From Stalled to Scaled: How Tolmar Built a Trusted Fabric Platform for Agents

Description

Enterprises are moving quickly toward Copilot and agentic AI, but most struggle to scale beyond pilots because the data foundation isn't ready. In this session, Adastra and Tolmar share how building a reliable, governed data estate in Microsoft Fabric and OneLake is the critical first step to enabling trusted AI and enterprise agents.

Key Takeaways

• Shapes PGIM’s data strategy and governance frameworks,
• Operations, digital marketing, and technology
• B.S. in finance and management from Kutztown University
• MBA in marketing from Fairleigh Dickinson University
• Master’s certificate in information management from
• Enjoys doing anything outdoors — cycling, yoga, disc golf,
• so must technology.

My Notes

Action Items

• [ ]

Resources & Links

Slides

FROM LEGACY BI TO INSIGHTS AT SPEED:
HOW PGIM REBUILT ANALYTICS WITH
MICROSOFT FABRIC & POWER BI
Eric Kopchinski
March 20, 2026
TODAY’S
AGENDA
Click Here to Add Footnote
Introduction
Technology Transformation
Journey & Partnerships
Use Cases
Lessons Learned
Next Steps
Introduction
Responsibilities:
• Shapes PGIM’s data strategy and governance frameworks,
and partners closely with business and technology leaders
Areas of expertise:
• Operations, digital marketing, and technology
Years with PGIM: 28
Eric Kopchinski
Senior Director
Data Management & Governance
PGIM
Education:
• B.S. in finance and management from Kutztown University
• MBA in marketing from Fairleigh Dickinson University
• Master’s certificate in information management from
Stevens Institute of Technology
Hobbies:
• Enjoys doing anything outdoors — cycling, yoga, disc golf,
as well as creative activities like woodworking and painting!
Confidential – Not for Further Distribution
Introduction to PGIM
PGIM is the global asset management business
of Prudential Financial, Inc. (NYSE: PRU) and
manages $1.5 trillion in assets.1
In 37 offices in 20 countries, PGIM’s more than
1,400 investment professionals serve both retail
and institutional clients worldwide and deliver
specialized expertise across public and private
asset classes.
1 AUM as of December 31, 2025.
Confidential – Not for Further Distribution
Technology Transformation
From fragmented data – to one unified platform.
Evolve to Unify
•
As business evolves,
so must technology.
•
We’re moving away from a
mix of different tech stacks
to fewer, more integrated
tools.
Common Data Platform
Scale for Growth
•
We’re on a modernization
journey onto one common
data platform.
•
Scaling our technology
stack across different
business units.
•
The solution for us
is Microsoft Fabric.
•
“Source once, share often.”
Confidential – Not for Further Distribution
Journey & Partnership
Learning Journey
Early adoption challenges:
• Technology upskilling
• Business adoption
• Evolving features
Partnership Success
Our success to date wouldn’t have been possible without
our internal and external partnerships:
• Microsoft – MVP Partner
• Business – Engagement up front is best path forward
• 3rd-party expertise – Leveraging experience from our
Learning accelerators:
vendor partners
• Certifications
• Workshops and conferences
• Data Council creation
• Investing in new talent
• Public/private preview utilizations
Confidential – Not for Further Distribution
PRE-MIGRATION
PGIM Fabric Implementation: Use Case 1
Cognos
Stage
SQL DB
Modeled
SQL DB
ETL
CHALLENGES
• Fragmented reporting footprint
View
• Not integrated with Microsoft tools
• Lack of AI capabilities
• Data history in Cognos
OUTCOMES
Consumption Workplace
• Utilization of common data platforms
Gold
Silver
Copy
Bronze
• Rationalization
Gold
ETL
Modeled
SQL DB
Silver
Stage
SQL DB
Bronze
POST-MIGRATION
Data Workplace
• Archive implementation
