The portal, launched in conjunction with BT and AT&T joint venture Concert, relies on a global virtual private network (VPN) and is supported by information synchronisation between the wireless device and centrally stored data on servers in London, allowing the bank’s staff to access a full range of information services from pocket pcs, mobile phones, hand held digital assistants and laptop computers.

Al-Noor Ramji, global CIO at DrKB, whose team has been responsible for the development and implementation of the service says the portal facilitates personalised access to Word, Excel, contacts and schedules, e-mail, the company's intranet, news and other financial information via the device of choice. He comments: "In short, it means our bankers can have full desktop functionality via either fixed or mobile connections wherever they are in the world by using the secure Concert global network."

DrKB is one of the first investment banks to adopt and implement Concert’s global solution. The service will initially be rolled out to 150 users from across DrKB’s business lines in London using Compaq Computers iPaQ PDA with a GSM wireless connection provided by Concert. The second phase of the roll out will extend the platform to DrKB’s 31 other global offices. Within 18 months’ time it is envisaged that all DrKB executives who need to be mobile will be provided with Concert wireless modems with secure global remote network access.

Al-Noor Ramji forecasts: "This initial global wireless solution is just the start of a range of creative technology related platforms we are developing at DrKB. In due course, we expect video streaming, real time news feeds and Voice-over IP to form part of our global wireless strategy."