Treasury Strategy & Transformation
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Industry, Energy and Passion in Global Transaction Services

In this edition, we are delighted to feature Neal Livingston, who recently moved back to Europe to join RBS after an extended period in Asia, during which time he successfully championed corporate connectivity and network management solutions at Standard Chartered bank. In this interview, we talk to Neal about his perceptions and aspirations in his new role as Head of EMEA Global Transaction Services (GTS), at RBS.

What attracted you to joining RBS GTS?

There are few banks that are fully committed to Global Transaction Services, and even fewer that have the infrastructure and client service provision to deliver the depth and breadth of capability that is required. I knew that moving from Standard Chartered would not be easy, as I wanted to find another bank that had comparable commitment and capability in GTS, but where there was also the potential to shape and enhance the business. The opportunity at RBS fulfilled these criteria, and I was attracted to the bank’s respected heritage, derived from both its RBS and ABN AMRO roots, the strength of leadership, and the impetus and capability within the GTS business. At the same time, I recognised that there was an opportunity to take the business to the next stage in its development, and enhance the GTS experience for clients even further.

Now that you have joined RBS, how have your perceptions about the bank changed or evolved, and to what extent are these aligned with the way that corporates view the bank?

Not only have there have been no unpleasant surprises since I joined, but in fact, the opposite is true. The GTS business is performing well, and is considered a core contributor to the bank as a whole, so it receives considerable strategic focus. This is very important to enable us to turn our vision into a reality by investing in the solutions that will enrich our clients’ business and enable them to achieve their strategic objectives.

From a product perspective, many of our solutions at RBS are best in class, particularly in global liquidity management. We have a strong suite of trade solutions that enable our clients to manage their risk and ease the process of trading internationally, which is becoming increasingly important as companies of all sizes seek to expand their geographic footprint into new markets.