CBA Customer Banks run autonomous IBAS User Group to discuss key banking trends and share IBAS experiences.  This year’s IBAS User Group (IUG) gathered in Helsinki, Finland in early September 2011 for its annual IBAS information exchange and user collaboration.

Established in 1987, the IUG was set-up to run as a totally autonomous IBAS working party governed by IBAS customer banks.  The purpose is for members to exchange ideas and learn from other managers facing similar challenges; provide direct feedback to CBA; establish ongoing dialogue with banking and technology leaders; and use the opportunity as a way to develop their IBAS skills and to share their sometimes hard-won knowledge.  It also acts as a forum for exchanging and discussing practical banking trends and issues.  IUG often provides ideas for further development of the IBAS system, in accordance with the members' needs and interests, and for the mutual benefit of all IBAS customers.

“It was really positive to see so many of our customers coming together to talk about the trends and issues affecting them and sharing their IBAS experiences with their peers.” said Rolf Hauge, President & CEO of CBA.  “All the customer bank attendees were focused on how we could support them and their businesses as product innovation and volume growth increases their requirements for functionality, agility and scalability in their IBAS systems.  There was a real spirit of collaboration amongst our customers.”

The structure of IUG facilitates collaborative working groups that bring together groups of customers representing different product areas served by IBAS, including payments and trade finance.  Each working group provided thought leadership and strategic guidance to the use of and future development of products and services to better meet customers’ business needs.

The international character of the IUG provides excellent opportunities to make valuable contacts within the various functional areas of international banking.

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