FAQ
Publicis Sapient helps banks design, build and modernize digital banking platforms with a 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 what the source material describes as the world’s first fully digital trade finance bank. The work covered implementation strategy, client experience, technology, systems integration and agile program management. AGTB was taken 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 and operational models, and digital-first operations. The bank is based in the Abu Dhabi Global Market in the UAE.
What problem was AGTB trying to solve?
AGTB was created to help bridge the trade finance gap. The source material says traditional trade banking often relies on manual processes, outdated systems and siloed information, which raise costs and limit access for many businesses, especially SMEs. AGTB’s goal was to create a simpler, more client-centric and more efficient trade banking model.
Why was a greenfield approach important for AGTB?
A greenfield approach was important 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 customer and business needs. It also made it easier to create 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, engineering, 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 supported a responsive architecture for rapid releases and future change. Cross-functional collaboration and parallel workstreams were central to the delivery model.
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 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.
What technologies and partners were part of the AGTB solution?
The AGTB solution included a partner ecosystem led by Publicis Sapient with Microsoft and Mambu. Microsoft Azure provided the cloud environment, and Mambu provided the cloud-native core banking solution. Publicis Sapient also worked closely with Microsoft cloud architects to implement the architecture and integration model.
How did data factor into the AGTB platform?
Data was a core foundation of 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 data model to reporting, analytics, compliance processes, risk management and more 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, client-servicing platforms and external partners. The source material also describes work across 288 connection points, along with logical and business workflows and the supporting infrastructure needed for a broader digital banking ecosystem.
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. The overall proposition emphasizes client centricity, transparency and straight-through processing.
Who is AGTB designed to serve?
AGTB is designed to serve a broader range of businesses than traditional trade finance models often 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 services was the platform expected to support over time?
The platform was expected over time to support a broader range of digital transaction services. The source material specifically mentions digital payments, multi-currency accounts, FX and other transaction services. It also references capabilities such as multiple-rail payment processing and transaction monitoring made available through flexible API connectivity.
What makes AGTB different from traditional trade banks?
AGTB is different because it was built as a fully digital trade finance bank from the outset. Traditional trade banks are described in the source material as relying on labor-intensive manual processes, outdated systems and siloed information. AGTB instead focused on digital-first client journeys, integrated data flows, cloud-native architecture 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 high security and performance requirements. The operating model also emphasized transparency and intuitive digital service.
What delivery practices helped AGTB launch quickly?
Agile delivery and cross-functional collaboration helped AGTB launch quickly. Publicis Sapient organized work so multiple interdependent streams could run in parallel across business, operations and technology. The source material also highlights operational readiness, iterative delivery and an MVP-style mindset focused on getting a scalable digital bank live fast.
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 brought to market 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 scalable foundation for future growth.
Did the AGTB work receive industry recognition?
Yes, the AGTB work is presented as award-winning. The source material lists recognition for trading systems innovation, best new trade finance bank in the UAE and trade finance. This recognition is presented as part of the broader impact of the engagement.
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 an incremental launch approach. Together, those choices helped AGTB launch quickly while creating a platform that could continue to evolve.
What should banks look for in a digital banking transformation partner?
Banks should look for a partner that can combine business transformation, platform delivery and ecosystem orchestration. In the source material, Publicis Sapient’s role spans strategy, customer experience, engineering, data, systems integration and agile program management. The AGTB case also shows the importance of cloud architecture, API connectivity, strong data foundations and coordinated delivery across multiple partners.