Turkey stays ahead of the mobile game

Turkey's banks are acquiring a global reputation for innovative products, particularly those that connect them with the country's youthful population through social media. As Duygu Tavan discovers, this is increasingly being done through smartphones.

Is Turkey set to embrace Islamic finance?

Sharia-compliant banks have occupied only a small proportion of Turkey’s banking market to date, but with rising global demand and the government’s focus on Islamic finance, that looks set to change.

Target2-Securities: a hit or miss for Europe?

European securities will soon be settled on a central IT platform – Target2 Securities (T2S) – as part of the European Central Bank's initiative to harmonise post-trade standards. With the first wave of implementation scheduled for 2015, Duygu Tavan investigates how the T2S project is progressing and its consequences for the securities industry.

SEB encourages great minds to think differently

Lars Millberg, head of transaction banking at SEB's merchant banking division, discusses the importance of innovation, and describes the bank's unique approach to encouraging out-of-the-box thinking among its employees.

Innovation in Technology and Transaction Banking Awards 2013

Across the world, bankers have been arming themselves with ever more inventive and innovative technology solutions, to tackle the problems of difficult and increasingly regulated financial markets. The Banker celebrates banks and their technology providers' efforts in its newly expanded Innovation in Technology and Transaction Banking Awards 2013.

CIO tells of LSE's growth by acquisition

In recent months, the London Stock Exchange has acquired UK-based clearing house LCH.Clearnet and announced the creation of a new central securities depository. Chief information officer Antoine Shagoury explains the group’s approach to growing its business.

RBS remains committed to channel integration

Global head of channels and distribution in transaction services at Royal Bank of Scotland’s international banking unit, Ken Deveaux, talks about the bank’s efforts to consolidate its channels and build an integrated systems architecture. 

High-frequency trading: a game-changer for markets?

High-frequency trading has changed the way equities, and to a lesser extent, other assets, are traded. This makes many involved in trading nervous, and they have every reason to be.

Making the money flow: Can Europe's SME financing woes be solved?

SMEs are often cited as the backbone of any given developed economy. However, in Europe in particular, a lack of financing from banks is stunting the growth of these businesses. Alternative lending models are rising in prominence, and some banks are looking to up their game in this sector, but is this too little, too late?

Citi CTO uses technology for social good

He studies synthetic biology, develops mobile games for emerging markets with a member of pop group Black Eyed Peas, is an advisory member of NASA’s Ames research centre and serves as counsel to the University of California in his free time. By day, he is chief technology officer for Citi Transaction Services. Meet Antonio Benjamin.

Turkey's banks embrace the digital generation

In Turkey, banks have stopped talking about alternative delivery channels. They consider all channels – including branches, ATMs and mobile – a core business, and this rise in digital banking is spurring competition and, as a result, innovation.

Turkey's ambitious 10-year plan

Turkey has set itself some ambitious targets for the next 10 years, not least wanting to become one of the world's 10 largest economies. There are a number of obstacles that it must overcome first, however, with a significant savings gap, a deep current account deficit and a poor record in attracting foreign direct investment.

Vakifbank steps up to compete in Turkey's high-tech market

Vakibank's five-year plan to upgrade its IT infrastructure and completely remake its core banking application is ambitious but, according to CIO Ali Engin Eroglu, it is vital if the bank is to keep pace with Turkey's technology-focused banking sector.