As the global economy gradually regains its footing, Asia has surged ahead and outperformed. Propelled by a growing mass affluent segment, timely government intervention, resilient financial systems, and rising intra-Asia trade, the economic center of gravity appears to be shifting eastward.

Alongside this rosy economic outlook, we are witnessing a new era marked by the emergence of the “super-regional” banks. These Asia/Pacific-based institutions have remained relatively unscathed by the recent turmoil, and have distinguished themselves by their penchant for aggressive, acquisitive growth. On the other hand, having recognized the value of building a strong Asian presence, global financial services giants have acted on their intent to expand their presence in the region where soaring optimism, enormous growth potentials and unique Asia-only opportunities abound.

How will Asia-led models of financial services gain ground? How will Asia’s rising stars face up to the challenges from the international institutions? How will local incumbents react? What differentiation strategies have emerged to ensure business sustainability and competitive advantage? What role does technology play in all these?

The race is on for financial services institutions with a real interest in Asia to develop and optimize their business models, and adapt to the region’s ever dynamic landscape.

The Internet provides a wealth of information on companies that offer financial services to their clients. You just need to enter your query on a regular search engine, and you will be flooded with thousands of websites of companies that offer such services. The problem lies in finding the right site to fit your needs. A solution to this problem is to know exactly what you want so that your search can be narrowed down to the companies that offer the services that you want.

Some search engines also provide help in deciphering the right information by giving categories of the financial services that are available online; all you have to do is to click on the link that is usually placed on the home page of the search engine. The usual major categories include banking services, insurance, and mortgages. Under these major categories, you will then be able to find relevant sites that can help you with your needs. If you wish to look for banks that may be able to finance a car or a home loan, you just have to look under the category of mortgages. For services that involve running a business, you may find categories like cash flow management and financial planning under the banking services category. These major categories help in narrowing down the choices that you face because they eliminate other websites that would have appeared in your search if you used vague terms.