Efma and Accenture Launch Distribution and Marketing Innovation Awards for Retail Banks Globally

Efma and Accenture Launch Distribution and Marketing Innovation Awards for Retail Banks Globally

New Program Calls for Case Studies of Groundbreaking Innovations by Retail Banks; Submissions Due August 25

PARIS & NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Efma, an association whose membership includes nearly one-third of the world's large retail banks, and Accenture have jointly launched a global program to identify and award banks for leading-edge customer innovations. Submissions are due on or before August 25 and are being accepted at http://www.efma.com/accenture.

The newly-launched "Efma-Accenture Distribution & Marketing Innovation Programme" - an annual award - seeks technology and operational innovations in customer-facing areas of retail banks - such as branch, online, and mobile banking - and in technology-areas such as customer-analytics and Big Data.

The program solicits case studies of groundbreaking customer innovations by retail banks globally within six categories: Digital and Mobile Excellence, Physical Distribution, Multichannel Customer-Experience Management, Customer Analytics and Big Data, Sales Effectiveness, and Responsible Business. Submissions are reviewed and judged by the Efma Innovation Awards Committee, which will identify a short list of nominees per each category. Efma members, which include 3,300 retail financial services companies in more than 130 countries, vote for the winners in each category.

Winners will be recognized at an award-ceremony in Paris October 16, 2013, which will include presentations on the winning case studies in front of senior industry executives. Additional awards will be granted to recognize the "Global Bank Innovator" and "Most Disruptive Idea."

"In today's challenging market, the key to success for retail financial services institutions is in building a culture of innovation and exploring ways to create a superior customer experience," said Patrick Desmarès, Secretary General of Efma. "This program elevates the world's retail banking innovators based on the critical and expert views of banking executives who are face-to-face with the industry's biggest challenges."

"The high level and global scope of this peer review and analysis of innovations is an innovation in itself for the industry," said Piercarlo Gera, global managing director of Accenture Distribution and Marketing Services. "We have co-founded this program as a means of promoting best practices in customer management with the goal of helping our clients - and the industry overall - identify new frontiers for improving profitability and the long term health of the banking industry."

"We are launching this joint initiative as Accenture increasingly focuses on the emergence of the 'digital bank,' which we believe will give shape to a new era in global banking," said Juan Pedro Moreno, global managing director of Accenture's banking practice. "Today, innovations in new technology, skills and processes are levers that matter more than ever as digital banks emerge."

Patrick Desmarès added: "We are proud to launch this joint initiative, which presents innovations on a true global basis and awards those innovations from the bankers' perspective."

About Efma

As a global not-for-profit organisation, Efma brings together more than 3,300 retail financial services companies from over 130 countries. With a membership base consisting of almost a third of all large retail banks worldwide, Efma has proven to be a valuable resource for the global industry, offering members exclusive access to a multitude of resources, databases, studies, articles, news feeds and publications. Efma also provides numerous networking opportunities through working groups, online communities and international meetings. For more information: www.efma.com or info@efma.com.

About Accenture

Accenture is a global management consulting, technology services and outsourcing company, with approximately 266,000 people serving clients in more than 120 countries. Combining unparalleled experience, comprehensive capabilities across all industries and business functions, and extensive research on the world's most successful companies, Accenture collaborates with clients to help them become high-performance businesses and governments. The company generated net revenues of US$27.9 billion for the fiscal year ended Aug. 31, 2012. Its home page is www.accenture.com.

Accenture helps financial institutions transform their customer relationships through Accenture Distribution and Marketing Services, a business service within Accenture's financial services operating group, serving more than 100 institutions worldwide. Accenture Distribution and Marketing Services combines Accenture's deep industry knowledge in banking, insurance and wealth management with proven expertise in marketing, distribution and innovation. It blends Accenture's management consulting, technology and outsourcing capabilities - including its assets and expertise in digital innovations, like analytics and mobile - to help institutions improve growth and cost management through better customer relationships.

Accenture
Sean Conway, + 917-592-5744
sean.k.conway@accenture.com
or
Molly McDonagh, + 44 7825 023 622
molly.mcdonagh@accenture.com
or
Efma
Karine Coutinho, +33 1 47 42 69 82
karine@efma.com

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