Who’s Who Interviews

McDonald: YES BANK is one of India’s fastest growing banks. What adaptive processes are you putting in place to appeal to the needs of your expanding customer base?   Jain: At YES BANK, we have deployed  ‘technology’ as a strategic...

Wong: Barclays Capital has several digital innovation initiatives, providing customers with instant access to investment and market information. What do you see as the next evolution in investment banking channels?   Patel: We recently launched a new flow derivatives platform...

Wong: What technology initiatives can we expect to see from Barclays Capital in Singapore in the next 12 to 18 months?   Uloth: Technology changes within the data centre space have been evolving rapidly over the last few years and...

Somers: From a security and anti-fraud perspective, what are your views on the potential of biometrics? Noka: Let’s be clear, using biometric data is controversial. Traditionally, for example, fingerprints have been associated with law enforcement. Critics of using biometric ID...

Somers: What are the top three insurance technology trends in Asia, or abroad, that you’re keeping an eye on right now?     Cook: Growth, sustained focus on the bottom line, ease of doing business and agility across product and...

Somers: How much is the mobile channel factoring in Deutsche Bank’s IT strategy in Asia; and what are some of the security concerns communicating through this channel?     Neiland: Mobile channel technology continues to develop rapidly and is critical...

Wong: What do you envisage will be the next frontier of payments in the next three to five years?   Davis: While there is a lot of focus in the market on mobile payments and associated technologies, I think there...

Somers: From an innovation standpoint, what sets the Singapore Exchange apart from its international counterparts, and which of the world’s exchanges do you think tend to lead the innovation charge?   Caisley: From an innovation standpoint, we are looked upon...

Wong: In your view, which countries in Asia are taking the lead in implementing innovative technologies; and which developments do you feel are most relevant to Standard Chartered in China?   Lynch: I am unashamedly biased here in saying that...

Somers: What are your IT priorities for the next 12-18 months?   Suppiah: Regional integration is highest on our agenda. We are dedicating significant executive management focus and our best people in a multi-project programme to implement an integrated banking...

Wong: What strategies does the State Bank of India (SBI) have in place to meet the increasing demand for banking in India’s rural regions; and how will technology play a role? Kumar: We are not only opening new branches but...

Somers: What do you think is essential for achieving and sustaining a successful business partnership with third party vendors? Khera: Firstly you need to identify the right partner. It’s important the selection process results in a right-fit vendor who can...

Somers: What are some of the emerging IT trends that you are keeping an eye on right now? Martin: Mobile banking is probably one of the hottest technology topics in the finance world, and the accelerating migration of mobile phone...

Bhattacharya: How far in advance does UBS chart out its regional IT strategy; and how closely aligned is the local strategy with the greater group’s technology blueprint? Ma: IT strategy evolves continuously but has gained significant momentum in light of...

Bhattacharya: What are Standard Chartered’s more notable innovations used to combat online identity fraud and theft? Narain: Online fraud and identity theft it something we take very seriously at Standard Chartered and we continue to revisit our standards to make...