Swisscom Partners with CA Technologies for Open Banking Hub

Swisscom Partners with CA Technologies for Open Banking Hub | GBAF

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Switzerland is set for sturdy growth of 2.4% this year and 2.0% in 2019, though further Swiss franc appreciation against the euro remains a risk should investors turn again to the currency to hedge against tensions in global trade and EU politics.

For the updated rating report, click here.

Switzerland’s credit profile reflects its exceptionally strong fundamentals, low levels of debt and sound fiscal management.

Switzerland furthermore benefits from a strong external position, effective financial policy settings and highly developed capital markets, underpinned by the safe-haven status of the Swiss franc.

The Swiss currency however constitutes a potential source of economic uncertainty. The depreciation of the franc against the euro at end-2017, alongside strong external demand, drove the economy’s buoyant growth in the first two quarters of 2018 at 3.2% YoY. In line with the Federal Government’s and IMF’s estimates, Scope expects GDP growth of 2.4% for 2018 due to the continued strong performance of its main trading partners and robust domestic demand, supported by investment and favourable labour market trends, before flattening out to 2.0% in 2019, as the global economy slows down.

The main risks to future growth stem from international trade tensions and regional political uncertainty, which could create renewed safe-haven pressures on the Swiss franc. This has been amply demonstrated in the past, triggering the SNB’s heavy currency intervention leading to a quadrupling in the size of the central bank’s balance sheet since the financial crisis.

On the domestic front, Swiss banks’ exposure to real estate, with mortgage lending accounting for around 85% of total domestic bank lending, is a source of potential economic instability given elevated household loan-to-income ratios, up 10 percentage points since 2013 to around 50% in 2017. Risks are somewhat mitigated by Swiss households’ ample financial assets, amounting to 370% of GDP.

In addition, while Scope is confident in continuing constructive relations between Switzerland and the EU, also with regards to concluding a new bilateral framework agreement, two key potential strains could emerge, given:

First, the right-wing Swiss People’s Party’s collection of more than 100,000 signatures (to be validated by the Federal Chancellery) necessary for a national vote to discontinue the existing free movement agreement with the EU. A similar referendum in 2014 took place, though the Swiss parliament later voted to ensure new legislation conformed with EU rules.
Second, the status of the Swiss stock exchange within the EU. In December 2017, the EU granted a one-year stock-market equivalence to Switzerland, while the Federal Council adopted a contingency measure, under which, if no extension is made by December 2018, it would require EU stock exchanges to apply for permission to trade in Switzerland.

Scope currently rates Switzerland at AAA with a Stable Outlook. This publication does not constitute a credit rating action. For the last credit rating action release, click here.

LOM architecture and design has been selected to design a state-of-the-art facility that will be Santander’s new world-class digital hub workplace facility. Located in Milton Keynes, the new complex is anticipated to open in 2022, subject to planning, and is expected to accommodate over 5,000 employees.

Santander are the leading employer in Central Milton Keynes.

The brief called for a workplace campus that would foster an agile, sustainable and innovative workplace for the future, reinforcing Santander’s global reputation as ‘the best bank to work for’.

LOM’s winning concept for developer Osborne and Co envisages an entirely new typology of office building for the banking sector, creating a stronger sense of community for Santander staff and a stronger identity for the bank within the wider Milton Keynes community. The campus will provide a sustainable future for the bank, both environmentally and economically. The new digital hub will support and foster collaboration and growth, while reinforcing the reputation of Milton Keynes as a centre for tech innovation. LOM’s design aims to increase permeability and access through the building and the site.

The ground level is conceived as an open, fluid, publicly accessible and flexible space that can be reconfigured and ‘curated’ to suit changing requirements. The design concept proposes a community ‘destination’, where pedestrian activity is enlivened by ‘pop up’ retail units – creating a vibrant and attractive environment for both bank staff and the wider community.

