The banking sector is changing all across the world. Global forces for change include:
Recent commercial banking structures have some crises in Asia, and Latin America has only added to the tensions. Privatizations of state-owned banks that dominated their banking systems in the past have also altered the banking sector in Central Europe and Latin America. During a two-day conference in December 2000, a small group of top central bankers at the BIS discussed the consequences of these developments.
Using current consumer information to market should result in cost savings. Other financial products, more effective branch and physical input use, and the extension of a respected brand, a recognisable brand across a broader range of products, with shared investment divisions and account service centers, and so forth Through diversification, merging commercial banks structure with other financial organizations may lower risk. Another recent trend has been the formation of bank partnerships, in which common processes are outsourced to the alliance member who can do them most efficiently. In Hong Kong, a similar partnership was recently announced: banks are splitting the costs of designing a pension product sold through their branches. Given the rising synergies between the banking sector and information technology, this strategy appears promising.