TMI Awards 2010: SEB

A Commitment to Innovation and Excellence

“SEB is pioneering the banking industry in leveraging new technology, methodologies, approaches and solutions to support a changing financial landscape. This commitment to innovation impacts every aspect of our business, from the way that we interact with our customers to the design and delivery of solutions. The success of this strategy is illustrated by these Awards, which reflect a ‘clean sweep’ of this year’s TMI Awards in the Nordic region. We would like particularly to thank our clients and friends in the industry who have expressed their support for SEB by voting for us once again this year.” Lars Millberg, Head of Global Transaction Services, Corporate, SEB

The days when banks could serve their customers simply by providing finance or processing payments are long gone. The crisis has emphasised the importance of risk and liquidity management, resulting in a changing relationship between banks and their corporate customers. For example, although the most acute liquidity shortages that characterised late 2008 and 2009 have eased, liquidity remains scarce and fears of a ‘double dip’ recession still remain. This is exacerbated by the proposed Basel III requirements which will constrain bank lending even further due to the need to hold a large value of assets on the balance sheet compared with the value of loans. Consequently, treasurers are prioritising liquidity management, and seeking innovative ways to maximise their access to cash.

“Corporate treasurers and finance managers are seeking their banks’ support in finding innovative ways to access pockets of liquidity within the organisation, unlock cash ‘trapped’ in inefficient processes in trade finance transactions, accelerate the cash flow cycle and enhance financial efficiency. Having achieved this, the next step is to leverage the company’s own balance sheet, both assets and liabilities, with a view to unlocking the potential for short-term financing.” Lars Millberg, Head of Global Transaction Services, Corporate, SEB

 To facilitate this structured approach to accessing liquidity, corporate treasurers and finance managers expect sophisticated cash and liquidity management solutions, intuitive technology that can be integrated with in-house systems and high quality information to facilitate process automation, such as account posting and reconciliation. In this way, a virtuous cycle is created: as banks capture and transmit more sophisticated information, they are in a position to deliver a wider range of services across the financial supply chain, facilitate greater automation and accelerate the cash flow cycle.

“SEB continues to demonstrate innovation in fulfilling our customer needs and aspirations in our approach to customer relationships, solution design and technology. We continue to pioneer in a number of areas that add direct value to our customers, such as facilitating the Benche (www.thebenche.com), leveraging our innovative approach to technology, and commitment to encouraging dialogue, collaboration and knowledge-sharing amongst the financial community.” Patrik Havander, Head of Concept and Packaging, Global Transaction Services, SEB

SEB has focused its strategy in a number of key areas that have in turn contributed to these Awards.

Firstly, the proven Corporate Financial Value Chain™ approach is a structured way to refine financial structures and processes, leveraging the bank’s skills, expertise and commitment to close, long-term customer relationships to understand their full financial supply chain, comprising areas such as working capital, risk management and technology. In this way, SEB can advise on, and deliver, solutions to their business challenges with tangible benefits. 

Secondly, SEB was one of the first banks to move away from a vertical product focus, such as Cash and Trade and Financial Supply Chain management, to a customer-focused organisation, designing solutions and delivery mechanisms to support the specific needs and aspirations of each customer segment. Thirdly, SEB has developed a strong reputation for innovation across solutions, channels and use of technology. In an intensely competitive environment, with our clients constantly seeking to lower their costs, accelerate and automate processes, and exploit new commercial opportunities for growth, innovation is essential to create competitive advantage and address today’s and tomorrow’s challenges.

“SEB has 154 years’ experience of supporting the increasingly global aspirations of our clients. We are leveraging new technologies, forming more efficient, cohesive partnerships, and adopting a fully customer-centric approach to solution design and delivery, enabling us to meet our clients’ regional and global objectives. With a culture, commitment and organisational flexibility to anticipate and respond to changing market dynamics, SEB is innovating for change, to provide the solutions and delivery channels that will support our clients’ business strategies and enable their current and future success.” Robert Pehrson, Head of Corporate Segment, SEB