The new building will support health and wellbeing, including a fitness centre, cycle storage and a restaurant and café offering healthy food options. The working environment is informed by a biophilic approach – maximising natural light and ventilation to enhance air quality and encourage direct connections with nature. A sequence of three naturally-lit, connecting atria feature imaginatively planted linear gardens. The upper floors of the building offer flexible workspace arranged around these internal atria.

The proposed site occupies a prominent position opposite the station square and is immediately visible on arrival into Milton Keynes by train.

Nathan Bostock, Chief Executive, Santander UK, comments: “We are excited to be sharing our proposals for this major investment in Milton Keynes, reflecting our long-term commitment to the local area. We want a workplace which truly reflects our culture and our vision for the future, which is based on innovation and harnessing new technology to make banking simpler and more personal for our customers.

“Milton Keynes is already one UK’s leading technology hotspots, and with the new MK:U university on the horizon, we believe it is set to become an even greater magnet for technology talent. Our proposed new campus will give us a world-class home in Milton Keynes, which both our colleagues and the local community can take pride in.”

Richard Hutchinson, Director, LOM, adds:

“Conceived as a ‘compact campus’ Santander’s new digital hub will create a state-of-the-art workspace, offering flexibility and encouraging community engagement through innovative design and place making.”

Conor Osborne, Director, Osborne and Co, adds: “We are naturally delighted to have been chosen as Santander’s development partner. Its new UK digital hub in Milton Keynes will set a benchmark for large scale developments in this country – and we are excited to build a world-class facility tailored exactly to their needs.”

Guy Wellings, Project Director, WSP says: “With the future in mind for Santander’s new Digital Hub in Milton Keynes, we have thought meticulously about all areas of the engineering, transport and environmental practices of the building in order to provide a smart, sustainable, connected and structurally unique work space that promotes an innovative and contemporary identity for Santander. We look forward to preparing for the next stages and continuing the exciting transition to the new culture of future workplaces.”

Subscription model complements perpetual licensing option;
Professional Services maximise investment in information capture;
New desktop scanners deliver embedded image processing at lower price point.

Alaris, a Kodak Alaris business, is expanding its portfolio to provide several convenient and affordable new options for purchasing its award-winning information capture solutions.

Alaris Capture Pro Software and Alaris Info Input Solution are now available as one-year subscriptions in addition to existing perpetual licensing options.

Affordability is the key benefit to customers. According to a survey conducted by IDC[i], the acquisition cost of solutions is the largest hurdle for businesses to clear when automating document-based workflows. A subscription model offers a lower barrier to entry. Customers can pay as they go and align spending with usage of the software instead of investing in a large upfront capital purchase.

An added benefit is that subscription-based pricing gives customers the flexibility to scale up and down based on needs of the business. “Alaris is committed to support clients who choose traditional perpetual licenses as well as those who prefer a subscription-based model,” said Don Lofstrom, President & General Manager, Alaris, a Kodak Alaris Business.

Extending the advantage with Alaris Professional Services

Professional Services are designed to extend the advantage of owning a scanner from Alaris. Alaris analysts, consultants, and trainers have a wealth of image science expertise and are committed to delivering technical and operational support to help customers plan, upgrade and optimise their document capture solution.

Alaris Professional Services include:

Technical Resources that deliver knowledge-based services such as scanner relocation, product installation and configuration.
Higher order Technology Services such as IT Systems Diagnosis and Adoption Services that require specialised knowledge about capture systems, IT infrastructure and processes.
Strategic Consultancy Services that deliver the “blue prints” for meaningful changes to the customer’s business environment through system integration plans and solution architecture.
Tactical consultancy including Training and Optimisation Services focused on improving operational efficiency and increasing productivity.

Alaris Professional Services are commercially available in the US & Canada and EMEA regions now and will be available in other regions in the coming months.

Alaris Tiered On-Site Services deliver productivity and peace of mind

Repair and maintenance service is one of Alaris’ distinct competitive advantages. New Tiered On-Site Service plans are tailored to maximise investment while providing customers with more clearly defined options so they can select (and pay for) precisely the level of service they need.

