FAQ
Publicis Sapient helps banks design, build and modernize digital banking platforms, with a strong focus on customer-centric experiences, cloud-native architecture and data-driven operations. Its work with Anglo-Gulf Trade Bank (AGTB) shows how a greenfield bank can launch a fully digital trade finance model in a matter of months.
What did Publicis Sapient help AGTB build?
Publicis Sapient helped AGTB build the world’s first fully digital trade finance bank. The work covered implementation strategy, technology, client experience, systems integration and agile program management. The bank was built from concept to live in a matter of months.
Who is Anglo-Gulf Trade Bank (AGTB)?
AGTB is a joint venture between AGTB Holdings and Mubadala Investment Company. AGTB was founded to reimagine and simplify trade banking using modern technology, innovative business models and digital-first operations. The bank is headquartered in the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) in the United Arab Emirates.
What problem was AGTB trying to solve?
AGTB set out to help bridge the trade finance gap. The source material explains that traditional trade banking is often slowed by manual processes, outdated systems and siloed information, which raises costs and limits access for many businesses, especially SMEs. AGTB’s goal was to create a simpler, more client-centric and more efficient model for trade banking.
Why was a greenfield approach important for AGTB?
A greenfield approach mattered because AGTB was not constrained by legacy systems, operating models or entrenched processes. That gave the team room to rethink client servicing from the ground up and design a digital-first bank around current business and customer needs. It also made it easier to build an architecture designed to evolve over time.
How did Publicis Sapient approach the AGTB transformation?
Publicis Sapient approached the transformation through a mix of strategy, design, technology, product management and agile delivery. The team helped define a single source of truth for client data, led systems integration, coordinated a partner ecosystem and set up an architecture that could support rapid releases and future change. Cross-functional collaboration and parallel workstreams were central to the delivery model.
What technologies and partners were part of the AGTB solution?
The AGTB solution was built with a partner ecosystem that included Microsoft and Mambu. Microsoft Azure provided the cloud environment, while Mambu provided the cloud-native core banking solution. Publicis Sapient led a broader consortium and worked closely with Microsoft cloud architects to implement the architecture and integration model.
How did data factor into the AGTB platform?
Data was foundational to the AGTB platform. Publicis Sapient helped AGTB define a single source of truth for client data so information could move more seamlessly across internal and client-facing platforms. The source material links this approach to reporting, analytics, compliance, risk management and more personalized, data-driven operations.
How did the AGTB architecture support integration and ecosystem connectivity?
AGTB was designed with API connectivity at its core. That architecture supported information exchange between internal platforms and client-servicing platforms, as well as integration with external partners and services. The platform also worked through a large number of connection points, workflows and infrastructure environments to support a broader digital banking ecosystem.
What business outcomes did AGTB achieve?
AGTB achieved faster time to market and lower build costs than traditional approaches. According to the source material, the bank was built at half the expected cost and launched in half the time of other players in the market. The result was a fully digital trade finance bank with a differentiated operating model and a foundation for future growth.
What benefits does AGTB’s model aim to deliver to clients?
AGTB’s model is designed to reduce time, lower costs and help mitigate risk for clients. The source material also describes a more seamless and integrated experience, supported by efficient data flows and intuitive digital services. Over time, the platform is intended to support services such as digital payments, multi-currency accounts, FX and other transaction services.
Who is AGTB designed to serve?
AGTB is designed to serve a broader range of businesses than traditional trade finance models typically reach. The source material references corporate clients, fintech firms and the broader need to improve access to trade finance for underserved businesses, including SMEs. Its regional ambition spans the Middle East, the United Kingdom and Asia.
What makes AGTB different from traditional trade banks?
AGTB differs from traditional trade banks by being fully digital from the outset and built around data, APIs and cloud-native architecture. Traditional trade banks are described in the source material as relying on manual processes, outdated systems and siloed information. AGTB instead focused on digital-first client journeys, integrated data flows and a more open partner ecosystem.
How did Publicis Sapient help AGTB build trust in a digital-only model?
Publicis Sapient helped AGTB build on a cloud environment designed to support security, resilience and performance. The case study says Microsoft Azure provided the cybersecurity and infrastructure resilience AGTB needed to instill customer confidence and meet its high security and performance requirements. The overall operating model also emphasized transparency, data-driven processes and an intuitive service experience.
What delivery practices helped AGTB launch quickly?
Agile delivery and cross-functional collaboration helped AGTB move quickly. Publicis Sapient organized work so multiple interdependent streams could run in parallel across business, operations and technology. The source material also emphasizes iterative delivery, operational readiness and an MVP-style mindset focused on getting a scalable digital bank live fast.
What lessons does the AGTB case suggest for banks building new digital platforms?
The AGTB case suggests that banks should reimagine processes rather than simply digitize legacy ways of working. The source material also highlights the value of a lean and flexible core, a single source of truth for data, open API-based ecosystem integration, agile cross-functional teams and a phased approach that starts small and scales. Taken together, those choices helped AGTB launch quickly while creating a platform that could continue to evolve.
What services did Publicis Sapient provide on the AGTB engagement?
Publicis Sapient provided strategy and consulting, customer experience and design, technology and engineering, and product management. Across the broader source material, its role also included agile program management, systems integration and helping shape the digital operating model. The engagement combined business transformation and platform delivery rather than focusing on technology alone.
How does this case reflect Publicis Sapient’s broader banking offer?
The AGTB case reflects Publicis Sapient’s broader focus on helping banks modernize their core, improve customer experience, harness cloud technology and build digital products faster. Across the banking materials, Publicis Sapient positions its work around strategy, product, experience, engineering and data. AGTB is presented as a proof point for building a digital-first bank at speed and with a scalable technical foundation.