Our Clients - Case Studies

FinQuest Partners' programs are uniquely tailored for your institution in order to help implement your organization’s strategy – with offerings focused on specific markets, customer segments and/or areas of business opportunity. While our offerings for bankers are extensive, the following case studies provide a sample of the types of programs we have facilitated over the recent years:

• Regional US Bank:  This client’s objective was to reduce their reliance upon real estate in the commercial markets. The goal was to strengthen its C&I loan growth and related business, while simultaneously maintaining or improving the credit quality of its customer portfolio.
• FinQuest conducted a program for their bankers designed to create deeper relationships with their customers through “strategic conversations”.  The program provided the tools for these bankers to understand the business of their customers, to discuss how the commercial products of the bank impact the business of their customers and to utilize a collaborative, problem-solving approach to sell more products.  The program not only contributed to C&I loan growth, but also helped the bank to leverage their commercial business into insurance, treasury products and other fee-based business.
• Large US Bank:  After completing a series of acquisitions, this client was having difficulties realizing the synergies from their product capabilities. Specifically, their bankers were reluctant to sell non-traditional products.
• FinQuest conducted a program for over 200 of their front line bankers. The program was designed to promote a customer-centric mindset throughout the organization. Importantly, the program provided these bankers with the tools and best practices required to cross-sell/up-sell non-traditional banking opportunities to their customer base.
• Prominent Benelux Bank: The strategic goal of this client – with operations throughout both Western and Central Europe – was to differentiate itself from its primary competitors.  Business areas (such as trade finance, cash management and risk management) were all commoditizing resulting in poor business margins.
• Based upon customer surveys, it was concluded that no bank in their markets was meeting customer expectations in the area of financial advisory.  As part of its differentiation strategy, this bank chose to incorporate a financial advisory approach in all of its coverage activities.  Importantly, the central mission was to promote a consistent “strategic approach” to their customer coverage activities on a global basis. FinQuest designed and conducted a broad series of professional development programs for this bank. These programs ranged from comprehensive relationship banking programs to a series of advanced sales programs for its corporate treasury and institutional sales people. To help facilitate the mission, FinQuest also orchestrated numerous Senior Management Workshops which served as strategy sessions covering the bank’s global businesses.
• Global German Bank: This client had a familiar problem.  A large group of new Analysts were joining the bank in Entry Level positions. These new hires required a highly practical, applications-oriented learning program to prepare them for their first assignments.
• Working closely with the bank, FinQuest designed a ten-day entry level "boot camp" for its new analysts, integrating the themes of client needs, capital market opportunities and risk management product solutions. The program used the latest adult learning techniques including numerous games, exercises and competitive team role-plays – including a trading-floor simulation.
• Global French Bank: This client was developing a strategy for covering Hedge Funds. The bank had a strong capital markets, risk management and financial institutions capability, but did not have a prime brokerage operation.  The Hedge Fund market was viewed to offer attractive capital markets opportunities – especially due to the wide range of investment strategies and product appetites of this market.
• In addition to risk and capital considerations, a key issue facing the bank was the coverage approach.  FinQuest conducted a multi-day Senior Management Workshop for more than sixty of their top financial decision-makers. The program was designed to build on a foundation of business activity and sector knowledge already existing within the bank (although the sector knowledge was dispersed among many different bankers and capital markets product desks). Within sixty days of the conclusion of the program, the bank approved a credit envelope for the sector and quickly closed on a very profitable transaction to meet the needs of a hedge fund customer.
• Major Pan-European Bank: This client had a cross border business strategy which required active cooperation among its professional staff.
• Externally, the bank wanted to deliver products and services to multinational clients consistent with customer needs and expectations in each country.  Internally, product groups and local bankers in different countries had to work closely to create value for their customers. FinQuest executed a highly customized relationship banker training path for all of the bank’s senior commercial banking relationship managers. As the bank continued to make acquisitions in various countries, these programs evolved to include a wide range of skills and competencies – ranging from strategic listening and international negotiations to diagnostic corporate finance skills.
• Southeast Asia Banking Group:  This client had experienced rapid growth and was increasingly serving multinational customers. While the bank had a strong presence in the local market, its bankers were having a difficult time competing with foreign banks entering the market.
• Working closely with the bank, FinQuest created and deliver a comprehensive program on Global Banking and the Global Capital Markets. The program heavily emphasized such areas as global fund-raising, asset distribution and securities/derivatives activities in the major capital markets of the world. Participants gained a greater degree of confidence in working with multinational customers and developed an appreciation for how to leverage their strengths with these customers.

Out of respect for the confidentiality of our clients, it is not our policy to list the names of these organizations as part of our marketing efforts. However, upon request, we gladly make references available to those contemplating the engagement of our firm.