“Our field and remote service team is constantly training to address the needs of well over 100,000 Alaris and OEM scanners across the world,” said Lofstrom. “First-time fix rates greater than 91% means our image science experts not only fix it right, but do so with the minimum interruption to our customers’business. Alaris is ISO-9001 certified and we only use genuine repair parts. Our unique ability to serve customers around the world with responsiveness, technical accuracy, and professionalism is unmatched in the industry.”

Award-winning scanners underpin the IN2 Ecosystem

Alaris is expanding its award-winning S2000 Scanner line with the addition of the Alaris S2040 Scanner. With a list price of £576, the new 40 page-per-minute device delivers all the embedded image processing power of the S2050 and S2070 Scanners at a lower price point for customers who want a more affordable option. The S2040 features the latest Alaris Perfect Page technology and is bundled with Smart Touch Software. It also supports the Alaris Passport Accessory and the Integrated A4/Legal Size Flatbed Accessory.

“The Alaris S2040 Scanner offers fast and reliable scanning, versatile media handling, and intelligent, automated features to simplify scanning and optimise business processes,” said Lee Davis, Editor for Scanners and Solutions at BLI. Earlier this year, Alaris won Buyers Lab’s prestigious Scanner Line of the Year Award for an unprecedented third consecutive year. “Alaris continues to set the standard for what a scanner needs to be in the age of digital transformation,” said Davis.

[i]IDC White Paper, sponsored by KodakAlaris, Automate Your Information Capture Workflow, August 2017

Denmark’s second largest insurance company now has deep insight into the end-user experience, proactively resolving issues before they occur

Nexthink, a leader in digital employee experience management software for enterprises, today announced that Topdanmark A/S, a leading Danish insurer, selected Nexthink to increase the visibility of its IT environment.

Nexthink helps Topdanmark A/S improve incident reduction and resolution while optimising service delivery and cost savings. Using Nexthink, the organisation’s IT team now has a real-time picture of its applications and services, greatly improving the quality of services provided to the organisation’s 2,450 employees.

As a leading insurance business, Topdanmark A/S has a significant technology footprint consisting of over 3,700 devices. Prior to Nexthink, the organisation’s IT team used a homegrown script-based solution to monitor device performance, which led to time-consuming and labor-intensive investigations, as well as occasional crashes.

Søren Wagner, IT Architect, Topdanmark A/S, commented: “Our main goal at Topdanmark A/S is to help our customers take care of their insurance and pensions. To make this a reality, the IT organisation’s primary concern is ensuring employees have a top-notch digital experience. Prior to adopting Nexthink, a browser crash forced us to rethink our digital experience strategy. We realised that we should focus on monitoring the end-user experience for improved outcomes.”

Thanks to Nexthink, Topdanmark A/S now has data from every device such as desktops, laptops and virtual devices readily available. This means the team can now analyse, visualize and act in real-time across all end-user computing data, proactively detecting and correcting issues at their source.

An important goal for Topdanmark A/S was to reduce downtime for the organisation’s employees. Due to the improved visibility of its IT real estate, the business’ IT team can now discover critical device and user information instantly, verifying that critical systems are running. This helps deliver faster IT incident resolution, ultimately driving better employee experience.

Wagner added: “Nexthink has changed the way we work as we are now able to leverage real-time data from its comprehensive dashboards early on in our conversations with the business. This has resulted in better service provisioning, as well as improved decision-making which is now based on facts instead of subjective input.”

Apps are not only meant for playing games or editing your pictures. Many useful apps can help you plan your budget and save money.

Sounds interesting? Scroll down to read about easy to use apps that help you save money.

Bill Tracker

If you often miss paying the bills on time because of your busy schedule, then this app is meant for you. It will allow you to keep the due dates and amount totals in one place only. You will also get notifications for pending payments, and due dates will be highlighted on the calendar to let you view all the payment dates easily. Bonus, its password protected.

Mint

This app is meant for people who prefer to stay within the budget limits. It tracks all the financial accounts from different accounts and records as well as categorizes every transaction smoothly. It also notes your spending habits and creates a budget for you. This app allows you to deactivate access from the phone through the Mint website which will come handy in keeping your data secure.

