• 
• 

Published on September 19, 2007

The bank's group of companies will be restructured to centralise the organisation, with the aim of improving its business operations.

The Kingdom's fourth-largest bank plans to open its third headquarters on Chaeng Wattana Road next year, adding to its existing head offices on Rat Burana and Phaholyothin roads, said president Prasarn Trairatvorakul.

The bank plans to transfer two subsidiaries - Kasikorn Asset Management and Kasikorn Factoring - to the Phaholyothin Road office, where the other three subsidiaries - Kasikorn Securities, Kasikorn Leasing and Kasikorn Research - are already located.

Grouping all subsidiaries in the same building is part of the bank's centralised-operations concept. It will afford greater convenience for Kasikorn Group (K Group) companies in cooperating on business operations under a universal banking concept and help the bank save operating costs, Prasarn said.

Each of the bank's three headquarters will have a different role. The Rat Burana office will concentrate on K Group policy support, serve corporate customers and become a centre for the bank's executives, while the Phaholyothin office will operate the consumer-finance business for both the bank and its subsidiaries. With its prime location, the Phaholyothin office will

also be the main business-contact centre for K Group customers.

The new head office on Chaeng Wattana will provide the bank's processing-system support and serve as a backup computer centre. It will house the bank's call centre, credit centre and payment system.

Under the bank's information-technology (IT) system development and centralisation plan, the new office will improve the bank's services and increase the potential of business operations, Prasarn said.

With 10 storeys and floor space of about 60,000 square metres, the building near Muang Thong Thani already has interior decorations and infrastructure systems. It is expected to open in the second half of next year.

"We purchased the building at a reasonable price," the president said.

"Its infrastructures match the bank's requirements, because it was constructed for light-industry operators. Therefore, the bank does not need to invest much in IT systems and infrastructure. The new building will support the bank's business expansion over the next 10 years."

Prasarn said the bank's three headquarters would also provide a feeling of fairness to the bank's staff, making them realise that the jobs in each office are equally important.

Somruedi Banchongduang

 The Nation