COVER STORY Banks Adopting More Strategies to Court Underbanked Automation has become key in banks' strategies for serving the underbanked market. Sidebar Microfinance Making Headway in Serving Underbanked FEATURE Patent Issues Are a Growing Concern for Banks Financial services patents are moving front and center as banks seek to protect their intellectual property and competitive advantage while the courts and the U.S. Patents Office wrangle over the patentability of intangible banking processes. EXECUTIVE Q&A The Bank of San Antonio Offers Big-Bank Services With a Small-Bank Touch By relying heavily on outsourcing IT and partnering with technology providers, The Bank of San Antonio's Brent Given, president and CEO, helps the institution offer big-bank products and services in a community banking environment. INDUSTRY WATCH Spitzer Exposed by Bank's Anti-Money Laundering Technology Suspicious activity reports led to former New York Governor's downfall. Internet's Fragility Illustrated as Undersea Cables Damaged The recent breakdown of the global undersea fiber-optic cable network at a key choke point demonstrated the vulnerabilities of the physical infrastructure on which offshore outsourcing relationships depend. Interactive Financial Exchange Forum Creates Messaging Standards The IFX Forum strives for financial messaging harmonization. Compliance Costs Continue to Rise Deloitte study indicates companies are paying more to remain compliant. Offshore Outsourcing of IT Losing Popularity According to a Robert Half survey of CIOs, nearly all participants said their companies currently are not outsourcing technology positions outside the U.S. BEST PRACTICES Neverfail's Continuous Availability Software Offers Equitable Bank Seamless Disaster Recovery Equitable Bank ensures continuous availability of critical apps with Neverfail's 'cloning' solution. Sovereign Bank Hopes Customers Get Stuck on Online Bill Pay Philadelphia-based Sovereign taps e-mail marketing campaign powered by Click Tactics to enroll users in online bill payment service and deepen customer relationships. ROLLOUT Verint's Impact 360 for Retail Financial Services Enhances U.S. Bank's Workforce Management U.S. Bank customers benefit from Verint Witness Actionable Solutions' workforce optimization solution. New Product Releases |
FROM THE EDITOR The Pains of the Global Credit Crunch Are Particularly Acute in New York The crisis at Bear Stearns shows that the devastating consequences -- from bank failures to stricter regulation -- of the subprime mess and global credit crisis on the financial services industry, especially in the metropolitan New York region, are still unfolding. RISK COMPLIANCE WATCH FSTC Eyes Records Management With a unique focus on technology, FSTC's new initiative promises enhanced efficiency and effectiveness for banks. CHANNEL WATCH Banks Struggle to Cross-Sell Online Banks must embrace best practices to make cross-selling online more successful. PAYMENTS WATCH International Payments Framework Organization to Standardize Cross-Border Payments IPF hopes to bring standards to cross-border ACH transactions. PERSPECTIVES
The Credit Crisis Has Increased Scrutiny on Trade Finance
The global credit crisis has emphasized the importance of cash management while intensifying the spotlight on corporate governance and banks' risk management practices. What new demands will corporates place on their banks in the current uncertain economic environment, and how can banks pursue growth opportunities in global trade finance? Corporate Clients Increasingly Looking to Banks to Mitigate Trade Finance Risks By David Conroy, Deutsche Bank Corporations operating in the current economic turmoil increasingly are turning to their banks to serve as financial intermediaries between them and their trading partners to mitigate supply chain risk. Centralized and Single-Platform Operations Reduce Overall Trade Finance Risk By Mike McDonough, The Bank of New York Mellon Burdened with stricter compliance and regulatory requirements, banks with centralized operations and banks with all of their operations on a single platform face lower risk in expanding their trade finance operations. Trade Debt Continues to Be an Attractive Investment Option in a Shaky Global Economy By Bruce Proctor, JPMorgan Global Trade Services In a global economy rocked by subprime debt defaults, trade debt should continue to be looked at as a stable investment opportunity, thanks to both time-tested and cutting-edge tools to provide for the financing and settlement of commercial transactions. By Understanding the Supply Chain, Savvy Banks Can Grow Their Trade Finance Business By Nancy Atkinson, Aite Group By supporting their clients' suppliers, banks can reach deeper into the supply chain and create opportunities to increase their trade finance business. EXECUTIVE WATCH Ric Carey Expands Retail Operations Role at Umpqua Bank Umpqua Bank EVP of retail banking Ric Carey seeks to spread institution's customer-focused culture. Wachovia Elevates David Pope to Mortgage and Retail Credit Head New Wachovia mortgage and retail credit business president David Pope will leverage technology to improve service. |