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Israeli solutions for Canadian banking

Special conference in Toronto brings together Israeli companies which specialize in high-tech with Canadian financial firms

Representatives from 13 Israeli companies were in Toronto last week for a special conference entitled “Banking on Israeli IT: A Forum and Presentations Highlighting Technology Solutions for Canadian Banks & Financial Institutions.”

 

The conference was aimed at bringing together Israeli companies which specialize in high-tech with Canadian financial companies. The conference was organized by the Government of Israel Economic Mission to Canada, headed by Jonathan Levy, and the Israel Export & International Cooperation Institute.

 

Following the success of last year’s conference it was decided to once again provide an opportunity for Israeli high-tech companies to form connections with local companies. “The event is meant to introduce our technologies with Canadian companies and create forums for cooperation or technical exchange,” explained Levy.

 

Among the Canadian companies who took part in the conference were the leading banks, insurance companies, and information systems management companies. “The event highlights the role of innovation in improving financial systems and the connection with the customer in terms of direct payments, risk assessment and analysis of business information.”

 

Levy noted that software made by Israeli companies is used by financial institutions worldwide. During the conference in Toronto, the Israeli companies presented software and applications in areas such as risk management, network security, wireless banking, and more.

 

WorkLight is an Israeli company which deals with the development, execution, and management of applications for mobile devices such as the iPad. It was founded by in 2006 Shahar Kaminitz in an attempt to change the way we approach information. WorkLight has its headquarters in New York and a development centre in Shefayim, Israel.

 

Yonni Harif, WorkLight’s Marketing and Online Manager, said that the company participated in the conference this year for the first time. He added that WorkLight is putting an emphasis on activities in the United States and Canada due to the market’s fast growth.

 

WorkLight has extensive experience in the financial sector and it reaches out to clients in all areas, including banks, credit card companies, investment banks, and more. Through WorkLight, banks and other organizations are able to offer their clients advanced applications for managing bank accounts, investment portfolios, savings plans, and more. In fact, there is no restriction on the designations of the existing applications.

 

“Specifically in Canada there is interesting activity in the field of mobile banking,” said Harif. “Even though the Canadian markets waited in the sidelines until the large banks in the US proved that the technology was necessary, today this field is top priority for the central banks.

 

Complex reality

Banks such as CIBC began to offer their clients applications for iPhones already at the beginning of the year, and today there is a growing need to expand activities, both in development of different types of applications as well as in broader coverage of mobile devices. We are active in the Canadian market and we are in touch with all the big banks. We see in the area a fertile ground for widespread activity.

 

From the company’s experience, there is a tendency among high-tech companies to group the Canadian market with the US market, particularly among Israeli companies. But reality, according to Harif, is more complex.

 

“In Canada the market is smaller and the competition in the financial sector, as well as in other sectors, takes on another characteristic. The activity rate in Canada is slower and even culturally, the mannerisms that accompany the business dialogue are different. Canadian companies in general tend to wait and follow the US market in regards to the implementation of advanced technologies.”

 

In regards to the conference, Harif said that the initiative allows Israeli companies like WorkLight to strengthen ties with senior officials in Canada’s leading financial organizations.

 

“We truly believe that the exposure to advanced Israeli technology by leading companies in Canada not only strengthens business ties but also positively influences the relationship between the two countries. The meetings we conducted at the conference may lead to business opportunities which are valuable for the company’s continued growth.

 

Among the speakers in the conference were the Honorable Glen Murray, Minister of Research & Innovation, Dr. Ann Cavoukian, Information & Privacy Commissioner of Ontario, John Fursey, Leader for Financial Services Sector of Global Business Services of IBM Canada and Charles Sirois, Founding Partner of Tandem Expansion Fund.

 

Reprinted with permission from Shalom Life

 

 


פרסום ראשון: 11.25.10, 12:23
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