Shopkick

This app is best suited for people who want to find great deals and discounts at stores like Best Buy, Macy’s Target, etc. You can earn points for different purchases, inviting friends to join and just for walking into a store. The points you earn can be transformed into gift cards at stores that are partnered with it.

Ibotta

This app lets users earn real money for shopping. You can start by going through varied offers in the product gallery and selecting the ones you want. Every time you finish a task like taking a poll or watching a video, the pending cash is added to the account which can be accessed when you buy the products from retailers who are partnered with Ibotta. After the purchase is verified, cash can be added to your PayPal account or turned into a gift card.

You Need a Budget (YNAB)

Well, what we like best about this app is it’s to the point name. This app has an easy to use interface that’s highly detailed. The software operates by following four simple rules, save for a rainy day, give every dollar a job, live on last month’s income and roll with the punches. The app will change the way you manage money and will make finances stress-free.

RetailMeNot

If you often spend hours in looking for relevant and latest coupons, then this website is for you. It allows you to seek deals and coupons from popular stores like Starbucks, Sephora, J Crew, Forever 21 and many more. The coolest thing about this app is that it saves you from the hassle of printing the coupons. All you need to do is to show your phone to avail a deal. You also get notifications for expiration dates so that you can do that last-minute shopping before the deal ends.

SnipSnap

Last on the list is SnipSnap, another coupons app that allows you to find the best deals with various brands. It also allows you to take pictures of printed coupons and transforms them into digital and mobile-ready versions. You are also allowed to peruse through an online directory and see coupons your friends have snipped. How cool is that!

Inviting applications from OTC Derivative ISIN users to encourage wider participation in the development of the DSB Road Map

The Derivatives Service Bureau, founded by the Association of Numbering Agencies (ANNA) to facilitate the allocation and maintenance of International Securities Identification Numbers (ISINs) for OTC Derivatives, has today announced plans for broader industry representation within the DSB’s Product Committee, and is now inviting applications to participate.

From 8^th January 2019, representation will include two new categories, custodians and data vendors, to expand on the existing buy-side, sell-side and trading venues, thereby increasing voting members from 9 to 15. Participation is also open to trade associations as non-voting members, as well as ensuring a balanced representation of asset class knowledge and geographical representation. This latest DSB announcement reflects increasing industry participation in the DSB, and calls from within the industry to be involved in developing the DSB ISINs Road Map.

Emma Kalliomaki, Managing Director of ANNA and the DSB, said, “Being a global utility with widespread industry representation, expertise and collaboration at its core, the DSB is committed to the use of standard identifiers to make the OTC derivatives market a more stable environment within which to trade. Having broader industry participation on the Product Committee to discuss the best possible ISIN creation and use will only serve to bring greater transparency and efficiency to the OTC derivatives market.”

Malavika Solanki, a member of the DSB Management Team, said, “Working successfully with industry over the past eighteen months, the DSB has produced a fully automated open and easily accessible near-real-time allocation of ISINs for 82 product templates. By expanding the composition and structure of the Product Committee and including trade associations in discussions, the DSB can continue to remain agile and flexible as industry’s use of the DSB service evolves. Some examples include additional use cases, hierarchies for ISINs and the creation of proprietary ISINs.”

From 2019, Product Committee discussion will move from developing ISIN products and defining product templates, to solving additional OTC Derivative ISIN use cases and examining the introduction of hierarchies, as well as discussions on what to prioritise. The DSB values representation on a fair and equitable basis within the ISIN user community, and so will be allocating voting participation with 3 representatives from each sector.

The existing Product Committee was constituted for a 2 year period, and this will dissolve at the beginning of January 2019, to be replaced by the new Product Committee. Please follow the links for more details about how to apply and to view a copy of the new Product Committee charter and download the application form. Interested OTC Derivative users of ISINs have until 2^nd November this year to put in their applications, with new Product Committee details being announced on the 4^th December.

