127 review two case studies from mp and provide feedback or add to we…

…bsite (#128)

* added building a bank markdown and config

* updated formatting issues on building a bank

* added lending workflow copy and minor copy changes

* updated case studies, readme and quote font size

README.md

@@ -1,4 +1,16 @@
-# Dann – Multipurpose Jekyll Blog Theme
+# IDWT - Website
+
+The website for IDWT - a consultancy that is focused on data, technology and generating business value or outcomes. 
+
+The website used Jekyll templates hosted by github.
+
+## Tips on using the repo
+
+### Development
+
+When making local changes, use ``` docker-compose up``` to run locally. Once run, use the following URL to navigate to it http://host.docker.internal:4000/
+
+# Dann – Multipurpose Jekyll Blog Theme - Template Readme
 
 Dann is a multi-purpose, creative, and modern theme for Jekyll. The main features of the theme are full compatibility with Github Pages, featured post slider, video post support, multiple authors support, and high performance. This theme is perfectly suitable for blogging and personal website.
 

_data/settings.yml

@@ -27,8 +27,12 @@ menu__settings:
       submenu:
       - url: '/authors/'
         title: 'Authors'
-      # - url: '/elements/'
-      # title: 'Elements'
+    - title: 'Case Studies'
+      submenu:
+      - url: '/case-studies/build-a-bank/'
+        title: 'Building a Bank'        
+      - url: '/case-studies/simplifying-a-lending-workflow/'
+        title: 'Simplifying a fintech bank’s lending workflow'        
     - title: 'Contact'
       url: '/contact/'
 
@@ -39,7 +43,7 @@ hero:
   hero__title: 
     Simple, reliable, usable data you can understand and trust.<br /> <br /> 
 
-    It’s not a lot to ask from your data solution, but if you’re not getting it, we need to talk. 
+    It’s not a lot to ask from your data, but if you’re not getting it, we need to talk. 
 
 
 

