Bohai Bank (LSE: MSY), the first national joint stock bank to be set up in China since 1996, has gone live with an advanced market risk and portfolio management solution from Misys, a global leader in financial software and solutions.
The implementation of Misys Opics Risk Plus at its head office in Tianjin makes Bohai Bank the first organisation worldwide to fully implement this system.
Bohai Bank and Misys have enjoyed a strong relationship following the successful delivery last May of Misys Opics - a leading trade lifecycle processing system for treasury operations from front-to-back office which improved levels of automated business processing within Bohai. Now, Misys Opics Risk Plus will provide a complete risk management tool for the bank helping it to reduce treasury costs and increase returns through improved accuracy of market valuations within the bank's portfolio. The system will improve risk control in Bohai by enabling users to better manage cash flow analysis, interest rate sensitivity and risk value exposure on foreign exchange, money market, securities and derivatives transactions.
Mr. Liu Zheng Quan, Chief Information Officer of Bohai Bank comments: "There is huge growth in Chinese banking and this solution provides a range of business benefits. We will be able to process a much higher volume of instruments which will help us build revenues. The flexibility and functionality of the system will enable us to evaluate risk in real-time so our customers can be sure we are handling trades with care. We will also be able to leverage the scalability of the software to cover more complex trades in future as the market advances."
Bohai Bank is the first Chinese commercial bank to introduce foreign strategic investors in its initial phases and is also the first national joint stock bank to be headquartered in Tianjin. Since its founding, the bank has established an independent and effective risk management system and a rigid internal control system. Carefully calibrated operation work flow and state-of-the-art information management systems have also been instituted at the bank.
Misys Opics Risk Plus will be deployed in a number of locations. Its proven benchmarked scalability will ensure the bank will be able to support its plans to embark on a nationwide expansion, setting up new branches in the Yangtze River Delta, the Pearl River Delta, Northeast and Midwest China and all other major economic areas, in addition to its established headquarters and six branches in Tianjin.
Sunny Leung, Head of Sales, Greater China Region, Misys Treasury & Capital Markets, added, "The Chinese banking industry is booming and robust scalable software enables China's leading banks to create new revenue opportunities and provide new products for customers in this fast moving and competitive market. Bohai Bank has taken a lead position in installing Misys Opics and Opics Risk Plus and we are confident that it will deliver clear competitive benefits."
And commenting on the growth of Misys Treasury & Capital Markets business, Leung adds: "Since 2005, we have seen a three-fold increase in the size of our Beijing-based operations, with a subsequent 75% increase in the size of our China-based team so far in 2007 alone, and we have recently signed a number of substantial new and upgrade deals with major banks in the region for implementation in the coming months."
Misys Treasury & Capital Markets has 17 years of market experience and unrivalled software development expertise. It creates integrated, comprehensive solutions for financial institutions to manage their capital market activities across multiple asset classes. Misys Treasury & Capital Markets currently works with the top five banks and more than ten key global, state, regional and local operations in China.