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Oct 11, 2012

Building a customer advisory bank

Reflecting on the debate about bank branches yesterday, a point did not get discussed that is actually one of the most challenging. I was given this challenge myself when, working with a client who is launching a direct bank, they asked me this question: “we have to on-board clients with proof of identity by seeing…

Oct 10, 2012

Why you really need a bank branch

I found this on a market stall the other day. It's from Punch Magazine, 1921. Times don't change. This is why you need a bank branch. The is part three of a five-part series: Part One: One banker knows his industry is trashed, and here's his plan Part Two: Do banks need branches? Part Three: Why you…

Oct 9, 2012

One banker knows his industry is trashed, and here’s his plan

I often present around the depressed state of the banking markets. Usually, it’s a political and economic overview of the banking system that shows the issues of regulatory change, customer trust and systemic risk. So I was surprised and amused when a senior vice president of retail banking for one of Europe’s largest banks gave…

Oct 5, 2012

Money and rumpy pumpy

A while ago David Birch, he of the geek #1 fame, said to me that all new forms of commerce are created by games, girls and gambling, and the more I think about it, the more true I see this becomes. This is particularly the case as gaming through mobile is becoming a massive market,…

Oct 4, 2012

A few billion reasons for attending #innotribe, Osaka

It’s getting nearer and nearer to Osaka and SIBOS, so it’s time for a SIBOS Osaka blog entry. I’m attending as part of the innotribe stream. Innotribe is in its fourth year at SIBOS, and has matured from a sideshow sect to a mainstream part of the conference. Having said that, I still get people…

Sep 24, 2012

The similarities between internet blocks and trade sanctions

I spent last week in the Middle East, travelling the region and seeing some sights as well as meeting many banks from across the region. As always, it’s an interesting space and place, full of Eastern promise as they say. Right now a lot of the discussion has been around the reactions to the trade…

Sep 21, 2012

What Star Trek tells us about banking

For years, I’ve been a fan of Star Trek, and have used their innovations in many presentations, but I’ve always wondered: how come there’s no money on the Star Ship Enterprise? Is everything free? Not exactly. My supposition was that the future world of Star Trek, bearing in mind that it’s set in the 24th…

Sep 20, 2012

Banks spend billions on risk management IT, but is IT working?

I was chairing a conference about risk and regulation today, and opened with the view the it is the culture of banking that needs to change. You can force the change through regulation, but if banks really want to be able to prosper post this crisis, then it needs cultural reform. And it’s not about…

Sep 19, 2012

The Financial Services Club Season, London, Q4 2012

We are pleased to announce details of our Winter Season of meetings of the Financial Services Club, London. If you would like to attend any of the meetings, please go to the fsclub.net and register. Tuesday, September 25 2012 Alex : 25 years of satirising the City Charles Peattie and Russell Taylor, creators of…

Sep 17, 2012

Banks biggest opportunities lie in emerging markets

I just received a report from the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) on new bank models based upon different styles of banking in emerging markets. According to the report, the BRIC economies and their brethren will account for 35% of global assets by 2016, up from 24% today and just 10% in 2004. Emerging market banks are growing…