The UK Treasury Select Committee’s conclusion that crypto-assets should be regulated demonstrates cryptocurrencies are part of mainstream finance and the sector is likely to rally as a result.

This is an observation from Nigel Green, founder and CEO of deVere Group, which launched the exchange app deVere Crypto earlier this year following a unanimously-agreed report by the Commons Select Committee on crypto-assets for its Digital Currencies Inquiry.

The report concludes: “Regulation [is] needed for…crypto-asset market” and that the “ambiguity of the UK Government and regulators’ position is clearly not sustainable.”

Mr Green affirms: “Cryptocurrencies are here to stay. In fact, in today’s increasingly digitalised, globalised world, demand for these digital, global currencies is only set to soar in the coming years.

“As such, I welcome the Treasury Select Committee’s proactive and progressive approach, which could be the first step to providing regulations to protect consumers and prevent illicit activity.

“The conclusion made by the Committee about cryptocurrencies puts them on the right side of history. Its findings that these assets should be brought into a regulatory framework demonstrates once again that they are now a part of mainstream finance.”

He continues: “As I have said previously, regulation of the crypto sector is now I believe inevitable.

“Regulation of cryptocurrencies will give investors even more protection and, therefore, confidence in the burgeoning market is likely to drive prices higher – and today’s signal from the Treasury Select Committee could have the same effect.”

This Inquiry follows the Financial Stability Board (FSB), the international watchdog chaired by Bank of England Governor, Mark Carney, releasing a report in the summer that concluded Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies do not pose a risk to the global financial system.

The Investx platform will allow established SMEs to access new sources of equity-secured funding to fuel growth

Investx today announced the appointment of Richard Chambers to its board as Chief Operating Officer.

Richard brings a wealth of experience from HSBC Leveraged Finance and Royal Bank of Scotland Corporate Transactions and over 14 years he has secured over £500 million in bank funding for private equity backed small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

SMEs are considered the powerhouse of economies, however the growth of these established businesses is often constrained due to difficulties in obtaining new capital, and an understandable reluctance for SMEs to take on significant amounts of unsecured debt.

For potential investors, outside of venture capital and private equity funds, it’s difficult to make an equity investment in companies that are not publicly listed, and if investment is made through funds, that money is usually locked up for years.

Investx has recognised these challenges and is building a blockchain-powered platform to allow established SMEs to raise funds based on selling equity in their businesses, while also creating a secondary market to provide liquidity in a traditionally illiquid market, thus opening up an entirely new asset class for investment.

Part of building the Investx platform is bringing high quality deal flow, and Richard has secured hundreds of millions of pounds of funding during his tenure supporting private equity backed businesses. He was most recently at Royal Bank of Scotland’s Corporate Transactions Team, where he focussed on raising event-driven debt packages for SME customers, and was able to see first-hand the challenges they face.

Richard Chambers explains: “This is a unique opportunity to build a business with the capability to match up established SMEs seeking funds with investors who want to invest in SMEs – a market that currently is not open. Having come from a traditional banking background, I have witnessed first-hand the large proportion of SMEs which struggle to access funding easily and cost effectively. In many cases, debt is not the most appropriate product as monthly capital repayments and interest charges eat into cash flow.

“Through Investx, we will provide equity investment into smaller businesses in a cost effective manner by using blockchain technology, and for the first time, we will build liquidity into the investments by creating a secondary market which means investors are not locked in for years. This has the potential to revolutionise how SMEs access capital, and will align investors and businesses with the success of the business.”

Peter Edgar, CEO of Investx said “Investx has built its business on supporting established SMEs in securing capital investment, and we are excited to be able to open this opportunity up to the wider investment community through the Investx crowdfunding platform.

“Investx fills a clear gap in the marketplace for established SMEs which are seeking additional capital but are typically under-supported by traditional lenders. Richard’s vast experience will ensure that demand is high amongst SMEs, and we are proud to have recruited someone of his calibre.”

