All articles by Farah Halime
Farah Halime
Standard Bank offers anti-phishing software
South Africas Standard Bank is offering its customers free anti-phishing software to protect against online fraud, the first bank in the country to offer such a service. The countrys largest lender by assets said the new software, Rapport, will protect customers from divulging sensitive financial details to “unscrupulous” third parties when banking online. While financial institutions like Standard Bank have spent a great deal of time on consumer education and internal mechanisms to secure our systems, customers still find themselves out of pocket when defrauded by unscrupulous fraudsters when responding to phishing emails,” said Itumeleng Monale, the banks director of self-service banking.
Citizens campaign goes back to roots
Citizens Financial Group chief executive, Ellen Alemany, has asserted the bank is a trustworthy place for savings The banks latest marketing campaign goes back to its heritage to highlight its community-focused outlook in the drive to boost the customer base and distribution network
Super highway’ to drive customer growth
Farah Halime speaks to James Galloway, chief marketing officer, and Aman Narain, head of remote banking, at Standard Chartereds consumer banking division, as the bank records double-digit growth in the first quarter of 2010 and agrees a deal with Akamai Technologies to speed up its online banking platform.
Loyalty scheme rewards Alpha
The cards and consumer banking unit of Alpha Bank, Greeces third-largest bank by assets, has ramped up its loyalty programme to boost cross-sell metrics following a successful 2009 in which the bank witnessed a 26% upsurge in its Bonus card loyalty programme Greece-based Alpha Bank has scored a marketing hit with its loyalty based cards rewards programme, Bonus, with a 26% increase in customer usage during 2009.
ANZ completes acquisition of RBS Singapore
Australia and New Zealand Banking Group (ANZ), Australia’s third largest bank by assets, has completed its acquisition of Royal Bank of Scotlands (RBS) retail and commercial businesses as the bank continues the expansion of its Asia-Pacific network.
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ICBC ‘most valuable bank brand’ again
Marketing consultancy Millward Brown has released its 2010 annual top 100 brands survey, including the worlds most valuable banking brands Peter Walshe, global director at Millward Brown, tells Farah Halime how banks in the emerging markets, notably ICBC and ICICI, are creeping into a usually US-dominated list. Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) has been ranked as the worlds most valuable banking brand for the second year in a row, signalling the growing dominance of brands from the emerging markets, according to research from consultancy Millward Brown.
Dealwatch tables
RBI DealWatch tracks global financial services mergers and acquisitions, privatisations and demutualisations, flotations, divestments, share stakes, strategic alliances and joint ventures Royal Bank of Scotland
Spain seizes control of CajaSur
The Spanish Central Bank has been forced to take control of CajaSur, the ailing Roman Catholic-controlled savings bank, in its efforts to restore confidence in the countrys struggling banking sector
Australian banks face over-charging action
IMF Australia, a litigation funder, will pay for more than 10 class actions against the countrys banks including the Big Four Commonwealth Bank, Australia and New Zealand Banking Group, Westpac and National Australia Bank in an effort to retrieve millions in alleged wrongful and unfair overcharging.
US banks post highest earnings since Q1 2008
US banks boosted first quarter earnings to $18 billion in the first quarter of 2010, from $5.6 billion in the year-ago quarter, making it the highest quarterly profit since the first quarter of 2008, according to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) FDIC Insured institutions set aside 16.6 percent, or $10.2 billion less in provisions for loan losses in the first quarter, although this fall was mainly concentrated among a few of the largest banks