Our Services

Financial Services

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Retail Banking

Retail Banking of today scarcely resembles what existed in previous generations. As the regulatory and technological landscape has changed, so too has client behaviour. Customers increasingly rely on mobile banking and innovative challenger banks are on the rise. To remain competitive, the right solutions need to be identified and properly implemented. At AZF, we understand what this means for your markets and can help you adapt your sales and service models and product portfolio to reflect this new era of Retail Banking.

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Consumer Finance

Traditional business models in Consumer Finance are challenged by changes in how people buy, including social networks, the sharing economy and big data to P2P, omnichannel customer behaviour, and demotorization, among many more. Mobile banking, internet players, and market consolidation will also bring about major changes to traditional ways of working. However, the market remains an exciting opportunity. We provide guidance to areas that can strategically transform business – from building new data skills and re-inventing partnership models, to rethinking end-customer journeys – to remain ahead of market trends.

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Payments

The global payments industry is undergoing a radical transformation. Changing customer behaviour, new technological developments, increasing regulation and standardization in different regions of the world are key drivers of this change. As consumers and companies require a payments functionality on a daily basis in their interaction with banks, we are witnessing an intense fight among both traditional and non-traditional payments companies for the client interface. In addition, instant payments, tokenization, biometrics and blockchain are just a few of the new technological developments that will impact the industry significantly in the coming years. In times of these both rapid and complex developments, even well-established players must fight hard to remain relevant.

At AZF, we are at the heart of this transformation. We leverage our global network of dedicated payment experts to navigate our clients through these complex challenges and jointly develop strategies to capitalize on the vast payments revenue pool. We advise relevant players along the entire value chain – from banks, processing companies, and schemes to merchants. With a proven track record in the industry and our highly successful hands-on approach, we are excited to shape the future of the payments industry together with you.

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Corporate Banking

A demanding environment requires that we reflect on strategic, organizational and operational needs. In Corporate Banking, this means assimilating to the new reality driven by low interest rates, increasing competition and the challenge to remain relevant for clients. Only by taking ambitious decisions for new paths, banks can redefine their role and their relationship with clients once again. We are here to support you in identifying the right path for you and assist you in adapting your organization, customer coverage models, and product portfolio to meet the needs of this complex transition. We help you redefining what and who is relevant.

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Captive Finance & Leasing

In the past, companies producing industrial goods built informal relationships with providers of financing or leasing options. With great demand and having relatively few options, customers were willing to accept these arrangements. But we are facing a new reality. Customers increasingly expect “one-stop shop” solutions, accounting rules are changing and – with the sharing economy and “asset light” becoming more commonplace – less and less assets need traditional financing. Leasing and captive finance providers need to reinvent themselves and their services for clients to remain relevant, as OEMs are starting to build their own offerings. By providing tailor-made and pragmatic solutions, we help you find the path forward.

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Asset Management

Asset management is entering a more and more challenging environment. The growth in low-margin passive products is still ongoing while increasing transparency and competition from FinTech keep investment needs at a high level. This margin pressure increases the need for economies of scale and results in consolidation pressure. An end-to-end digitalized value chain might help you to sustainably reduce your cost base while offering superior value to your clients. We are happy to support you on this journey.

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Captive Finance & Leasing

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Asset Management

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Wealth Management

Wealth managers are confronted with a continuously changing environment, driven by new and intensified regulation, changing client needs and by technologies that change their business and operating models. Platforms models, robo-advisory and mobile trading are gaining importance – also in wealth management. We are here to support you in adapting the best strategy to serve your clients. Let’s take on this challenge together.

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Capital Markets

Capital markets have seen an unprecedented change over the last decades. from the financialization of the economy, to digitization, high-frequency and algorithmic trading to new regulatory frameworks. Players in this market, ranging from stock exchanges to investment banks, need to be able to compete in this highly dynamic environment with an agile mindset and organization, a laser-sharp focus on digitization and a clear talent management strategy to give themselves the cutting edge. We believe that this race, while it has been going on for a while, is far from over. Let us help you succeed in it.

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Development Banking

Development banks play an important role to combat the absence or failure of market mechanisms, advance specific public policy goals or support wider social and economic development in their countries. Although this model has a successful track record, megatrends such as digitalization, globalization, climate change and migration give rise to new priorities and change the market environment development banks operate in. Therefore, they must adapt too. Times are changing – and so are the challenges that development banks have to face. We are excited to help you overcome them.

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Central Banking

Today’s central banks find themselves in a fast-changing environment, with all the attendant consequences for their business. They are trying to picture how the world might look tomorrow. Expectations on them are high – from both the markets and the political world. Furthermore, against the backdrop of rapidly changing demands, roles and governance, the qualities and skillsets they require have evolved, raising the question of what the key expectations on them are. One thing is for sure – central banks must immediately start to create the conditions to manage the present while at the same time laying the foundations to own the future. We are here to help them in this endeavour.

