N Ganapathy Subramaniam, president of TCS Financial Solutions, tells The Banker how technology can help banks meet customer demands, boost efficiency and keep pace with the competition amid tough market conditions.

Technology is not always a primary consideration in banking M&A activity. But the success, or failure, of subsequent IT integrations can make or break any deal.

In a country where the number of landline phone owners and PC users is relatively low, and mobile phone ownership almost universal, mobile banking offers healthy opportunities to expand financial inclusion in India.

The negative perceptions of Colombia that have dogged the country over the past few decades are finally being shed, causing global companies to take note of its role as an up-and-coming IT hub for Latin America.

In future decades, banks will have to let go of their fixation with traditional means of interacting with the customer and instead offer solutions that meet the public's growing expectation of accessing banking services wherever and whenever they need them.

Financial institutions are under pressure to adopt various forms of consumer technology in an effort to retain and attract both customers and staff. But these technologies can present a number of security risks.

Undeterred by the harsh economic climate, banks continued to announce green IT initiatives throughout the crisis, but are these projects motivated more out of concern for the bottom line than the environment?

Undeterred by previous false starts, new waves of contactless payment initiatives are being unveiled. But getting the banks, retailers, software developers and customers all working in unison is proving difficult.