Latest news with #StanC)Bank

Business Standard

Looking at double-digit growth for SME banking in India, says Xie Wen

India is one of the largest small and medium enterprise (SME) hubs for London-headquartered Standard Chartered (StanC) Bank. Xie Wen, global head of SME banking at StanC, speaks to Subrata Panda and Manojit Saha in Mumbai about the bank's SME portfolio in the country, growth prospects, the impact of tariff-related uncertainties, and how the bank has supported its SME clients in navigating this challenging period. Edited excerpts: How much of the SME banking revenues come from India? In terms of revenue, it is 18–20 per cent. But in terms of assets, it is close to 40 per cent. It is the biggest in terms of SME assets. India is a big market for StanC, and it is also its fastest growing market for the SME segment, as India is the fastest growing economy in the world. In India, which are the business segments in SME banking where you are seeing maximum growth? Trader working capital. We are growing in double digits. SMEs are usually part of the supply chain of multinational and larger corporations. The working capital loan helps them manage their operating cycle and cash flow much better. So we do see that, with business activity and the economy growing, the need for working capital loans is also growing. Which are the sectors among SMEs that you are more bullish on? We are actually quite diversified across different segments — trading, manufacturing, services, and information technology. But I see that in India, manufacturing is certainly growing, and services continue to be a very important and big driver of the economy. How is StanC affected by the increasing stress in unsecured lending to businesses and SMEs? Our portfolio is holding up very well. We continue to invest in data and digital capabilities. India has very good credit bureau infrastructure — both the commercial bureau and the personal bureau. When we do underwriting, we look into bureau data. We also plug into the goods and services tax, where you get a sense of how businesses run. We also have strong monitoring capabilities for understanding how businesses are doing. So our business is performing well. SMEs are more vulnerable to business cycles. Are you concerned about asset quality, given the current circumstances? In general, SMEs are more vulnerable everywhere to market uncertainties, volatility, and stress. The bank needs to be dynamic in understanding the market. We also have to be more dynamic in investing in digital capabilities because if you don't enhance your tools and investment to get the latest data, you will be left behind. SMEs are the core of the economy, so any volatility in the market will affect them. But it's important for banks to continue to invest in capabilities to support them, to understand the risk, and to manage the data and information asymmetries. What is the growth you see in this segment going forward? I will be looking at double-digit growth for India. Globally and in India, how have your SME clients been impacted due to tariff related uncertainties? I think globally it's not just SMEs that are concerned — big multinationals are also worried. The concerns are around supply chain reliability and rising trade costs. At the same time, we see our region doing relatively better because there is huge trade within the region. So I see a lot of businesses looking to diversify. We are seeing an increase in trading within Asia, and between India and West Asia and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. We are also seeing businesses looking to diversify their supply chains. So, to some extent, India will benefit from the China+1 phenomenon. India also has the benefit of a huge, growing middle class. So we are very positive about urbanisation. The growth of the middle class will help propel consumption, and that will be another engine for growth. Uncertainty is there, and challenges are there. These have certainly increased this year globally, but I think those who do will be relatively better off — and that is where more opportunity will come from. Unlike in other regions, in India you cannot offer interest on current account offerings. How do you navigate this challenge in SME banking? It's actually a level playing field. Everyone is subject to the same regulations. In this environment, you have to grow the business by doing a few things. You need to provide good service. It is online banking — we call it S2B, Street to Bank. So that is the platform we provide to SMEs, where they can manage their liquidity. For SMEs, we provide direct data linkages to the enterprise resource planning system, which helps them with efficiency. We provide them with good advice. Service, capabilities and tools, and advice are three key things. Have you seen a slowdown in activities in SMEs? I saw a bit of a slowdown at the beginning of the year because of uncertainty related to tariffs. The cost of funds was a challenge. But I see that improving now. There is good movement on interest rate cuts by the Indian regulator. At the same time, we see that, given the developments in the tariff space, activity is picking up. The second quarter has certainly picked up. What are the strategies the bank has adopted to allay the fear of its SME clients? Stay close to the clients; have dialogues, work together with them. So far, our clients have weathered this uncertainty pretty well. It will be difficult for us to give a breakdown. But in India certainly it's quite significant.