Once upon a time, traditional banks could depend on customer loyalty, no matter what. A bank was the one-stop-shop for all things related to consumer finance. Not anymore. Not now that neobanks and fintechs are competing for the same consumers. Although bank customers are reluctant to move their financial business, banks are being increasingly challenged to address their needs first, which is all working out to their advantage.
Chief financial officers’ talents are too often lost to mundane, routine tasks that do not add much value to their important positions as their CEOs’ main advisers. Fortunately, technological innovations are removing much of the burden, freeing CFOs to fulfill their roles as prime movers and shakers, guiding their companies to new heights. Cloud technology, enterprise resource planning and artificial intelligence are proving to be time-saviors for today’s busy CFOs.
“Equal pay for equal work” has been a familiar mantra, and law in many countries, for decades—but does reality coincide, especially in the world of finance? Various studies have revealed disturbing gender pay gaps, and the push is on for banks around the globe to disclose wage data according to gender and ethnicity, something many seem reluctant to do.
The road ahead for investment banks remains bumpy and curvy, and navigating it will require that each institution take bold action to enact the business model that will enhance its strengths in today’s challenging economic climate. Despite some recent gains, factors such as high costs and product complexity are still weighing the sector down.
Banks today need more than lucky breaks to thwart the increasingly persistent and clever efforts of cybercriminals. The risk-management function of every bank today is facing a growing myriad of ever-intensifying threats, from hackers to terrorists, but fortunately there is ammunition at their disposal.