent across the industry. Cortland Credit, as one of Canada’s leading private debt managers, is uniquely positioned to address this gap by drawing on its extensive proprietary data and institutional expertise. The proposed model will be innovative in two key ways: 1. It will integrate real-time, multi-source datasets across origination, credit, and portfolio management teams, ensuring that valuations automatically update as new information becomes available. 2. It will establish a robust, market-based framework for private loan pricing, improving transparency and reliability in an area where only limited models currently exist. This innovation has the potential to benefit not only Cortland Credit but also the broader Canadian private debt industry by advancing best practices in credit valuation and portfolio risk assessment.

Faculty Supervisor:

Luis Seco;Tracy Barber

Student:

Partner:

Cortland Credit

Discipline:

Mathematics

Sector:

Finance and Insurance

University:

University of Toronto

Program: