IT Consulting

Among the core IT components, the following can be distinguished:

• Strategic planning
• Organisational structure, policies and procedures, regulatory requirements
• Information systems, software, hardware and networks
• IT security
• Business continuity and disaster recovery
• Investment and IT performance evaluation methodologies

Each IT component goes through a number of stages in the course of its development:

• IT infrastructure creation
• IT audit
• Implementation of projects aimed at improving IT efficiency
• IT monitoring and development

By understanding and taking into account the specific features of each IT component at each stage of its development, we apply an integrated approach aimed at building an effective IT function.

STAGE 1. IT audit

• Analysis of IT strategic goals
• Analysis of IT architecture
• Analysis of IT organisation
• Analysis of IT security
• Assessment of IT infrastructure reliability and resilience to potential failures
• Analysis of IT investment
• Adjustment of IT goals. Identification of areas for improvement and ways to achieve them. Identification of key IT projects

Areas of IT audit

• IT strategy
• IT organization
  – Policies and procedures governing IT activities (Policy Framework)
  – Key principles of IT organization. Interaction with senior management
  – Business support (Help Desk)
  – New technology implementation (IT project delivery)
  – International standards (CobIT)
• Individual functional areas of activity
  – Customer relationship management, retail business, corporate business, money and securities market operations, local and international accounting and reporting, administrative activities, regional network management, settlement operations, risk management, MIS, budgeting, etc.
• Information security
• Administration (BCP and DRP)
• IT performance evaluation methodologies
• IT investment

IT audit services

• Analysis of IT strategy
• Overall analysis of IT organization: how effectively the IT organizational structure supports the business (SLA); how effectively the Bank’s management controls IT; recommendations for improving IT organization
• Analysis of IT organization in terms of business support effectiveness
• Analysis of IT organization in terms of new technology implementation (IT projects)
• Analysis of organizational and technical information security measures
• Analysis of key IT projects
• Audit of core technical and information systems and assessment of the effectiveness of their administration procedures; analysis of failure risks and vulnerability identification
• Assessment of the effectiveness of IT performance evaluation methodologies (BSC, KPI)
• Assessment of IT investment efficiency

These services can be provided either as a comprehensive package or individually. The result of the work will be documentation of the current situation, identification of areas for improvement, and recommendations for measures aimed at implementing the relevant changes. In particular, the Client may be advised to initiate new IT projects, which would require further consulting support.

STAGE 2. Implementation of projects aimed at improving IT efficiency

• Development of uniform standards for structuring various IT components of the bank
• Support for selection and implementation of new information systems
• Implementation of a new information security system (BSI, ISO 7799)
• Implementation of Business Continuity Planning and Disaster Recovery
• Implementation of IT performance evaluation methodologies (KPI, BSC)
• Implementation of an effective IT organisation in terms of system implementation and support

STAGE 3. IT monitoring and development

• Post-implementation review of information systems
• Post-implementation support (consulting support)
• Business process optimisation, introduction of more efficient operating technologies