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Insurance

The insurance industry will continue to focus more and more on the customer interface and try to differentiate itself through simple processes, relevant products and a positive user experience across the entire value chain. Internal efficiency, superior risk selection and automated claims management help to make the price of insurance products competitive. Data collection and evaluation as well as focused use of AI are mandatory success criteria.

And of course, insurance companies will need a clear guiding principle, an adaptable organization and strong employee commitment to make this a reality.

We consult with our internal industry colleagues as needed to ensure that the requirements of your customers in the various industries are taken into account from the outset when finding solutions.

We are here for you to work with you to develop the best solution for you in this exciting market environment and to implement it, taking into account the DNA of your company.

Technology, Media and Telcos

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Telecommunications

Traditional telecommunications business is deflating. In mature markets, mobile revenues are falling while growth in emerging markets is rapidly flattening. This makes extracting more value from the core business of both fixed-line and mobile markets more complex than ever before. Problems such as price erosion, new competitors, and customer churn require effective solutions, and new technologies such as VDSL and LTE still need to be integrated into business strategies.

AZF’s experts can help you modernize your business and take advantage of new opportunities as they arise. From product portfolio simplification to large scale transformation, consolidating your core business to M&A moves and radical moves beyond the core, our consultants have seen it all—and they know how to deliver bottom line results.

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Media & Entertainment

Where will tomorrow’s audiences find and consume their entertainment? Every year, the old paradigm becomes increasingly obsolete. Rapid introductions of new media-delivery devices mean that what’s topical this month may very well be obsolete the next.

At AZF, our consultants have the expertise to help you tackle the challenges of new media head-on—and without confusing your audience or losing traction in your existing markets. Our specialists understand how to deliver premium content that attracts both advertisers and consumers.

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Technology

In the world of technology, innovation is growing at rapid speed. This makes for a considerable risk of obsolescence, and at an equally swift pace. In addition, technology has quickly moved from standalone modules to comprehensive, integrated systems.

AZF focuses on optimizing products and services to respond to your customers’ needs and to avoid commoditization risks. Our consultants strategically leverage your capabilities in effective, uncomplicated ways that enable your customers see more efficiency and better value.

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Digitization, Digital Disruption & Startups

As consumers’ lifestyle and business processes become more digitally dependent, this gives rise to new needs, new technologies, and new types of players. In many markets and businesses, tomorrow’s competitors will not be the same as they are today. There is a lot at stake. Strategy will become a key weapon for TMT players to design new opportunities, but they must also act on them.

Business Functions

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Mergers & Acquisitions

Successful transactions are a core component of entrepreneurial value creation. For this reason, our specialized AZF partners and consultants have long had their own competence area for company sales, mergers, and takeovers including related investment banking issues such as financing and capital structure consulting.

Our partners and consultants help companies worldwide to understand the essence of value creation through transactions and thereby make better investment and portfolio decisions. This makes us a leading consultancy for all issues relating to the company sales and acquisitions side of the M&A spectrum, from the in-depth company valuation to the preparation of an offer (offering) and contract conclusion (signing) all the way to the closing of the transaction, including associated financing issues (financial advisory) and, if necessary, the repayment of non-performing loans (debt advisory). We support family businesses with their sale in succession situations, advise private equity investors or family offices on the sale of portfolio companies, and lend our support to industrial concerns when it comes to the splitting off of subsidiaries and business divisions (carve-outs). We support the sales and acquisitions of financially healthy companies (sunshine deals) as well as those in crisis and special situations (distressed M&A).

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Operations

Never has the world in which businesses operate been changing as rapidly as it is today. Structural shifts in global markets, geopolitical instability, growing resource scarcity, fragile supply chains and sustainability issues are shaping the business landscape. At the same time, we are witnessing technological disruptions from artificial intelligence, blockchain and the Internet of Things that are massively changing established ways of life and business.

Companies have to find answers to all of these challenges – from high-level strategy to the most granular details of how they operate. Operations is not an end in itself – quite the opposite, operations is the backbone of any successful enterprise. It is the engine room where day by day decisions are made and remade about how future proof the company’s business models are. Without efficient operations there can be no innovations, no R&D and no products. Operational efficiency and effectiveness have long been among the most decisive factors in competitive success and their importance will only continue to grow.

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Restructuring

The future ahead of your company is more uncertain than ever. Pressure to adapt is increasing. That’s why AZF gives you comprehensive support in coping with entrepreneurial challenges – in day-to-day business operations, but also in special circumstances such as industry upheavals, changes in regulations or new capital requirements.