Our team provides useful information to industry practitioners, through various articles, studies and research.

The Alternative Represented by Trade Finance Funds

The limited capacities of the banks have led to the emergence of alternative finance such as trade finance funds, which are typically launched by industry professionals willing to get involved with transactions that are not in the interest of traditional banks. The universe is still in its infancy with only around 15–20 such funds around the world and total assets under management of less than $10 billion.

Acquisition Finance: Are Banks Advisors? Playing Both Sides of the Fence

Banks position themselves as trusted advisors with the capability of facilitating large financing deals on behalf of their clients. While banks are capable of providing financing advice, they often have interests that conflict with the interests of their clients. Banks are in the difficult position of serving their clients while also maximizing their own profits and protecting their own balance sheets.

Bank Smarter, Not Harder!

Power Up Your Next Bank Relationship and Fee Review. As a treasury professional, having visibility into costs is a starting point for negotiation and cost-saving opportunities with your banks.

Old Dogs, New Tricks

If there is one thing that those close to the payments industry know, it is that the industry is constantly evolving. We see payments getting faster and more convenient. With that said, the one thing merchants rarely see, as a part of all this growth and innovation, is shrinking cost. Payments, particularly card payments, just seem to be growing more expensive. While it is true that some portions of card acceptance, such as the fees paid to an acquirer, may be getting slimmer and more competitive, merchants still foot the bill for the most expensive component – interchange.

The Challenges of Obtaining and Understanding International Bank Fee Statements

Analyzing international bank fee statements requires in-depth knowledge of international banking structures, accessibility and visibility into local bank fees, and copious amounts of time and resources. Many treasurers do not make it past the first step of obtaining their international bank fee statements in useable formats to then progress to understanding their fees across multiple countries.

Do Not Let RFPs Give You The Blues

Now that you have determined which stage in the relationship you are in with your bank, it is time to evaluate the strength of the relationship. Banking relationships are based on performance, risk, and profitability KPIs. These relationships come down to two main objectives: fairness and accountability. For something to be truly fair, there should be transparency on all sides. Transparency and accountability are the foundation of a long-standing relationship.

Borrowing base: a unique opportunity

Mihai Andreoiu, Senior Director at Redbridge, is a big fan of borrowing base structures as a superior form of financing for commodity players. Here are the reasons why he certainly hopes to see more such deals coming to market.

Using Technology to Gain a Competitive Advantage

Analytics is helping banks and corporations gain a competitive advantage by delivering actionable insights as well as an effective solution for addressing issues like safety and compliance. The corporate world can use the same technologies and strategies to address the challenge of bank account management (BAM).

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