Like many investment banks, ABN AMRO has undergone some reorganisation over the last couple of years. In the new industry jargon, the aim is to move the bank towards a solutions-based approach from previous product-led strategies. In plain English that means customer-led rather than product sales-led operations. Whichever way you describe it, it is a shake-up of the old business silo fiefdoms.
ABN’s programme is perhaps more ambitious than that of some of its competitors. In addition to the creation of the Financial Markets (FM) division in January 2003 through the integration of global financial markets and loan products (bringing together credit and structured credit markets, rates markets, FX, portfolio management and distribution in one “holistic” package), it established the Financial Markets Advisory group (FMA) to bring together a global, integrated advisory platform.
