Anita Hawser

Global Finance talks with Arnaud Stevens, Frédéric Dalibard of Nexitis, and Luca Comparini of IBM about blockchain technologies and commodity trade finance.

Throughout history, there have been major transformative periods where a single innovation has wrought profound social and economic changes over the next century 

Processes that have changed relatively little over hundreds of years in trade finance are being catapulted into the 21st century, due to significant advances in data analytics, digitization and shared ledger technology. Once a forgotten backwater of transaction banking, trade ...

Regulation, risk, a low-interest-rate environment and global economic uncertainty mean treasurers are more dependent than ever before on software systems and services to help them manage their business. In a climate where banks are withdrawing from certain markets and lines ...

Being a bank at the top of your game in global treasury and cash management is not for the faint hearted. Banks that win our global awards for Best Treasury & Cash Management tend to have more than one of ...

Global Finance magazine names the world's best supply chain finance providers for 2017, considering both banks and non-bank financial institutions. 

​ The “digital revolution” has been famously disruptive in retail, but in banking it seems finance firms are seeking more cooperation with technology. 

The cryptocurrency Bitcoin was the first working example of a blockchain, or distributed ledger, but important as it has become, it barely begins to explain why banks, regulators (including central banks) and tech firms are all over this technology.

The world of fintech is littered with its own terminology. We explain some of the more widely used terms.

With interest rates in negative territory and quantitative easing having run its course, central bankers are thinking about turning to cryptocurrencies to solve problems.  

Global Finance takes the world’s central bank governors to school in our annual “report cards” grading their economic stewardship.

​At Sibos in Geneva, financial technology, or fintech (blockchain, artificial intelligence, machine learning), was present in almost every conference presentation and workshop. And even in those sessions that didn’t directly reference it, one felt a sense that banking in particular ...

The term 'financial inclusion' is often equated with the working poor in developing countries. But if the term is thought of more broadly as referring to those that have limited or restricted access to financial services such as loans and ...

At its annual Sibos customer conference in Geneva next week, the Brussels-based financial messaging network, SWIFT, will seek to reassure its 11,000-strong member banks and securities organizations that it is doing everything within its power to minimize the threat of ...

Cross-Border Payments | Magic is only for fairy tales, but new technologies promise a magical transformation in cross-border payments. 

The theft of $81 million from Bangladesh Bank earlier this year highlights the problems that accompany technology’s benefits.

Robots, ubiquitous in factories, are moving up to take on both menial paperwork and complex data analysis. Should we worry?

Picture investment recommendations tailored or customized to individual needs or personality traits, provided cheaply via a highly intuitive digital interface.

Lum Yin Fong, global head of client management and implementation in Global Transaction Services at DBS Bank, talks about how her firm, in conjunction with Standard Chartered Bank and Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore, explored blockchain technology in trade finance.

Still finding its way onto the broader global stage, Islamic finance is expanding its reach and rising to new heights in delivering added value to consumer and business markets alike.

Gautam Jain, global head of digitization and client access, Transaction Banking, Standard Chartered Bank, talks about the bank’s role in a blockchain proof-of-concept joint effort.

Trade finance is behind some other banking sectors in transitioning to paperless documents and digital distribution, but it’s catching up.

The past year has seen major advances which, although only beginning to bud, are likely to have long-running ramifications for corporate treasury and cash management as they blossom and mature.

Challenger banks join start-ups and outside providers in supplier finance to get funding where it’s needed most. 

The $5 trillion-a-day foreign exchange market is changing rapidly, as electronic execution platforms control the bulk of trading and bank dealers streamline operations in response to growing pressure from regulators to cut trading risks and boost capital. 

Profiles of the 2016 FX Award Winners by Region and Category

Steady revenue streams make transaction banking attractive during times of volatility. But tech and upstart competitors are remaking the business.

Global Finance’s annual evaluation of the work of the world’s central bankers found some stellar performances, and some dismal ones. The toughest challenge for many: propping up falling prices.

Global Finance unveils its annual list of the best banks globally, regionally and by country. The winners have provided the best service to clients.

Regulators are starting to ask more questions about cross-border payment flows, which is forcing banks to have more nuanced conversations with their networks of correspondent banks.

 A raft of new regulations around the world is changing how treasurers manage cash.

The industry retrenches, redefining networks in response to client needs 

Management | Tax Policy
In an effort to clamp down on tax avoidance by multinationals, the European Commission has announced plans to revive a proposal to unify the corporate tax base across Europe.

Annual Awards honoring the Best Islamic Financial Institutions in the world.

Best Islamic Financial Institutions | Introduction
Islamic finance is breaking out, as long-awaited regulatory reform takes hold in key nations, boosting transparency and driving new business.

Special Report | The Digital Bank
Banks are using new technologies to help corporate clients make better financial decisions.

Banking | United Kingdom
In its 2014 annual report published in February, RBS announced that CIB, which includes global transaction services, will reduce its geographical footprint from 38 to 13 countries.

Royal Bank Of Scotland plans to vastly scale back its Transaction Services business. It is a further sign of the challenging times faced by global transaction banks.

Global Finance sat down with Egyptian bank CIB’s chairman and MD, Hisham Ezz Al-Arab, to discuss its strategy during the Arab Spring and how it plans to attract a younger clientele.

Global Finance presents the winners of its 13th Annual Best Treasury & Cash Management Providers awards.

Presenting the World’s Best Trade & Supply Chain Finance Awards for 2015.

Cash is still king, and unlocking trapped cash or investing it for higher yield remains one of the major preoccupations of most corporate treasurers.

Market Report | Global Islamic Finance
Despite lower volumes in 2013, sukuk issuance is on track for a record year.

MARKET REPORT | ISLAMIC TRADE FINANCE
Offering inventory financing to commodity traders brings much-needed liquidity to the Islamic trade finance market.

Global Finance presents its annual report on the performance of the world’s central bank governors.

Global Finance unveils its annual list of the  best banks globally, regionally and by country. The banking industry remains under stress, but there are bright spots.

MILESTONES | UNITED KINGDOM
Technology derived from medical scanning is being used by a UK bank in the fight against cybercrime and identity fraud.

Inside Sibos | Review
At this year's event held in Boston, there seemed to be a greater sense of urgency among the banks about the need for change.

UNITED STATES
In its 2013 report to Congress, the Export-Import Bank of the United States says that its “overriding mission is to create and sustain American jobs by supporting US exports.” But that very mission is under threat, with House Financial Services Committee chairman Jeb Hensarling, among others, seeking to abolish the bank.

The need for financing for supply-side firms continues to grow—particularly in emerging and frontier markets. More companies are looking to SCF to fill this gap.