confidence - Investing In Africa

Management Discussions & AnalysisOperation Review (cont’d)Information TechnologyUpgrades undertaken during the year under review include:- Migration to Chip based cards, which includes set international standardsof operation and provide a safer transaction environment for both thecustomer and the bank. In December 2004 a fully integrated banking solution, Flexcube, wasimplemented in Banque SBM Madagascar (BSBMM), being the same corebusiness banking solution that is used for SBM’s Mauritius operations.Customers’ data is located in the SBM Mauritius data centre and BSBMM isconnected online real time through a satellite link (VSAT) to Mauritius. TheFlexcube solution offers Retail and Corporate (Treasury, Trade Finance)functions and supports the bank’s front and back office functions. BSBMMFlexcube also interfaces with Oracle GL. Flexcube will also be rolled out to Indian Operations by March 2006,operating on an Application Service Provider (ASP) model. The hostdatabase will reside at the ASP, namely Flexcel in Mumbai. SBM India’sthree branches will be connected on an online real time basis to the hostdatabase in Flexcel.Systems uptime overall exceeds 99.9%.94“SBM’s e-commerce portal provides anywhere, anytime, convenient shopping – shops stay open for you 24/7/365”