Banking Matters

Book excerpt: We live in an age of disruption. Well known industries have changed beyond recognition as they were first digitised, then disrupted, and finally dematerialised. Banks no longer meet the needs of their customers, we are told. They are too slow, unresponsive, and ripe for disruption. And yet, even with support from politicians and regulators in many markets, most would be disruptors have struggled to achieve profitability, despite having built large customer bases in short spans of time, and despite being often seen as more innovative, more relevant, and more customer-oriented than the incumbent banks. Banks that should be uncompetitive continue to dominate finance. Why then do societies not take stronger action? Why not tilt the playing field much further against incumbents? Why not break up, or even abolish, the banks? Because banking matters. Too few people understand the critical role that banks and banking play in our economies. Too few people understand the risks that banks' activities create, or why we should accept these risks. Too few people understand how banks help guard society against financial criminals. Anyone working in a bank, seeking to disrupt banking, or undertaking banking activities, needs to understand the role they play and the potential impact of their actions.Because banking matters. Duncan Knowles built his extensive knowledge of banking through over 20 years delivering creative and practical solutions to complex issues in banking-related businesses across the world. He has worked closely with both retail and corporate banks in over 30 countries.In this book, Duncan shares his expertise and his unique perspective, providing an essential guide for anyone wanting to understand commercial banking in our current age of disruption.www.becausebankingmatters.com