Case Study

WiZink – Complex Cards Business Transformation

WiZink

WiZink, a bank that specialises in credit cards & simple savings solutions, use Savantor’s migration, technical and business specialists to help ensure successful cards transformation

WiZink is a bank that specialises in credit cards and simple savings solutions that respond to its customers’ day-to-day needs. In June 2014, Banco Popular reached an agreement with Citibank to acquire its consumer banking business in Spain. In December of the same year, Banco Popular announced the agreement with Varde Partners to sell it a 51% stake in Bancopopular-e, which included Banco Popular’s own payment cards business and the one acquired from Citibank Spain. In June 2016, Bancopopular-e changed its brand to WiZink and its institution legal name to WiZink Bank, S.A.

The first challenge was to migrate cards from Citi. A programme was established to design and implement an End-to-End cards processing platform for over 1m Citi cards and in readiness for expansion to about 5m. The programme would also build the supporting business functions for a new bank, including Finance, Credit Risk, Fraud and Operations.

In common with other banks, change and complexity on this scale is an infrequent event and WiZink did not have sufficient relevant experience or resources in-house. WiZink asked Savantor for support due to their deep expertise in card migrations and business operations from previous programmes in Spain, UK and other areas of Europe.

The solution

Savantor provided deep experience and highly skilled consultants in crucial areas to complement the existing team. Savantor identified and supplied experienced individuals at different stages as the programme developed.

The engagement

A large Savantor expert team spent 18 months helping WiZink establish the environment, prepare and integrate updated components, set up operations, then test and deliver a successful card migration and business transformation.

WiZink

Savantor's team undertook the following

  • Workstream leads for Implementation, Business Readiness and Infrastructure.
  • Senior Project Managers for Partner Delivery.
  • Data Migration project manager, integration analysts, live proving and schedule of events planners.
  • Business Analysts and Solution Analysts.
  • PMO reporting, planners and support staff.
  • UAT Managers, Defect Managers and testing support.

Features of this assignment

WiZink benefitted from Savantor’s specialist skills:

  • Savantor provided a wide range of skills to fill specific and critical roles on the programme.
  • Savantor’s card transformation experts were selected using a mix of in-country specialists and international practitioners.
  • WiZink commented that the Savantor resourcing team were reliable, focused and available whenever help was needed.

Client Testimonial

"This was a major business transformation that required us to build an excellent team made up of internal bank specialists, supported by external card business, technical and operations expertise. Savantor provided specialists from the local market and with international experience to fill a variety of important roles. The Savantor resourcing team are professional, reliable and good people to work with."
Ricardo Gómez
Director, Operations & Technology - WiZink Bank - Spain