Investx will be holding an initial coin offering in Q4 2018 and is currently seeking investors for its private sale.

New biometrics solutions will help financial institutions and government entities confront global identity crisis

Following the recent inaugural Blockchain Policy Forum held by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), David Shrier of Distilled Analytics and Joseph Weinberg of Shyft Network have announced a multi-year partnership to deliver next generation biometric identity solutions leveraging blockchain technology, artificial intelligence, and advanced analytics to combat the expanding global issue of identity verification, theft, and fraud.

Based on July’s release of Distilled IDENTITY™, a breakthrough predictive identity solution from Distilled Analytics, in partnership with Shyft Network’s incontrovertible blockchain-based federated identity network, financial institutions, governments and others will be empowered with the next generation of efficient, transparent, and robust identity solutions. In addition to partnering to offer the next generation of identity verification, Shyft is making an equity investment in Distilled Analytics as it provides a significant level of differentiation to the Shyft ecosystem. The terms of the investment were not disclosed.

According to The World Bank, over one billion people in the world today lack a legal identity, leading to an increase in exploitation and human trafficking.

The UN has set a Sustainable Development Goal to give every person on the planet an identity. In tandem, identity theft and verification continue to create systemic issues of fraud and abuse across a wide array of financial transactions. A recent study by McKinsey estimated the costs to ensure customer identity and compliance for the banking industry exceeds exceed $270 billion per year and that number is expected to continue to grow at five percent per year.

“We are experiencing a global identity crisis of epic proportions. The costs associated with managing identity and compliance in financial services alone are spiraling up despite a multi-decade effort to address the problem,” said Distilled Analytics CEO and Founder David Shrier. “New solutions, based on advanced data science techniques and machine learning innovations, are needed to not only stem the tide, but tackle the issue at the root cause. Our unique partnership with Shyft Network will help to finally deliver a reprieve from these bad actors while simultaneously creating the opportunity for greater digital and financial inclusion.”

Based on AI analytics research from MIT, Oxford, and Imperial College, Distilled IDENTITY™, applies advanced biometrics and predictive identity analytics to verify customer identity and provide superior match capabilities using new data sources and methods. Early research suggests the opportunity to improve on existing biometric technology by as many as two orders of magnitude, offering greater security, resolution, and simplicity for the end user. As per the agreement with Shyft Network, Distilled IDENTITY will be integrated into the blockchain-based Shyft Network.

Shyft Network is building a blockchain-based network to enable distributed identify verification that will drive efficiency around the very costly and cumbersome anti-money laundering (AML) and know-your-customer (KYC) compliance process. It’s privacy-centric data sharing framework enables service providers in regulated industries to meet compliance standards as well as provides a way around the currently insurmountable barriers for the underbanked and unidentified global citizens to access global financial services, thus acting as globally portable alternative to traditional credit scores. The combination of the technologies enables an additional degree of fraud protection and protection as these citizens are brought into the global economy.

Joseph Weinberg, Chairman of Shyft, said, “Enterprise data needs are quickly evolving, and companies are seeking innovative solutions that can tackle the arising challenges around rapid data growth, data security threats, and reliable recovery systems. By leveraging a distributed network and storing a pool of attestations on the blockchain, Shyft Network can provide Distilled Analytics with the highest level of personal data protection.”

FedEx Express (FedEx), a subsidiary of FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) and the world’s largest express transportation company, is pleased to announce the appointment of FedEx veteran Sean Healy as Regional Chief Operating Officer (COO) FedEx Express Europe. He takes over from Michael Holt who is set to retire by the end of September 2018.

Healy, previously Senior Vice President of Transportation, International, Planning and Strategy at FedEx Freight, succeeds Holt in the role.

Holt will stay on until end of September 2018 to assist with the transition.

Healy joined FedEx Express in 1986 as a package handler while in college and rose through the ranks to become Vice President of Global Planning and Engineering. In his most recent position as Senior Vice President at FedEx Freight, he led the overall design, development and implementation of technology solutions and processes that have positioned FedEx Freight as the market leader in the North American less-than-truckload (LTL) industry. He was also responsible for managing the road network at FedEx Freight, which last year logged over one billion miles.

