Finacle Conclave 2007 - Global Banking CXOs Convene in Penang, Malaysia

Building on the success from 2006, Finacle Conclave 2007, the client forum of Finacle in its second year, was successfully hosted at Penang, Malaysia from July 2-4th. The theme for this year’s Conclave was ‘Win in the flat world’.

Bringing together thought leaders and visionaries from the world of banking – close to 100 delegates from 25 countries – the conclave facilitated sharing of best practices through interactive sessions from subject matter experts, stimulating panel discussions and presentations.

The event was kicked off with an address by Dr. Kevin Freiberg, the guest speaker and author of - GUTS! Companies that Blow the Doors Off Business-as-Usual, the exciting sequel to the Freibergs’ hugely successful book, NUTS. Nandan Nilekani, Co-Chairman of the Board, Infosys, who was the keynote speaker, outlined the shifts in strategic priorities banks must make to win in the flat world.

The entire conference was segmented into three tracks. The first track focused on the phenomenon of globalization and diversity. The speakers shared astute perspectives on what lies ahead for banking and how some banks like ICICI have forged ahead in the changing business landscape, showcasing a shining example of competing successfully to win in this flattening world. The calculated need for a focused customer diversity strategy was repeatedly articulated. The second track elaborated on the impact of the BRIC world. This session had a diverse group of speakers who brought perspectives from across the BRIC nations. The sessions outlined the impact of BRIC, and shared lessons learnt from established banks around the globe, with regard to the many achievements made by progressive players from emerging economies. The third and final track focused on the core area of technology and its role in the flattening world. The speakers unraveled for the audience the integral role played by technology in maximizing agility and innovation and how banks like ANZ and Emirates Bank aim to leverage the power of technology to excel and succeed in the flat world.

The event culminated with a panel discussion on the key challenges and preparedness for flat world banking. It was interesting to note the widespread acknowledgement of challenges that the flat world presents and how banks have definite plans to accelerate their pace of change, leverage technology and stand out from the rest.

Hosted in the breathtakingly beautiful, Shangri-La Rasa Sayang Resort at Malaysia, Finacle Conclave had the ideal mix of business sessions and leisure networking activities. Golf, water sports, dragon boat racing and gala evenings set the mood for the relaxed peer interactions.

We wish to thank all delegates, speakers and sponsors for making the second Finacle Conclave 2007 a huge success.