Treasury talks: Digital innovation in payments

Environmental, social and governance issues have gained unprecedented attention and importance in the corporate world over the past couple of years, impacting all areas of operations, not least corporate treasury. In this fifth episode, we speak to BNP Paribas' Nicolas Bouvier, head of sustainability for transaction banking EMEA, Ahmed Benraissi, head of strategic advisory and sustainability, Global Trade Solutions, and Axelle Vigo-Lovy, head of sustainability, BNP Paribas Cash Management, on how ESG issues are impacting the world of transaction banking and treasury services and look into what ESG-related treasury products and solutions are emerging.

Historically banks have been among the most sophisticated users of technology. They have also been highly innovative, developing and launching new innovations across banking businesses to meet customer and client demand. Yet, to keep up with this ever-evolving demand, banks are needing to seek external support and collaborate with fintechs, which can bolster innovation and help banks swiftly deliver to market new products and solutions. In this fourth episode, we speak to Vincent Marchand, head of the Fintech Lab, BNP Paribas Cash Management, Laurent Sarrat, CEO Sis ID, and Matthieu Perret, project lead, awareness and fraud protection, BNP Paribas Cash Management, on this area, analysing where collaborations are happening and proving successful, and what those collaborations look like.

Corporate treasurers are today supported in their role by an ever-expanding range of digital platforms and technologies that can enhance their ability to better manage the cash and liquidity of their operations. The ease and efficiency with which they are being onboarded by their cash management banks is also increasing thanks to digitalisation. In this third episode, Mariya Tretyak, head of global cash pooling products at BNP Paribas, and Stephanie Niemi, head of digital onboarding for corporates, explore some of the digital innovations in these areas, as well as the digitalisation – and the sustainability benefits – of the onboarding process. 

Similar to the payments industry, trade and supply chain finance is rapidly undergoing a digital transformation, in turn minimising the need for paper documentation and manual involvement throughout the process. In this second episode, Rodolphe Vergeaud, head of EMEA trade and working capital solutions at BNP Paribas, and Bruno François, the bank’s deputy global head of trade finance and network management, discuss how digital innovation has impacted, and will continue to impact, the critical financing of global trade and arterial supply chain networks.  

Digitisation and technological advancement have transformed retail and corporate payments over the past decade. The next decade for payments will bring event greater change, if not a revolution. In the first episode, Bruno Mellado, global head of payments and receivables at BNP Paribas, and Neil Pein, global head of Axepta BNP Paribas and head of payments transformation, explore the impact of digital innovation on the global payments industry, and look to some of the new, emerging innovations that are set to cause further transformative change over the coming years.