A new competitive landscape is emerging in financial services. Deregulation and the globalization of finance are inaugurating industry-wide consolidation as companies merge to gain economies of scale, eliminate excess capacity, and cut costs.

At the same time, the industry's traditional integrated value chain is breaking apart, giving rise to a new generation of focused players that are attacking established companies at key points in the value chain. Moreover, unprecedented new developments associated with the Internet and electronic commerce are posing fundamental strategic challenges to traditional business models.

ARA serves a wide variety of clients in commercial banking, investment banking/brokerage, asset management, consumer finance, securities, insurance, and diversified financial services. The practice helps clients find their way in this new competitive landscapeis and is organized on a regional basis with three major centers: Asia,Europe, and emerging markets.

By exploiting new opportunities and focusing on identifying customer needs, we help banks, insurance companies, brokerages, and other financial services companies rethink their strategic positions and practices and react quickly to global competition with new providers entering the market.