From $120m to $20m in less than ten years: how not to do business

Source: getty images

So, as FIS is busy with the takeover of fellow US vendor Sungard, the latter is shedding business that is not likely to be of any use to the new owners. Thus, the core banking software unit – known as Ambit Core Banking – has been sold to rival banking technology provider, Silverlake Axis.

Nothing unusual, one might say, businesses are bought and sold all the time. True, but how many large international fintech firms have managed to lose $100 million of business value in less than ten years?

Banking technology in Asia: the place to be

Everyone who is anyone in the banking software space wants to do business in Asia, and for a good reason: the region is as buoyant as ever.

The established markets are getting even more sophisticated in their technology consumption (if you are in Singapore, why not try out an NFC-enabled wristband to pay for your commute, travel, shopping and eating out?).

(Survey) Blockin' all over the world: Is Blockchain all it's cracked up to be?

Blockchain focused start-ups are springing up like mushrooms after the rain, and the big banks all seem to be investing in this space. But is this just a ‘fashion craze’ (loom bands, anyone?) and the big guys just want to show that they are technologically advanced and forward-looking, whilst the new guys want to cash in quick before the world moves on to the next big thing?

The 'Pay' model is strong but the banks are still in play

The big guns – Apple, Samsung and Google – are dominating the mobile payments news cycle now that their respective ‘Pay’ platforms threaten to disintermediate the world’s banks. 

They won’t have it all their own way, though; banks are responding with their own platforms. But is it too little, too late?

EuroFinance 2015 in Copenhagen: Witness the treasury fitness

Denmark and Copenhagen are two European locations that have polled as the happiest and healthiest in the world. What better place, the organisers of EuroFinance must have thought, to host a conference on ensuring that the treasury industry remains happy, healthy and fit for purpose? Health and exercise parables were abundant in Copenhagen, where delegates were encouraged to give their company strategy a check-up.

Brain drain a pain as Infosys stops hiring SAP executives

With the news of 16 SAP executives moving to Infosys, the issue of sudden staff departures has come under the spotlight. The fear of a brain drain to businesses and even countries is the stuff of nightmares. All that lost talent, investment and time.

Treasury & capital markets: utility in vogue again

Amidst all of the hype and activity around retail-oriented digital banking, it is sometimes easy for industry watchers to ignore the treasury and capital markets (TCM) sector. It can appear that the main focus for innovation is elsewhere. The suppliers seldom change, though they reduce in number through M&A, and many of the business pressures look little different from one year to the next.