In this episode of The Banker’s Bookshelf, host Paolo Sironi and guest Khrystyna Kushnir discuss insights from the IBM report, Banking for Small and Medium Enterprises: Serving the World Economy. The report highlights the evolving needs of SMEs, including access to finance, market entry, and business support, with a notable focus on technology integration. While bankers emphasize branch accessibility and app usability, SMEs seek personalized solutions, ecosystem integration, and super apps that address both banking and business needs. Key differences across regions are highlighted, such as the U.S. focus on branch access versus India’s emphasis on mobile apps, influenced by government-led digital adoption. Both bankers and SMEs agree on the value of instant payments and cash flow forecasting, while SMEs also prioritize fraud monitoring and regulatory support. The episode underscores the role of AI in risk management and invites listeners to read the report, available at: https://www.ibm.com/downloads/documents/us-en/10c31775c8d402bb

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Khrystyna Kushnir is an Operations Officer with the International Finance Corporation’s Corporate Strategic Initiatives, Analytics, Learning, and Knowledge Management group. She initially joined IFC in 2018 as the Knowledge Management and Content Lead for the SME Finance Forum, focusing on small business research. Previously, Khrystyna held research positions at the World Bank Group, which she joined in 2010. Her earlier professional experience includes roles with the European Union, a Japanese consulting firm, and a Washington, D.C.-based think tank. Khrystyna holds an M.A. in International Economic Relations from American University, where she studied as a Fulbright scholar.

Connect now: https://www.linkedin.com/in/khrystyna-kushnir/

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Paolo Sironi: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thepsironi/