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Oct 28, 2012

Potential award as Best Financial Blog

OK folks. Have arrived here in Japan and settled in a little bit. Waking at 4:30 in the morning for some reason and it is clear that during such early hours there's not a great deal to do except to let you all know that you can vote for the blog in an award sponsored…

Oct 26, 2012

An interview with Gottfried Leibbrandt, CEO of SWIFT, about SIBOS 2012

Just in case you didn't see it, the Banker Magazine has an exclusive interview with Gottfried Leibbrandt, CEO of SWIFT, about what to expect at SIBOS 2012 and the company's position in a rapidly changing global landscape. I'm reproducing it here and would recommend all of you to subscribe to The Banker, if you don't already,…

Oct 24, 2012

Osaka, here we come!

Many of us are gearing up for this year’s SIBOS – the big SWIFT jamboree that gathers all those involved in payments worldwide … whoops, involved in transaction processing worldwide. This year it’s in Osaka, Japan, and I’m on my way over there at the weekend. As a result, the next week of blogging will…

Oct 19, 2012

Things worth reading: 19th October 2012

Things we're reading today include … Barclays’ ethical makeover marred by PPI Barclays to make third quarter loss after shock £700m PPI provision HBOS whistleblower becomes small firms lender Ex-worker accuses Goldman over bank bets Goldman Sachs returns fire at former employee EU Summit: Angela Merkel moves to block Hollande bank union deadline EU in…

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…