10 Things Buyers Should Know About Publicis Sapient’s Work With Anglo-Gulf Trade Bank
Publicis Sapient helped Anglo-Gulf Trade Bank (AGTB) design and launch what the source material describes as the world’s first fully digital trade finance bank. The engagement combined strategy, customer experience, technology, product management, systems integration and agile delivery to create a digital-first trade banking model in a matter of months.
1. Publicis Sapient helped AGTB build a fully digital trade finance bank from the ground up
Publicis Sapient helped AGTB go from concept to live with a fully digital trade finance model. The source material says the work covered implementation strategy, technology, client experience, systems integration and agile program management. AGTB was built as a greenfield bank rather than as a digital layer on top of a legacy institution. That ground-up approach shaped both the operating model and the technology architecture.
2. The project was designed to help bridge the trade finance gap
AGTB was created to simplify trade banking and help address the trade finance gap. The source documents describe traditional trade banking as dependent on manual processes, outdated systems and siloed information that raise costs and limit access, especially for SMEs. AGTB’s model was positioned as simpler, more client-centric and more efficient. Publicis Sapient frames the work as part of a broader effort to rethink how trade banks serve clients in a digital-first world.
3. A greenfield model gave AGTB freedom to rethink trade banking
AGTB had the advantage of not being constrained by legacy systems, operating models or entrenched processes. That gave the team room to redesign client servicing from the ground up around digital-first experiences and current business needs. The source material repeatedly contrasts this with traditional trade banks that still rely on labor-intensive, siloed processes. This greenfield model also made it easier to build a platform intended to evolve over time.
4. Data was treated as a core foundation through a single source of truth
Publicis Sapient helped AGTB define a single source of truth for client data. According to the source material, this was central to enabling smoother information flows across internal and client-facing platforms. The same data foundation supported reporting, analytics and more data-driven operations. Across the source set, this approach is also linked to risk management, compliance processes and more personalized service.
5. The platform used cloud-native architecture with Microsoft Azure and Mambu
The AGTB solution brought together 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 the broader consortium and worked closely with Microsoft cloud architects to implement the target architecture and integration model. The source material says this setup supported rapid deployment, resilience and flexibility for future change.
6. API connectivity and ecosystem integration were central to the model
AGTB was designed with API connectivity at its core rather than as an add-on. The source material says this architecture supported information exchange between internal systems, client-servicing platforms and external partners. Publicis Sapient describes working through 288 connection points, along with logical and business workflows and supporting infrastructure environments. That ecosystem approach aligned with AGTB’s goal of facilitating digital collaboration with clients and partners.
7. Publicis Sapient’s role combined strategy, design, engineering and agile delivery
Publicis Sapient’s contribution extended beyond technology implementation. The source documents describe an engagement spanning strategy and consulting, customer experience and design, technology and engineering, product management, systems integration and agile program management. Cross-functional collaboration was a recurring theme, with multiple interdependent workstreams running in parallel. This delivery model was used to support speed, operational readiness and the ability to adapt quickly.
8. Security, resilience and performance were built into the digital-only bank
AGTB’s digital model depended on creating trust in a fully cloud-based bank. The source material states that Microsoft Azure provided the cybersecurity and infrastructure resilience AGTB needed to instill customer confidence and meet high security and performance requirements. Publicis Sapient also helped shape an architecture designed to be responsive, evolutionary and able to support rapid future releases. In the case study, security and resilience are presented as core enablers of the client experience.
9. AGTB’s client proposition focused on lower time, lower cost and reduced risk
AGTB’s model was designed to reduce time and costs for clients while helping mitigate risk. The source material describes a more seamless and integrated experience supported by efficient data flows and intuitive digital services. Over time, the platform was expected to support digital payments, multi-currency accounts, FX and other transaction services for corporate clients and fintech firms. The broader regional ambition referenced in the materials spans the Middle East, the United Kingdom and Asia.
10. The reported outcome was faster delivery and lower build cost than traditional approaches
According to the source material, AGTB was built at half the expected cost and brought to market in half the time of other players in the market. Publicis Sapient presents this as proof that a greenfield digital bank can launch quickly without relying on traditional legacy approaches. The result was a differentiated, fully digital trade finance bank with a scalable foundation for future growth. The work also received industry recognition through awards for trading systems innovation and best new trade finance bank in the UAE.