How has The Asian Banker evolved since its inception in 1996? 
The Asian Banker has undergone a major transformation since our inception in 1996, evolving from a traditional publishing house to a multifaceted digital content organisation encompassing media, forums, research, consulting, and strategic learning and development. 
 
Emphasising digital innovation, The Asian Banker has transitioned to digital content platforms, ensuring that our quality content reaches a global audience effectively and efficiently. 
 
The company has also broadened our media scope, providing a range of digital formats and resources, such as articles, reports, podcasts, videos, webinars, multimedia infographics, etc, that cater to diverse media consumption needs of professionals in the finance sector. 
 
A significant aspect of The Asian Banker's evolution is the spinning off of the research platform and integration with consulting, providing valuable insights and strategic advice to clients in the complex financial industry. 
 
The Asian Banker has also placed a strong emphasis on senior executive learning and development, offering strategic learning workshops and study tours, as well as other experiential learning activities. These initiatives are designed to provide immersive and practical insights into global benchmarking and best practices in the financial sector. 
 
Another key feature of The Asian Banker's transformation is the establishment of working groups like the Future Bank Working Group. These groups are platforms for collaboration and discussion among industry peers and experts, focusing on forward-looking themes and innovations in banking and finance. They play a crucial role in shaping the future of the industry by fostering collaborative problem-solving and idea generation. 
 
Across all our platforms, The Asian Banker consistently emphasises quality content and community building. This is evident in our various platforms like TABInsights, The Banking Academy, Wealth and Society, and BankQuality, which all aim to foster a knowledgeable and connected community of finance and non-finance professionals. 
 
The Asian Banker's transformation into a comprehensive service provider in the financial industry is characterised by our innovative approach to digital media, commitment to research and strategic consulting, focus on strategic learning and development, and creation of collaborative forums like working groups. This journey reflects The Asian Banker's dedication to staying at the forefront of the rapidly evolving financial landscape and our commitment to serving the needs of finance professionals worldwide. 

Can you provide insights into the specific areas or topics that The Asian Banker typically covers in its content pillars?  
The Asian Banker serves banking and financial industry professionals. Its content pillars focus on traditional commercial banking topics such as retail / corporate / transaction / wholesale banking, banking technology, risk management, regulatory changes, and market trends, as well as non-traditional topics such as fintech innovations and decentralised finance. Additionally, we emphasise community engagement through forums, interviews with industry leaders, and coverage of cutting-edge developments in banking and alternative financial providers. 
 
Aimed at ultra-high net worth individuals and organisations involved in wealth management and societal impact, Wealth and Society’s content pillars include ethical investment, philanthropy, sustainable and impact investing. We foster a community around wealth management and its societal implications, through content and community engagement. 
 
BankQuality serves main retail banking customers and industry analysts, focusing on banking service quality, customer satisfaction, and performance benchmarks. We also facilitate a community where consumers can share experiences and insights about banking services, we envision it as the trip advisor for bank users. 
 
Catering to those interested in financial research and consulting, TABInsights offers content on market research, benchmarking, and strategic insights across all traditional and alternative finance areas. We also feature strategic learning workshops and study tours, providing in-depth learning experiences and industry insights. 
 
The Banking Academy provides forums, seminars, and conferences for professional development in the financial sector. We also focus on strategic learning, industry best practices, and insights from thought leaders. 

Each platform caters to a specific audience and incorporates elements of content and community, strategic learning workshops, study tours, and working groups, tailored to the specific interests and needs of our diverse audiences. These components not only provide valuable information and insights but also foster engagement and collaboration within the financial and non-financial communities. 
 
Can you share some insights into the demographics and interests of The Asian Banker's readers? 
The Asian Banker readers and content users are primarily senior professionals in the banking and financial industry. They include traditional bankers, fintech professionals, wealth managers, regulatory bodies, as well as finance industry consultants and technology providers. Geographically, the readership spans across Asia Pacific, North America, Europe and the Middle East and Africa, with a significant proportion of our more than 280,000 digital users accounting for over 90,000 monthly and over 1 million annual web views and visits coming from North America, Southeast Asia, China, the Middle East, Africa, and other global markets, reflecting the company's international presence. 
 
Users of The Asian Banker are interested in comprehensive analyses of banking practices, trends and developments, fintech innovation, and decentralised finance. This audience seeks insights into regulatory trends, market dynamics, and the impact of technology on finance. 
 
Wealth and Society attracts users keen on understanding the intersection of wealth management and societal impact, including ethical investments and philanthropy. 
 
For BankQuality, it appeals to individuals interested in banking service quality and performance, including banking customers and industry analysts. 
 
