Deloitte study: Is your Bank ready for tomorrow?

18 November, 2020 - Banks in the Middle East and around the world have been racing to catch up with the ever-evolving technological trends shaping the way they operate and serve their clients. Deloitte has just launched its new report, "Evolving the trends", that explores key technologies in the banking sector from those at the frontier of today, to ones that form the bridge to tomorrow, and others which seem to be hovering over the horizon.

The Deloitte report finds that prior to COVID-19, the Middle East financial services industry was evolving at a measured pace, driven by changing customer expectations, heightened competition from incumbents and new entrants, evolving regulations, and advancements in technology. 

“In a matter of weeks, COVID-19 upended those conventions. As the threat and uncertainty from COVID-19 will remain for the foreseeable future, banks have no choice but to remain hyper vigilant and rewrite their business continuity playbooks as circumstances change. While it is reassuring to see some aggressive fiscal and monetary policy responses around the world already, clarity on how these actions will stabilize markets and accelerate the path to normalcy is slowly emerging, and in some cases yet to emerge”, said Khaled Hilmi, Consulting Partner, ME Financial Services industry leader, Deloitte Middle East.

The financial services industry is moving towards digitization at a rapid pace and adopting the latest technologies such as cloud, artificial intelligence (AI), to meet rising customer expectations to remain competitive in today’s challenging business environment. The Deloitte report highlights the following technologies:        

• Cloud computing: By leveraging cloud-based services, banks are able to decrease data storage costs through saving on capital expenditure (CAPEX) and operating expenditure (OPEX), while ensuring customer data is protected. Cloud is an essential tool of today’s service delivery model, and enables banks to penetrate new business opportunities and access new delivery channels.       
• AI and cognitive technologies: Artificial Intelligence (A) is now becoming a part of the business environment and is reinventing the entire ecosystem of the banking sector. By increasing the level of automation and using dynamic systems, AI supports decision-making, enhances the customer experience, and improves operational efficiency. AI also provides a strategic oversight for getting value out of data, which is now needed more than ever due to the data influx from a wide range of sources.
• Fintech: In just a few short years, FinTech companies have defined the direction, shape, and pace of change across almost every banking subsector. Customers now expect seamless digital onboarding, rapid loan approvals, and free person-to-person payments, all innovations that FinTech made popular.       
• Blockchain and Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT): Blockchain technology and its associated distributed ledgers were devised as a simple yet smart solution to keep track of the Bitcoin cryptocurrency in circulation. The solution leveraged a ‘distributed ledger’ architecture under which all users who participated as ‘nodes’ in the network had a copy of the entire ledger.

“Banks need to actively consider the immediate needs of their customers and simultaneously the multiple near, short and medium-term operational, financial, and regulatory risk and compliance implications. Banks that have embraced today’s technologies may be better placed to weather this crisis and facilitate a quick return to recovery. Now more than ever, the accelerated adoption of these technologies can enable the industry to recover and thrive from the impact of COVID-19,” concludes Hilmi.

To view the whole report, click here.

About Deloitte & Touche (M.E.) LLP:

Deloitte & Touche (M.E.) LLP (DME) is the affiliate for the territories of the Middle East and Cyprus of Deloitte NSE LLP (“NSE”), a UK limited liability partnership and member firm of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited, a UK private company limited by guarantee (“DTTL”). 

DME is a leader in professional services with uninterrupted presence in the Middle East since 1926 with 26 offices in 14 countries and around 5,000 partners, directors and staff. DME’s presence in the Middle East and Cyprus is established through its affiliated independent legal entities, which are licensed to operate and to provide services under the applicable laws and regulations of the relevant country. DME’s affiliates and related entities cannot oblige each other and/or DME, and when providing services, each affiliate and related entity engages directly and independently with its own clients and shall only be liable for its own acts or omissions and not those of any other affiliate.

About Deloitte:

Deloitte refers to one or more of DTTL, its global network of member firms, and their related entities. DTTL (also referred to as “Deloitte Global”) and each of its member firms are legally separate and independent entities, which cannot obligate or bind each other in respect of third parties. DTTL and each DTTL member firm and related entity is liable only for its own acts and omissions, and not those of each other. DTTL, NSE and DME do not provide services to clients. Please see www.deloitte.com/about to learn more. 

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