Would you call Freddie Mac a data company? Tell us about some of the data-centric initiatives that your organization has undertaken.
At Freddie Mac, data is the heart and soul of everything we do. We have as much data on mortgages as anyone. Our data scientists are working hard to leverage these assets to help Freddie Mac become even better at its core activities like underwriting.
What was Freddie Mac’s incentive to become a Founding Member of the IEIC? Are you one among the firsts in the industry to make such an effort?
The Internet helps us communicate better, as it was designed to do. But one of the challenges today is the choke points that threaten the Internet’s ability to provide greater communication and diversity. So, we need to improve the overall resiliency and safety of the Internet. And Freddie Mac is a leader in this effort. Reducing risk, transforming data into insight, and using that to improve communication and delivery is central to what we do.
What trends do you foresee? Any current ones on your radar that are impacting your (housing finance) business?
The Internet of Things (IoT) offers several interesting opportunities for our sector and others. But putting orders of magnitude to more devices on the Internet means collecting and managing much more data, while also protecting a much larger threat surface. In this IoT environment, security is critical—and it’s a responsibility we take very seriously.