Cairo – Sharikat Mubasher: A new report by Capgemini Research Institute highlights rising competitive pressure on corporate and investment banks as clients increasingly explore alternatives. According to the World Corporate and Investment Banking Report 2026, around 85% of corporate banking clients plan to engage with a non-bank financial institution within the next 12 months in search of faster, more transparent, and responsive services.

The study shows that banks are struggling to meet evolving client expectations. Corporate clients are seeking real-time responsiveness, personalized engagement, and innovative financial solutions, yet fewer than a quarter believe banks currently deliver on these demands. Many respondents also pointed to limited integration with ERP and treasury systems, lack of flexibility, and insufficient advanced analytics capabilities.

The report also highlights internal constraints slowing transformation across corporate and investment banks. Only 29% of IT budgets are currently allocated to transformative technologies, while a larger portion continues to be spent maintaining legacy systems. Additionally, many executives say innovation programs have not yet generated the expected revenue growth or cost savings.

Catherine Chedru-Refeuil, Global Head of Corporate and Investment Banking at Capgemini, said non-bank financial institutions are rapidly closing the competitive gap with traditional banks as client expectations shift and AI initiatives struggle to move beyond pilot stages. She noted that banks need stronger governance frameworks, enterprise-level technology platforms, and strategic partnerships to scale innovation successfully.

Despite these challenges, many banks are exploring new capabilities to remain competitive, including real-time treasury systems, AI-powered market tools, and tokenized financial products designed to unlock new revenue streams.