Client Situation

Our client is a leading bank in Kuwait with an asset size of around USD 19 Billion. The bank provides a wide range of services across consumer banking, wholesale banking, treasury, and financial services. The bank has a network on around 52 branches and over 300 ATMs. The client wanted to review and upgrade its existing solution capabilities while consolidating its current stack of applications to reduce the overall number of applications in the technology landscape.

Cedar’s Approach

In this program, Cedar was mandated to develop an enterprise-wide functional and solution blueprint across all systems in the bank.

  • Reviewed the current architecture of the bank across 8 different layers (Channels, APIs and Middleware, Servicing, Mid-office, Backoffice, Analytics, Support and External Layer).
  • Conducted 10+ interviews and workshops to assess the user’s feedback on the applications used.
  • Conducted 5+ interviews and workshops with technology team for technical feedback on the applications.
  • Evaluated current application stack based on functional and technical fitment.
  • Identified application for evaluation and consolidation as part of the transformation program.
  • Reviewed the current application stack to decide on the way forward architecture for the bank.

Outcome

The program resulted in a detailed analysis of the current state along with the final blueprint of the architecture. The results included

  • In-depth review of each system based on the technical and functional fitment based on information gathered during the interviews.
  • Decisions on 50+ applications if it should be retained, replaced, upgraded, or evaluated.
  • Detailed decision analysis for key decisions for the target architecture blueprint. E.g. Implement a separate CRM system.
  • An enterprise-wide application blueprint covering all applications in the bank's landscape along with the decision.
  • Ensured the gaps identified were incorporated in the subsequent RFP development.
  • Evaluated the applications as part of the subsequent selection program.
  • We made strategy and innovation work.

Relevant Client Cases