Bankinter is boosting its corporate banking business with a new strategy based on specialisation and advisory services
The bank is redefining its customer service model to better adapt it to the profile and actual needs of each business, strengthening its close relationship with customers and the quality of its service.
Bankinter is re-segmenting customers based on criteria such as revenue, business potential and financial needs, moving from three to five segments, which will allow for a more precise allocation of resources and capabilities.
Summary generated with artificial intelligence
Bankinter has launched a new strategy in its corporate banking division with the aim of decisively boosting this activity, a traditional pillar of its business model and one of the main sources of revenue for the Group. The initiative reflects the Bank’s commitment to adapting its value proposition to an increasingly diverse, specialised and demanding business landscape, reinforcing a service model in which in-depth customer knowledge, expert advice and a closer, more personalised relationship take precedence.
The new strategy involves a comprehensive re-segmentation of the customer base, which will enable the bank to align its structure, resources and service model more precisely with the actual profile of each company.
In contrast to the previous structure, which was based on three segments defined by turnover – SMEs with a turnover of less than 5 million euros, Medium-sized Enterprises with a turnover of between 5 and 50 million euros and Large Corporates for those with a turnover of over 50 million – Bankinter is now adopting a more refined classification into five segments. The new model distinguishes between SMEs with a revenue of less than 10 million euros; two distinct segments of Medium-sized Enterprises, with revenue between 10 and 30 million euros and between 30 and 150 million euros; Large-corporate Banking, which groups companies with revenue between 150 million euros and 1 billion euros. and Large Corporations, with revenue of over 1 billion euros. This framework is based on a suitability approach aimed at placing each customer within the environment where the bank can deliver the greatest value to them, depending on their size and stage of development.
This re-segmentation enables a more accurate categorisation of existing customers and strengthens the bank’s ability to attract and acquire new businesses, by offering service models more closely aligned with their size, operational complexity and growth expectations. Consequently, each segment benefits from a level of specialisation, proximity and support tailored to its needs, avoiding a one-size-fits-all approach and fostering a more effective and sustainable relationship over time.
This new model involves tailoring teams of account managers, products and services, the branch network and digital channels specifically to each customer type. Thus, in the smaller segments, the focus is on agility, accessibility and efficient day-to-day management, supported by greater digitalisation and simpler, faster processes. As companies grow in size and sophistication, the model incorporates greater technical specialisation, access to expert teams and advanced capabilities in areas such as structured financing, international business and complex transactional solutions.
The specialisation of professionals is one of the key elements of this transformation. Each segment will have managers and teams with a deeper understanding of their customers’ economic and sector-specific realities, which enables them to improve the quality of advice, anticipate needs and offer more tailored solutions. This approach reinforces the manager’s central role in the relationship, one of the long-standing strengths of Bankinter’s corporate banking model, and helps to enhance the customer experience at every touchpoint.
The alignment of resources, capabilities and service models enables more efficient management and a more balanced exploitation of each segment’s potential, thereby strengthening profitability and the sustainability of growth.
Maite Cañas, Head of Corporate Banking at Bankinter, has stated that “our objective is to evolve the model towards greater specialisation, where in-depth knowledge of the customer and their financial complexity enables us to better support their decisions regarding growth, investment and risk management”.
A long history in corporate banking
Corporate Banking has always been an integral part of Bankinter’s history; the Bank has grown alongside its customers, continuously adapting to their needs. In the current climate, characterised by economic transformation, geostrategic uncertainty, internationalisation and the increasing financial sophistication of businesses, the Bank identifies attractive growth prospects and opportunities to continue gaining market share thanks to a distinctive value proposition.
With this new strategy, Bankinter is embarking on a new phase in its corporate banking business, aimed at achieving greater and better growth, by strengthening its specialisation, advisory services and close customer relationships, and consolidating its position as the bank of choice for businesses at every stage of their development.