_pages/Building-a-bank.md

@@ -0,0 +1,115 @@
+---
+layout: page
+title: How a data engineer helped to build a new fintech challenger bank
+description: The problem – building a new fintech challenger bank in a time of turmoil
+permalink: /case-studies/build-a-bank/
+---
+
+A new fintech challenger bank is looking to gain regulatory approval and a UK banking licence for an immediate launch.
+
+A difficult time for any new bank, made all the more complicated by the licence application being a resubmission, the global banking platform being new to the UK, and the times – it’s late 2018 and Britain is facing the uncertainty of a ‘no deal’ Brexit.
+
+## Building a bank to fill a gap in the UK market  
+
+The driving force of the British economy comes from SMEs – established small and medium-sized businesses with 10-250 employees. The founders of a new fintech bank had noticed that SMEs were being left behind by the big banks. 
+
+With this in mind, they were building a fintech challenger bank specifically to fill this gap and serve this vital part of the UK economy. 
+
+The bank has a clear goal: to combine modern banking tools and technology with a local ‘feet on the ground’ community presence, to offer business owners the benefits of human relationships with the tailored expertise, support and tools they need to succeed.
+
+But first, they needed to build the bank – with operational systems and infrastructure to the highest and most robust standards, to satisfy the regulatory requirements and gain a banking licence from the FCA. 
+
+The bank already had a banking licence with restrictions, but the decision was taken to return this and run a full banking licence application, with the goal of going live immediately upon approval being given by the UK regulatory authorities. The bank had submitted its RBP (regulatory business plan) and was working hard on getting the banking framework ready and running smoothly. Which is where Pratik came in.
+
+## Why Pratik?
+
+A team lead at the bank explains why they approached Pratik to help with the build:
+
+<blockquote>
+Members of the executive team had worked with Pratik in previous banks. He was well known with a strong track record of delivery. <br> <br>
+Pratik has the broad skill set that we were looking for, particularly across business analytics, as well as obviously from a data perspective. <br> <br>
+It's critical that you understand the business and the commerciality of what's required before you start going into any data engineering and analytics. <br> <p><cite>Team Lead</cite></p>
+</blockquote>
+
+Pratik joined the small in-house team at the start of the process and immediately got to work helping to build the bank and scale the data engineering activity.
+
+## Connecting data feeds and building regulatory reporting
+
+When building a bank from scratch, there is no blueprint to work from, you just have an idea that needs to be designed, built, tested and approved. 
+
+Pratik was asked to look at both the lending and deposit sides of the bank, with lending for the launch stage being just mortgages. He explains how they set about this: 
+
+<blockquote>
+We began by focussing on the processes and data interfaces across each area of the bank: operations, finance, underwriting, broker portal and customer online banking. As part of building the bank’s capability, and the critical regulatory reporting, several different system feeds were connected.
+</blockquote>
+
+Working closely with the team lead, in-house engineers and external vendors, Pratik then started building the initial MVP (minimum viable product) solution to take the bank to market. 
+
+This involved ensuring the various systems and data feeds were connected, any defects resolved and any necessary changes made to ensure the technology performed as it should, all while documenting the processes in readiness for regulatory approval. The team lead notes:
+
+<blockquote>
+Pratik was instrumental in our regulatory reporting. This was achieved through engaging vendors and third parties who were supporting us in that build, managing them and the project milestones being delivered.
+<p><cite>Team Lead</cite></p>
+</blockquote>
+
+## Shaping how the bank will operate  
+
+In addition, Pratik ensured that the data schema was correct and understood across the bank. This meant gaining a greater understanding of the core banking system, CRM, financial system, broker portal and workflows to ensure the information was correct and the outputs worked.  
+
+<blockquote>
+Pratik was central right from the start with helping to shape the way the bank was going to operate.
+<p><cite>Team Lead</cite></p>
+</blockquote>
+
+*Pratik explains further:*
+
+> When building a bank, it’s vital that all the necessary systems and processes are connected correctly, so that you build a bank that stands up to regulatory scrutiny and customer expectations. <br> <br> You need many systems, across different technologies, stitched together to create and enable the bank’s operations, finance, sales, workflow, regulatory reporting and internal analytics. All of which need to function to a standard that passes the requirements necessary to be regulated and create the information for the bank to learn fuelled by a data warehouse focused on business outcomes. <br> <br>
+> The reason it’s such a challenge, and so highly scrutinised, is that if a licenced bank fails, the regulator is liable for up to £85,000 for each customer. Which means there is a lot of money at risk.
+
+## Upskilling a banking platform vendor
+
+The highly respected global banking platform that had been chosen by the bank was new to the UK and its very specific regulatory requirements. 
+
+It’s worth noting that just because something works in Europe, it doesn’t mean it will work in the UK, which has its own strict regulations to be adhered to. And this platform needed work to be compliant. 
+
+With a sizeable investment already made in the platform, it had to succeed. Pratik was not only the data analyst in the team, he was also working with the banking platform vendor’s technical team to upskill them to ensure the platform met the UK regulatory requirements. 
+
+## The banking framework had to be right first time
+
+There was one more challenge to be factored in. This was a resubmission – the bank had earlier given its licence with restrictions back to the regulator. 
+
+With the RBP submitted, the bank was up against the clock, and a potential lack of patience from the regulator. There would be no more second chances. The whole banking framework had to be ready for the given deadline. 
+
+> We had to rebuild that confidence in the regulator, and Pratik was very much a big driver of that, efficiently driving through change.
+
+Taking on board the regulator’s feedback, Pratik made sure he fully understood not only what was being asked, but why it was being asked. The deeper core reason. 
+
+By properly understanding the system’s challenges across the entire bank, Pratik was able to summarise what was wrong, and then work with the relevant vendor to deliver the changes needed, answering any questions along the way.
+
+> The reporting had to be absolutely spot on. We did it collectively, but Pratik was very much leading that line and understanding all of the data that was required, why it was needed, what the rules were, etc, etc. <br> <br> He was constantly engaging with stakeholders to ask the most important question, which is ‘Why?’. Why? Why? Why? Why?” 
+
+Each fix could then be tested to confirm it worked. Naturally there was a lot to do, prioritising the work was critical. Again, the team lead has only praise for Pratik:
+
+> With Pratik’s support, we were able to go out to the regulators and proactively keep pushing them. We were in the middle of Brexit, yet it was still very much a case of ‘We're getting ready. We've got this sorted. We've just achieved this milestone.’ And that's with Pratik's involvement, driving the delivery through and beyond that into live.<br><br> 
+People underestimate the power of collaboration and Pratik is great at it.”
+
+## The banking licence application is submitted
+
+The bank met the application deadline and everyone was thrilled to learn the application was approved! A month after being granted a UK banking licence, the bank successfully launched to market with commercial mortgages. The team couldn’t have been happier, with the team lead commenting:
+
+> When it comes to supporting the build and launch of the bank, both from a business process perspective and a regulatory reporting perspective, Pratik was absolutely pivotal.
+
+The bank hit the ground running, quickly moving ahead with its growth plans, adding savings accounts and asset finance, adapting and expanding its range of products to grow its SME customer base. 
+
+However, fresh challenges lay just around the corner for this new fintech challenger bank. In March 2020, the world faced unprecedented difficulties and uncertainty as the Covid-19 pandemic took hold, and the country was placed into the first of several lockdowns.
+
+It would soon be time for the bank to approach Pratik again, but more about this in our next case study, [Simplifying a fintech bank’s lending workflow](https://www.indatawetrust.co.uk//case-studies/simplifying-a-lending-workflow/)
+
+**If you’d like to talk to Pratik or the team about building a bank, gaining regulatory approval or simplifying and improving your bank’s data management systems and processes, please** <!-- Calendly link widget begin --> <link href="https://assets.calendly.com/assets/external/widget.css" rel="stylesheet"> <script src="https://assets.calendly.com/assets/external/widget.js" type="text/javascript" async></script> <a href="" onclick="Calendly.initPopupWidget({url: 'https://calendly.com/pratik-idwt/30min'});return false;"> book a call</a> <!-- Calendly link widget end --> 
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