It’s tough out there but not quite so tough if you know the right people!

Originally founded in 2005, FIDES was the brainchild of The Rt Hon the Lord de Mauley, TD FCA – currently Parliamentary Under Secretary, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.  FIDES was established as an industry network where entrepreneurial specialists to the financial services industry could come together to exchange ideas, discuss industry issues and share market intelligence.

From the group’s original vision, FIDES has evolved into a financial supplier network aimed at helping financial businesses with specific skills gaps or solutions. Services range from PR and Marketing, Human Resources and IT support to office design, training, accountancy and legal advice.

There is no denying that the last seven years have been tough for the financial services industry which continues to face a barrage of challenges including the external pressures of globalization and ever increasing regulation. Financial organizations are under constant pressure to become leaner and improve their efficiency and profitability.

However, for those businesses which remain flexible and can call on trusted industry specialists when they need them, there are significant opportunities. Trust is vital when sourcing suppliers for financial organizations, secure in the knowledge that they can confidently partner with proven specialists who can hit the deck running.  This has obvious benefits enabling companies to retain their existing headcount, bringing in specific expertise as and when required.

This solution takes Business Process Outsourcing to a new level for financial organizations. As we head into what has become known as the 3rd Generation of Outsourcing within financial services, the emphasis has long shifted from pure cost reduction to measurable performance improvement.

Since members already work together collaboratively on various projects, we are able to slot in as a seamless extension of a company to deliver value with reduced speed to market and without the issues that often come from trying to integrate an array of disparate outsourced relationships.  If anything, we can harmonize the silos that have grown up within some organizations, helping management to drive a shared vision to gain enterprise-wide and customer engagement at a time when change, risk management and stakeholder value is on every agenda.

With so many external and internal pressures, it is all too easy to lose sight of who you are as a business, particularly if it has evolved quickly or has gone through a period of rapid change. As you take on new people, new clients, new channels, and particularly when you become involved in mergers and acquisitions, it is so often the case that the central spark that once lit up your business flickers and falters along the way.

FIDES: Independent Perspectives in Finance

Organizations from start-ups, ambitious growing companies to leading brands within the financial services sector are among those businesses that have used FIDES to seek out an independent perspective to help them meet challenges old and new. By outsourcing some or all non-core activities, client teams can refocus their time, energy and resources more profitably.

Solutions for Procurement Professionals

It is not only CEOs and CFOs who have seen the advantages. Chief procurement officers are also increasingly turning to FIDES for solutions to help them deliver an array of deeper business benefits.

Every discipline is covered, enabling the group to deliver everything from one-off ring-fenced projects to fully integrated, multi-disciplinary programs which help organizations grow stronger, better and faster. By extension, members have their own established partnerships, offices and trusted networks within their particular disciplines, facilitating multi-jurisdictional outsourcing as well as centralized management control and stewardship.

A relationship with FIDES members allows firms to scale with velocity in response to increased demand for professional services, technology, HR, property or the development of new products or promotional campaigns. This dynamic level of agility and scalability is imperative in today’s challenging and fast moving economic climate and empowers the client to gain the optimal mix of fixed and variable cost.

Benefits for C-Suite and Leadership

The C-suite benefits directly from working with FIDES members since they can tap into a wealth of experience of service providers who are at the top of their game.  Membership status of FIDES is based upon the specialized knowledge, skills, experience, responsiveness and reliability of the individual members and by extension, their companies.

FIDES Success Stories From Clients

A range of companies have found services using www.fidesnetwork.com:

The Managing Director of a Swiss Bank commented: “Coaching with Caulfield has given me a leadership boost. It was invaluable to have a coach who was a dispassionate and un-conflicted listener familiar with the industry and not hesitant to discuss weaknesses and challenge my assumptions. I found this highly useful and constructive in building and boosting my leadership effectiveness.”

“Here, at Amalgamated Metal Corporation, we require a sophisticated Treasury Management System to support our portfolio of trading activities. Capital Science has played a key role with Treasury by building and maintaining this system over many years,” said the AMC Group Treasurer.

Stuart Marshall, Entrepreneur and Investor said: “I have now experienced Financial Marketing brand workshops for three of my businesses at different stages of development from start-up to Royal Warrant holders. In a simple and effective way, the workshop participants are challenged to re-consider their approach to selling and marketing their products and their business. In each case, the management of the business has walked away with a dramatically enhanced clarity of thought in respect of their business proposition. Whilst each business has extracted a range of specific benefits from the workshop, the common theme is that things will never be the same again.”

The Finance Director of a financial sector software house, London added:
“Rescue IT made it easy for us to do business with a model for disaster recovery which is cost effective and offers ease of implementation. Since inception this initial view has been confirmed and we have a high level of confidence in the service.”

Collaboration and Best Practice Across FIDES

Individually and collectively, FIDES member businesses strive to promote and share commercial opportunities, market intelligence and best practice, ensuring maximum added value to the financial communities they serve.

Mike Symes, Chairman FIDES