The investment banking arm of Royal Bank of Scotland is to provide institutional clients with access to fixed income, commodity and currency (FICC) research and strategy via a new app developed for the forthcoming BlackBerry PlayBook tablet.
RBS Global Banking and Markets (GBM) says the app has been developed in response to client demand, following a survey of 1000 of the bank's institutional customers.
The PlayBook app will have a built-in algorithm that identifies clients' defined interests and viewing history to present the most relevant research and strategy to them.
Colin Jowers, global COO, RBS GBM research & strategy, says: "We surveyed clients by asking detailed questions on their preferred methods of receiving research and strategy, specifically in relation to the information source, access, type of content and preferred providers."
The survey found that more than 72% of respondents currently use mobile devices to access macro and investment ideas to and from work and nearly 60% of them expect their use to grow over the next six months.
RBS currently offers strategy research to US clients only on the Apple iPad. Jowers says the bank is committed to developing complementary access to its RBSmarketplace dealer portal across a range of mobile platforms, beginning with the PlayBook.
"We expect the new BlackBerry PlayBook to make a significant impact in the institutional client market and drive adoption rates and use within the overall corporate sector," says Jowers. "Successful banks in this space will deliver content optimised for client use on their preferred devices. Mobile access to a Website will not be enough."