Banking

Nigeria’s Zenith Bank is a financial-services stalwart with a commanding presence throughout its domestic market and much of West Africa. Our interview with Group Managing Director and CEO Ebenezer Onyeagwu addresses the key ways the bank is breaking new grounds on innovation, aiming to deliver a consistently superior banking experience to its customers and ultimately becoming Nigeria’s premier retail banking institution.

No bank welcomes a crisis. But when one comes, it must be prepared, especially in its communications department. What elements must banks incorporate in their crisis communications plans to maintain the trust of media, regulators and customers? How can they ensure that they are better prepared in the event of a crisis?

Republic Bank Ghana follows an ambitious vision of setting the “standard of excellence in customer satisfaction, employee engagement, social responsibility and shareholder value while building successful societies”. We spoke with the bank’s managing director, who described how it fulfills its vision in the midst of a challenging climate.

Government Savings Bank is a state-owned bank with the mission of being a “social bank” that can drastically lower poverty and inequality throughout Thailand. We spoke with the President and CEO and the First Senior EVP for IT about how the bank is fulfilling its social-banking goals. They detailed the key ways in which they are utilising digital banking innovation to serve those most in need financially.

The best banking institutions in retail, commercial, private and investment banking are highlighted, along with two outstanding CEOs from their regions.

With the pandemic continuing to impose its presence, China’s small rural lenders are under increasing pressure to ramp up lending to meet Beijing’s goal of supporting its slowing economy. But as they lend more in the face of rising bad debt and growing accusations of corruption, small banks are now starting to feel the heat.

The banking industry has undergone a huge amount of change in recent years. I have witnessed banks overhaul strategies underpinned by legacy systems that no longer work for the modern day customer. Simultaneously consumer behaviours have been shifting dramatically, accelerated by the global pandemic.

Having the benefit of perspective is a wonderful thing. Witnessing fintech’s transformation from a niche concept to a mainstream industry we’ve seen a lot of change. More customers, improved business models and a thriving ecosystem. One key change is the approach to banks.

In February 2019, an Australian commission on banking misconduct released shocking findings on the chronic misbehaviour of the country’s top banks. Customers wondering what progress has been made in redressing these wrongs may be disappointed, as watchdog ASIC has taken a more accommodating approach toward banks than many would have liked.

A year ago, the European Central Bank announced that it would, like many other central banks, investigate the pros and cons of launching its own central bank digital currency. The investigation continues, with supporters and opponents weighing in on whether a digital euro would be more beneficial or more harmful to eurozone citizens.