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Published on December 25, 2007

Chief bankers in the corporate-loan business must be smart because their customers are people with knowledge, bargaining power and alternative funding sources.

These bankers dealing with large customers should be organised in both the art and science of management, and be able to respond to all customer requirements.

Virasak Suthanthavibul, an executive vice president at Bangkok Bank, said recently that chief corporate-loan bankers should be "omniscient people".

Heads of this business should be knowledgeable in several fields in order to provide customers with financial solutions.

They should know and understand customers well and be able to respond to their needs.

A banker at one of the country's largest institutions, who asked not to be named, said friendliness and good relationship skills were key characteristics required by corporate-loan bankers. Good relationships between banks and customers are key factors in keeping business long term.

Bangkok Bank is one that has had long-term relationships with customers from generation to generation.

Separately, an analyst at a local research house believed compromise was the most important character required by heads of wholesale business divisions.

Bankers in these positions have to deal with large businesses with different styles, both professional and personal.

"Sometimes, they get demands from powerful people about loans. They have to handle demands smoothly, so compromise is required" he said.

Next year, the banking industry will see changes at the top of two of the country's largest banks' corporate-loan departments - Siam Commercial Bank (SCB) and Kasikornbank.

SCB will soon appoint an executive to cover corporate loans, replacing Sirichai Sombutsiri, who has moved

to oversee its lending to

small and medium-sized enterprises.

Boontuck Wungcharoen, Kasikornbank's executive vice president, resigns at the end of this month after a 20-year career at the bank.

There are mixed views over Boontuck's departure. Some believe his resignation will have an effect on customer confidence because long-term relationships are a core factor with corporate loans. Some customers may leave along with Boontuck. Bigger companies often use more than one bank at a time.

But many customers remain confident that Kasikornbank's corporate-loan department will continue to run smoothly because of its strong infrastructure.

Somruedi Banchongduang

 The Nation