Asia is reinventing banking

From McKinsey’s Future of Asia research program:

"The West has led much of the development of the world’s modern banking industry across all dimensions⁠—from size, to growth, to business models, and innovation. In recent years, however, Asia has tilted the scale, delivering game-changing growth and innovations in banking services. This reflects not only the increasingly central role of diverse Asian economies in global trade and economic growth, but also Asia’s renewed leadership in scaling innovative technologies and new business models. Now, as the pace of growth slows, Asia’s banks face serious challenges and must reinvent themselves to survive."

You can read this paper, in which McKinsey summarizes the current status of Asia’s banking industry and outline one possible plan of action by which banks may reinvent themselves for the digital age HERE.

HSBC to Cut About 50,000 Jobs in Major Overhaul of Global Business

From The New York Times -

“The British bank HSBC, in a major revamping of its global strategy, said on Tuesday that it would shed as many as 50,000 jobs as it sells several underperforming businesses, reduces the size of its global investment banking business and aims to cut billions of dollars in costs.

The bank said it would eliminate 22,000 to 25,000 full-time jobs, or about 10 percent of its work force, through restructuring by the end of 2017. It also plans to reduce its head count by an additional 25,000 positions through the sale of its underperforming businesses in Turkey and Brazil.

HSBC said that it would increase its investment in Asia, where it generates more than half of its earnings, while it seeks to cut costs by up to $5 billion annually within two years. The bank said it would complete a review of whether to move its headquarters from Britain by the end of the year.”

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Google to Fund, Develop Wireless Networks in Emerging Markets

“Google is deep into a multipronged effort to build and help run wireless networks in emerging markets as part of a plan to connect a billion or more new people to the Internet.

These wireless networks would serve areas such as sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia to dwellers outside of major cities where wired Internet connections aren't available, said people familiar with the strategy.”

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Asia's growing economic power

Asia is regaining the economic dominance it enjoyed a thousand years ago. However it still has some way to go. View this short video by the Economist.