Healy’s work in Europe will involve continued operational integration, as well as leveraging the company’s networks, people and innovation to deliver service excellence and support growth across the region.

“Sean has more than 30 years’ industry experience and has been at the forefront of operational innovation and service excellence for customers within the FedEx family. His additional experience leading teams through change means he is an excellent addition to the FedEx Express Europe leadership team at an exciting time for the company,” said Bert Nappier, President FedEx Express Europe and CEO of TNT. “I would like to thank Michael Holt for the invaluable contribution he has made to our company, especially the vital work he has done since the TNT acquisition in 2016, and wish him well in his retirement,” Nappier added.

Commenting on his appointment, Healy said: “FedEx Express Europe is one of the most dynamic places to be within FedEx, not only with the TNT integration, but also as the logistics industry as a whole is undergoing transformation. I look forward to working with the European team on delivering our vision for Europe.’’

While more cyber breach attempts were thwarted in 2017, over a quarter went undetected for more than a week in UK financial services firms, a new report from Accenture finds. This suggests that executives may be overconfident in their security capabilities – given that it’s critical to identify a breach in days, if not hours, to contain the damage.

Greater reliance on partnerships for growth is driving up external cyber threats

This is a concern for UK security executives in the sector, with almost a third holding their partners to lower cyber security standards than their own. Financial services firms are also adding more connected devices to their infrastructures which is offering more entry points to criminals, driving up the need for more robust security capabilities. But it isn’t just external threats that the sector needs to watch out for.

“While UK financial services firms are making strides to close the gap on cyber-attacks, there is still work to be done given the amount of breaches that go undetected for so long. Historically, the focus has been placed on external threats. But firms also need to look closer to home at threats that already exist inside the organisation. It’s no good building a wall outside to stop people getting in. They need to work on the assumption that the hacker has already broken into the house and they need to contain them in one room to quickly prevent more damage”, commented Carmina Lees, managing director, UK financial services, Accenture.

Cyber threats are growing in sophistication due to the availability of technologies like automation, machine learning and artificial intelligence. While these technologies pose new threats, they can also help improve a firm’s cyber resilience, yet not many are investing. 80% of UK financial services executives regard these technologies as essential to combatting cybercrime, but only a third are investing here and just 21% plan to significantly increase their investment in the next three years.

“Over confidence combined with under investment in cyber resilience could spell bad news for the sector. As financial services become increasingly digital and open banking and third-party data sharing change how business is done, cyber risks are only going to grow both in scale and sophistication. AI, machine learning and robotic process automation can provide a consistent way to monitor for and combat these threats, but only if firms are willing to invest in them”, concluded Lees.

The study, “2018 State of Cyber Resilience for Financial Services,” based on a survey of more than 800 enterprise security practitioners (75 from the UK), found that financial services firms stopped 81 percent of breach attempts in 2017, up from 66 percent in 2016.

To view the complete financial services reports — banking/capital markets and insurance — visit: www.accenture.com/FSstateofcyber

Switzerland’s Leading Telecommunications Company uses CA API Management Solutions to Accelerate Fintech Initiative and Help Satisfy Regulatory Requirements

CA Technologies (NASDAQ:CA) today announced that it is partnering with Swisscom in a strategic alliance to create an innovative Open Banking Hub. Switzerland’s leading telecommunications company and one of the country’s leading IT companies is standardising on the CA Technologies API Management portfolio to create a simple, secure interface that connects financial institutions with third-parties, including fintech start-up companies.

The Swisscom Open Banking Hub enables unprecedented opportunities for collaboration between banks and third-parties, inspiring the rapid, secure development of innovative new services and customer experiences that drive business growth.

