Infotech Lead Asia: Business analytics provider SAS has signed deals with two banks in Pakistan — United Bank (UBL) and Soneri Bank — to increase the effectiveness of their enterprise risk management system.
UBL, which is on an expansion spree, is planning to implement SAS solutions for managing credit, market and operational risk.
Leveraging SAS as its risk management framework, UBL can adopt more banking best practices into its operations to improve ratings, reduce finance costs, generate faster feedback from loan applications and help meet Basel II requirements.
UBL, which operates 1,200 branches across Pakistan, including 9 domestic Signature Priority Banking lounges and 17 overseas branches, will use SAS’ analytics to develop custom scorecards and credit risk models rapidly, investigate existing and new portfolio customers, accurately model capital requirements, and maintain a comprehensive audit trail.
Meanwhile, Soneri Bank will use SAS Anti-Money Laundering and SAS Credit Risk Management for Banking to improve profitability, help meet Basel II requirements, boost ratings, lower finance costs, and combat money laundering.
Haider Devjianie, CIO of Soneri Bank, said: “We selected SAS for its proven expertise, its major presence within more than 3,400 financial institutions worldwide, and its local reputation for delivering highly customized solutions.”
Soneri Bank has integrated SAS for Enterprise Risk Management into procedures, which had previously been separated from the business lines, to lower its risk profile for Basel II. Alongside meeting Basel II requirements, the bank is looking into ways to increase the business benefits of a comprehensive risk strategy.
By optimizing its comprehensive risk management strategy, both UBL and Soneri Bank plan to achieve business benefits while complying with Basel II regulations. With SAS for Enterprise Risk Management, the two banks will effectively integrate its risk management procedures across and within its main business lines.
