Gaurav Sharma (guest)

Gaurav Sharma (guest)

Gaurav Sharma has been working as an independent financial and business consultant and strategist for the past three years. He works with fintech startups, wealth management firms, international banks, consulting companies and multi strategy investment funds. Gaurav assists his clients with financial strategy and investment analysis, drawing on his experience of managing a diverse array of Fortune Global 500 clients from across the globe. He also loves to write about innovations and cyber-security in financial technology and banking. Gaurav has six years of international banking experience (Standard Chartered Bank and Citi). He has covered the entire gamut of banking products with experience in corporate finance, trade finance, derivatives, risk management and so on. Gaurav is a Certified Financial Risk Manager and a CFA Level III candidate. He holds an Engineering Degree in Computer Science and an MBA from the Indian Institute of Management in Kozhikode.
International Trade – Building Trust with eIDAS (Part 1 of 2)

International Trade – Building Trust with eIDAS (Part 1 of 2)

International trade is based on the concept of trust. In situations where there isn’t some established trust, the trading parties get their respective banks involved and use various trade finance products like Letters of Credit to ensure that both sides adhere to the terms of the trade as laid out in the contract. This trust fuels global trade and countries where it can be strengthened generally tend to become the preferred trading partners over time. The focus on trust in international trade brings us to the topic of this two-part series. This article focuses on how eIDAS can help establish trust between trading partners world across the EU and worldwide.

eIDAS and the Globalisation of Trust

eIDAS and the Globalisation of Trust

Globalization has continued its inexorable march over the last decades. The movement of everything from capital, labor, ideas, goods, and services across borders has made the world a smaller place. International organizations create the rules that define and guide interactions between people and nations. In parallel, we are seeing another revolution - digitizing our economy at a breath-taking pace.

eSignatures and eIdentification – Transforming Digital Business

eSignatures and eIdentification – Transforming Digital Business

A Forrester Research survey found that documents with electronic signatures reduced the error rate by 80% and improved productivity by as much as 85%. Such statistics highlight the potential disruptive power of technologies such as eSignature and eIdentification in transforming digital businesses.

Banking and Finance Amid Lockdowns – How eIDAS e-signatures are helping to keep it going

Banking and Finance Amid Lockdowns – How eIDAS e-signatures are helping to keep it going

The need for social distancing and the fact that most office workers are now exclusively working from home has led to profound changes in the business world. While the move to digital was already underway in many countries, the recent crisis has provided a new impetus. Many countries already had the underlying regulations and framework for digital identification and signing in place, and they are finding it easier to make the shift. Those that did not are scrambling to catch up. 

eIDAS and PSD2 – A perfect symphony in the digital marketplace?

eIDAS and PSD2 – A perfect symphony in the digital marketplace?

The European Union is leading the way in the move towards the creation of a single digital market. There are many advantages a digital business has over its more traditional counterparts that are only amplified when such businesses are allowed to operate seamlessly across multiple markets. 

eIDAS  - Electronic Signing for Professional Service Providers (Notaries, accountants, insurance agents, consultants)

eIDAS  - Electronic Signing for Professional Service Providers (Notaries, accountants, insurance agents, consultants)

If SMEs are the backbone of an economy, professional service providers are the ones who grease the cogs of that machinery. Notaries, accountants, insurance agents, consultants, etc. provide value-added services that are indispensable to the operations of a business in the 21st century. In a previous article, we touched upon how eIDAS can be leveraged for professional service providers.

eIDAS - Enabling Banking Without Borders

eIDAS - Enabling Banking Without Borders

The European Single Market has made it possible for large companies and small businesses to freely access one of the biggest unified markets in the world.

How eIDAS can help SMEs grow and prosper

How eIDAS can help SMEs grow and prosper

Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) form the backbone of any economy. In the European Union (EU), SMEs represent 99% of all businesses and account for an astounding 85% of job growth. Providing the best environment for these SMEs to thrive and prosper thus becomes vital for any country. The EU has a tradition of promoting entrepreneurship and leads the pack regarding ease of doing business, access to finance, a strong legal framework, a robust regulatory environment, and a variety of other support structures.

A Three-pronged Approach to Increasing eIDAS Trust Services Uptake

A Three-pronged Approach to Increasing eIDAS Trust Services Uptake

The last few years have been exciting for all stakeholders involved in the implementation and use of the eIDAS toolbox. Some important milestones have been reached, and new initiatives are taking off. However, to significantly increase the uptake of eIDAS-enabled services, a three-pronged approach is needed to bolster the main growth drivers. This approach is based on the feedback received from the various respondents in a recent ENISA survey and its accompanying report.