Page 85 - ICE BUSINESS TIMES December 2019
P. 85

You have worked with             How can we accelerate
                                                    globally renowned banks like     online or digital
                                                    Standard Chartered and           transactions as opposed to
                                                    Deutsche Bank. Do you think      cash or ‘under the mattress’
                                                    that Fintech firms challenge,    transactions?
                                                    compliment or work under
                                                    traditional banking in the       People keep cash under the
                                                    age of continuous change?        mattress, not because of security,
                                                                                     but (according to them) this is their
                                                    For fintechs and traditional     most secure way of keeping their
                                                    financial institutes to co-exist, an   money. There is usually no
                                                    environment can be built where   alternative to keeping money
                                                    both grow and thrive. A fintech has   securely as also having easy access
                                                    no legacy or baggage but it also has   when one requires it. Solve the
                                                    very little customers or         problem of not paying in cash by a
                                                    infrastructure. So they require   formal mechanism (a digital wallet
                                                    substantial capital, experience,   or a bank account), and ensure
  Under the 4th Industrial                          customers to build a scalable,   that this process is acceptable to
                                                                                     all members of the eco-system. For
 Revolution shift there                             sustainable business model and   example, why can't people who do
 will be mass losses of                             also require to stay relevant before   not have access to banks in their
 jobs in some traditional                           another fintech comes along and   neighborhood deposit cash at a
 sectors but areas of                               provides a better solution. The   pre-designated shop and get a
 opportunity in new                                 operating model of traditional
 You have worked with   sources of employment.      institutions is similarly not geared   receipt instantly from the bank, say
 Bangladesh for 5 years   How do you think   ‘can-do’ and ‘will-do’ attitude. They   for this rapid pace of change in   on their phone?
 representing Deloitte.   traditional financial and   embrace technology and leverage it   customer requirements and
 What was the biggest   non-bank financial   to the maximum to achieve set   increasing competition in a crowded   What technologies are
 motivation for Deloitte   institutions can offer   goals. The older, more experienced   marketplace.   feasible as ‘here-and-now’
 to come to Bangladesh   new career paths under   generation brings in deep domain   Collaboration/partnership/alliance   ones for Bangladesh?
 and as such, be a   the evolving Fintech   knowledge and practical experience   between traditional financial   The great thing about Bangladesh
 partner of the   paradigm in this   and the marriage of the two takes   services companies and fintechs   is its telecommunications
 Bangladesh Fintech   context?  full advantage of the market   would enable financial institutions   connectivity. What never ceases to
 Summit?            situation.                      to continue to grow together with   amaze me is that whenever I arrive
 Deloitte is the world’s largest   We keep worrying about the     What are the new skills we   their partner fintechs and serve   in your country everyone's phone
                                                    their customers effectively.
 professional services firm. We   job losses but have   will need in the Age of      starts ringing and everyone is
 are present in the subcontinent   organizations in developing   Fintech?  How do banks, fintechs and   talking. Even the Immigration
 and have remained fairly   countries experienced the   other companies thrive in an   officer asks me for my Bangladesh
 interested in Bangladesh for a   quantum of losses that have   There are 3 key skills. First, is a   environment where all   mobile number? Imagine if that is
 very long time. We have   been projected. There is a   deep understanding of customer   service providers are vying   the prevalence of connectivity and
 worked with many leading   reason for that. The   requirements and experiences, as   for that 10 Taka BDT?  smartphones are becoming readily
 organizations, not only in   complexity of transactions,   well as being able to adapt quickly   available, barriers to the
 financial services and in areas   volumes, and types of   to changing customer tastes and   There is no one answer to that   adaptability of new technologies
 involving business strategy,   transactions has increased. As   preferences. Second, from an   problem. However, I will go back to   are also lessening with a greater
 innovation, pure operational   such, we have to provide   operational perspective, how to gear   keeping it simple. Electronic   proportion of the population
 improvement, customer   personalized experiences   operations to cater to the first issue   coupons and payment systems   willing to adopt new
 insights, leadership   across to customers so we   of changing customer needs and   where cash is not required but   technologies/apps to simplify their
 development and cultural   need to marry the old (brick   requirements. Additionally how to   instead use the mobile phone to   lives. If we focus on reducing the
 change.  Technology and   and mortar businesses) and   remain efficient and how can we   effect payments. Using marketing   cost of ownership, i.e. increase
 digital are new words to those   new (technology-based)   bring products to market that   budgets (in coupons) for targeted   affordability combined with ease of
 who have been in the   companies. This is a   customers will want. Finally, all   sales is another great option.   use of operations I do not think
 workforce for some time but   transitional phase, where we   companies work in a regulatory   However, the real question is, can   you require a technological
 not for those who have just   are trying to understand what   framework so we must ask   we shorten the time between   revolution to sort out any problems
 entered the workforce. Deloitte   customers want, what will   ourselves how we can conform to   impulse (decision) and gratification   for the country going forward.
 works with organizations to   they want and cater to these   changing regulatory frameworks   (making customers happy)?   People adapt well if we keep things
 leverage both technology and   wants.   and still remain competitive. Youths   Incentives for digital payments and   simple. Nevertheless, if I were to be
 experience, and leverage the   There are many things that the   can focus on these areas because   disincentives for cash can lower   specific for technology,
 combined power for   younger generation bring,   these are issues that will remain   inventory and optimize the supply   cybersecurity should be a top
 organizational growth.  chief amongst which is a   relevant for some time.  chain (through e-commerce).  priority at the moment.

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