• Recreated hierarchical relationships
• Slow but steady business adoption
• Copilot enablement
Confidential – Not for Further Distribution
Create/Save
CSVs
~40 CSV
DataMart
(Modeled)
Staging
(Raw)
Email
CHALLENGES
• Too many points of failure
Reporting
Mirror
(OPDM)
• No formal business data access
• Processing time
OUTCOMES
Data Workplace
Consumption Workplace
• Realized business value
• Semantic model success
Gold
Copy
Additional Data
Files/Processes
View/SP
Silver
Private
Data
Share
PGIM
MultiTenant
Snowflake
ETL
Reporting
SQL DB
(OnPrem)
Bronze
POST-MIGRATION
Vendor
Snowflake
Secure
File
Share
ETL
SQL DB
(OnPrem)
Gold
Private
Data
Share
PGIM
MultiETL
Tenant
Snowflake
Silver
Vendor
Snowflake
Bronze
PRE-MIGRATION
PGIM Fabric Implementation: Use Case 2
• New BI Platform creation
• OPDM challenges
• Optimizations in progress
NB/PL
• Enhancing ingestion
Confidential – Not for Further Distribution
PGIM Fabric Implementation: Use Case 3
PROCESS / STORE / CONSUMPTION
Custodian
Vendor
CHALLENGES
• Manual data processing/analysis
Emails
Portals
Spreadsheets
Websites
• Reactive business processes
• Decentralized data storage
Market
OUTCOMES
Feature Workplace
Consumption Workplace
• 13 Sources/35 Quality Checks/30 DBs
Gold
Silver
Bronze
Gold
Silver
• Provides product health
Silver
API
SQL
NAS
Data Workplace
Bronze
Custodian
Vendor
PROCESS / STORE / CONSUMPTION
Bronze
POST-MIGRATION PROCESS
DATA SOURCING
Gold
PRE-MIGRATION PROCESS
DATA SOURCING
• Proactive business actions
• Centralized business data access
• Translytical task flow
Market
• Teams notifications
• Copilot utilization
Confidential – Not for Further Distribution
Lessons Learned
Benefits
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Enterprise BI strategy
Self-service analytics
Reduced data duplication
Simplified data sharing
Unified data tech stack
Realized business value
Data governance (Purview)
Built-in AI (Copilot)
Challenges
We are driving the car
as we are building it — together!
Confidential – Not for Further Distribution
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
New tool for everyone
Feature availability
Tactical vs. strategic solutions
Business continuation
Data delivery speed
DevOps
Evolving architecture
Next Steps
Purview Adoption
Adding More Data
Exploring Tools
New Features
Utilizing Purview as our
common data platform
governance tool
Continuing to migrate new
datasets into the Fabric
infrastructure
Exploring use cases for
tools that complement our
Fabric journey
Implementing the new
features we’re learning
about at FabCon
• Tableau migrations
• New data requests
• Anything in a
spreadsheet
• Lineage
• Foundry IQ
• Power Platform
• Azure SQL
• Azure full stack
• Onboarding new
datasets
• Domain
creation/adoption
• Business user
onboarding
Confidential – Not for Further Distribution
• Data agents
• Data security
• Business continuation
• DevOps
PGIM is the principal asset management business of Prudential Financial, Inc. (PFI), and a trading name of PGIM, Inc. and its global subsidiaries and affiliates. PGIM, Inc. is an
investment adviser registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Registration with the SEC does not imply a certain level of skill or training. PFI is not affiliated
in any manner with Prudential plc, incorporated in the United Kingdom or with Prudential Assurance Company, a subsidiary of M&G plc, incorporated in the United Kingdom.
This material is provided for informational purposes. Views and opinions expressed may not reflect PGIM's and are subject to change. Please refer to the Terms and Conditions on
www.pgim.com for important information.
© 2026 PFI and its related entities, registered in many jurisdictions worldwide. (RedOak ID Number).
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