“Traditional banks and new, nimble Fintechs are no longer working against each other, but rather in tandem to create exciting and compelling new financial solutions,” says André Durrer, Head of Digital Business Platforms at Swisscom. “The Swisscom Open Banking Hub provides banks, Fintechs and other third-party providers with a secure and agile platform upon which they can grow business. CA Technologies is the lynchpin of this modern and dynamic Hub, enabling secure API-based connection between providers and users of services. Their proven, flexible solution opens the door to digital data communication in existing and future financial ecosystems.”

Open Banking Hub Drives Innovation

Open banking has arisen from new legislation that gives financial providers secure access to customer information via APIs (application programming interfaces), which import the data they hold into third-party applications and services. It represents a significant shift in the way both consumers and businesses bank, enabling the development of a wider range of personalised services and increased competition in the market.

With the Swisscom Open Banking Hub, financial institutions and third-parties do not need to worry about infrastructure issues and challenges such as security, performance, availability and transparency. Everything in the Hub is available as a service, ensuring that Hub users maintain the focus on developing future services, helping them remain competitive and compliant.

The Hub operates on two levels: an “API Playground as a Service” provides financial services providers with a simple, no-obligation opportunity to test new third-party applications that are already connected to the Open Banking Hub. Secondly, it enables the productive use of the third-party solutions within Swisscom’s secure IT infrastructure—upon which it already operates the core banking systems of approximately 80 financial services providers. This is a major leap forward for third parties, especially Fintechs, since it helps satisfy the compliance and security requirements of legislation such as the Personal Services Directive 2 (PSD2).

The concept of the Hub is not limited to the financial services sector. The comprehensive nature of the solution framework, its ease of use, cost-effectiveness, and scalability can equally be applied to other industry sectors. With this in mind, Swisscom and CA Technologies plan to extend the initiative to start-ups in other sectors, such as MedTechs, InsureTechs, GovTechs, and RenTechs.

CA API Gateway Delivers Security Without Sacrificing User Experience

The CA API Gateway enables Swisscom to selectively open data and applications through the Hub to third-party developers—driving innovation, customer satisfaction and increased efficiency. Security is managed centrally, traffic can be prioritized to help ensure APIs remain available and responsive, and a variety of deployment models ensure support for a wide range of platforms, including Docker, AWS and Azure. This full lifecycle API management is also a critical requirement for open banking. According to Gartner, “open banking brings a number of key requirements for full life cycle API management vendors.” Their 2018 Critical Capabilities for Full Life Cycle API Management* also ranks CA Technologies the highest out of 22 API management vendors for the open banking use case for its CA API Management portfolio.

“The development of the Open Banking Hub represents a high-water mark in an eight-year relationship of digital transformation between Swisscom and CA Technologies,” says Rahim Bhatia, SVP and general manager, Developer Products at CA Technologies. “We’re pleased to build on our joint success, and enable Swisscom by providing the secure, scalable and performant API platform that will support and accelerate the growth of this innovative financial ecosystem as the Hub expands.”

“We are immensely proud of this exciting partnership with Swisscom,” says Rui Martins, Country Manager Switzerland, CA Technologies. “It unites two powerful forces in technology and telecommunications: CA Technologies’ world-class API Management technology, coupled with Swisscom’s unrivalled experience and expertise, will prove to be a formidable and unbeatable force in Open Banking. As partners, we share the belief that innovation is key to success and it’s this shared vision that will propel the Open Banking Hub to its next phase of growth.”

Other key projects CA Technologies has been involved with include supporting Swisscom with service reporting; accelerating the development and launch of Swisscom’s TV solution portfolio; standardizing secure application interfaces internally; servicing the bank’s internal mainframe reporting; optimising the testing of the bank’s API factory; and additional reporting on the bank’s network of large enterprise customers.

To learn more about Financial Services solutions from CA Technologies, visit: https://www.ca.com/us/why-ca/industries/finance.html. For more on CA Technologies API Management solutions, please visit www.ca.com/api.

*Gartner, Inc., Critical Capabilities for Full Life Cycle API Management, Mark O’Neill, Paolo Malinverno, 01 May 2018

Resources

Research Report: 2017 Banking APIs: State of the Market Research Report

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