Global investment banks are driven by a demanding pace of change and the UK is at the heart of this change. To thrive, they must generate new products and structures to capture the market’s interest. The credit derivatives market is just one example of this – in its infancy six years ago, it is now the major market for derivatives. But life cycles are also short – once products are commoditised, margins shrink and new products must be introduced.

Impact
As the leading auditor to UK investment banks, we give you the benefit of our analysis and experience. Deloitte’s investment banking team also adds value by helping front desks to understand the implications of new products and structures from a variety of perspectives – including accounting, tax and regulation. Our close links with industry bodies and the regulator help us to keep our finger on the pulse and our clients informed.

Our technical expertise and deep industry knowledge mean we can cut to the chase and give you pragmatic advice on what will work and what won’t. Special services for investment banks include a hotline for front desks to call with questions on International Financial Reporting Standards.

Transformation
Investment banks are uniquely challenged by the scale and range of projects that need to be accomplished in a relatively short timeframe, including Basel II, IFRS, Financial Crime and the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. Given the overlapping issues involved, this is not a question of piecemeal compliance but a matter of transformation – from the way the bank is structured to its IT systems to HR to risk management.

Deloitte is ideally positioned to bring together the cross-disciplinary experts required. For example, we are helping a leading investment bank to implement new IT systems to improve management information, shorten its P&L reporting cycles and comply with IFRS and Sarbanes-Oxley.

For investment banks, our ability to manage complex projects in rapidly changing environments is key to success. This, combined with our ability to bring a variety of experts into one cohesive team has earned us strong credentials.