TABInsights engages readers looking for in-depth research and consulting insights in finance, including market and strategic analysis. 
 
The Banking Academy caters to professionals seeking to participate in forums, seminars, and conferences, focusing on the latest trends and practices in the financial sector. 

For each platform, content is tailored to match the specific interests and needs of the audience. For example, The Asian Banker focuses on delivering cutting-edge financial trends and insights through interviews and commissioned features, while Wealth and Society prioritises content on sustainable wealth management, again through interviews and commissioned features. 

The Asian Banker prioritises content that not only informs but also engages our readers, fostering a sense of community. This includes interactive forums, working groups, and discussions on current and future trends in finance. Moreover, given the interest in continuous professional learning and development, content related to strategic learning workshops, study tours, and industry best practices is highlighted, particularly on platforms like The Banking Academy. 
 
The demographics and interests of The Asian Banker readers are diverse yet distinctly aligned with the focus of each digital platform. This understanding guides the team in curating and prioritising content that not only informs but also engages and supports the professional growth of our audience. 
  
Are there specific trends or issues within the financial services industry that are of particular interest to your audience? 
Comprising of banking and financial industry professionals, our audience is particularly interested in the evolving challenges and opportunities within the financial services sector. Key trends and issues include: 

• Global and regional economic and regulatory uncertainties: Banks are navigating complex economic landscapes, including traditional market cycles and geopolitical tensions, requiring agility, resilience and strategic foresight. The industry is closely monitoring the global regulatory environment, including changes in financial regulation and monetary policies, especially the uncertainties around tightening versus easing - increasing or lowering interest rates. These policy shifts can significantly impact financial market stability and banks' funding (asset and liability management) and investment strategies, ultimately their margins and profitability. 
• Technological advancements, disruptions and decentralised finance: The rapid growth of artificial intelligence (AI) and technology in general in banking offers both efficiencies and customer engagement opportunities, along with competitive disruption as well as ethical and regulatory challenges. In addition, developments in blockchain, and tokenised assets continue to be of high interest, offering both challenges and opportunities in new competition, changes in fundamental operational models and regulatory frameworks.
• Sustainable finance and climate change: There is a growing focus on sustainable finance, recognising the banking sector's role in contributing to a sustainable future and the transition to a low-carbon economy. The trend towards sustainable finance is accelerating, with a focus on navigating the complexities of financing climate change initiatives. 

These trends highlight the dynamic nature of the financial services industry and the need for professionals to stay informed and adaptable. The Asian Banker's content reflects these evolving interests, focusing on providing insights and information that help our audience navigate these changes. 
 
Given your global presence, are there specific regions or markets within the financial services industry that the team is keen to explore or cover more extensively? 
We are especially excited to extend our proposition into Africa. Currently, we have a growing base from South Africa, Nigeria, Ghana and even Rwanda. Africa itself is a source of innovations, and is wide open to innovations they have seen in Asia, from China to Indonesia and now India. 
 
The Asian Banker is committed to enhancing our global coverage in the financial services industry. As there is a strong emphasis on expanding coverage in Africa and emerging markets in Asia, including Central Asia, the team is also prioritising our ability to provide global rankings and benchmarking. This global perspective is crucial for offering comprehensive insights and comparative analyses across different markets. By focusing on diverse regions such as Africa and Central Asia, The Asian Banker aims to deliver a more inclusive and wide-ranging understanding of the global financial landscape. This approach allows for a deeper exploration of unique market dynamics and emerging trends in these regions while maintaining a broad global perspective. 

How can PR professionals tailor their pitches to align with The Asian Banker's areas of interest and story angle? 
Understand our editorial focus, audience and users: Tailor PR pitches to the specific editorial focus of each platform within The Asian Banker, considering our unique content pillars and audiences. 
 
Editorial guidelines for articles: 

• PR Pitches: Spokespersons should be senior industry practitioners and thought leaders like chairpersons, CEOs, or heads of financial institutions or fintech companies, or authors or non-financial industry thought leaders with an interesting, relevant perspective and a community following. 
• Content: The content should be relevant to current, pressing industry topics, offering unique perspectives or contrarian views. We prefer global perspectives and developments over local or domestic ones. 
• Quality and exclusivity: Interview pitches should be of senior company executives, preferably do not have sales or marketing in their job title, and offered exclusively to The Asian Banker. 
• Avoid promotion: The PR content should not be solely to promote and market any brand, business, product, or service. 
• Inclusion of data: Incorporating tables, charts, or data is welcome. 

Understanding these guidelines will help PR professionals create pitches that align with The Asian Banker's editorial standards and interests. 

Answers submitted by The Asian Banker.