FEAR & GREED | Business News Interview: Australia's banks 'not on a level playing field'
Jun 5, 2025
Melos Sulicich, CEO of Bank of Sydney, dives into the competitive landscape of Australian banking, shedding light on the role of challenger banks. He discusses how these smaller institutions cater to SMEs while facing regulatory hurdles that favor the big four banks. The conversation also navigates the balance between technology and personal service, highlighting the bank's strategic upgrades. Additionally, he touches on the anxieties of SMEs amid economic changes and the need for regulatory reform to boost innovation and fair competition.
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Bank of Sydney's SME Focus
- Bank of Sydney is a foreign-owned bank focused primarily on the SME market in Australia.
- They have experienced relationship bankers helping customers through good and bad times.
Strong Credit Discipline Matters
- Maintaining a banking license in Australia requires strong capital, liquidity, and risk management.
- Bank of Sydney has never suffered a credit loss due to its strong credit department.
Invest in Tech for Relationships
- A relationship-led bank must invest in strong back-end technology to reduce costs.
- Bank of Sydney is upgrading to cloud-based core banking and AI-enhanced customer-facing technology.