Mambu: The engine of TNEX’s digital-only bank

“I think one of the most important aspects of Mambu is that we want to be different. We want to make sure we bring a very customer-centric view of what we do and how we tackle things,” states Myles Bertrand, Managing Director of Mambu APAC. An expert at developing fintech businesses in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) market for over 20 years, Bertrand took the lead of the company’s regional office in 2018 and has been guiding its growth ever since. “Previously, I came from a background working in quite large organisations. However, Mambu really has that fintech mindset.”

Providing the financial sector with an innovative SaaS (software as a service) banking platform, one of its closest customers in the region has been TNEX, one of Vietnam’s first digital-only bank offerings. Mambu, explains Bryan Carroll, CEO of TNEX, has proven itself invaluable to a project that aims to bring financial representation to the country’s unbanked population of approximately 58 million people. “One of the key points is that it's not just about technology. Fundamentally, it’s about culture and there's no point in building phenomenal company values within your organisation if your partners don’t mirror them. Mambu’s product is all about putting the customer first, but, more importantly to me, it’s there for us when we need it. Mambu cares. Mambu goes the extra mile.”

Culture and technology are, for Mambu, inextricably linked. Always receptive to feedback from its customers and the wider market, the company strives to stay abreast of trends and keep its development in line with them. Carroll relates that this open attitude has been particularly useful for helping TNEX navigate different regulatory environments and carry out its ‘first principles’ approach to design. “I will never use a software vendor because their enthusiasm is not focused on the long-term relationship; it typically goes away after the contract is signed. That hasn't been an issue with Myles and Mambu. Mambu does what it says on the tin, and the team genuinely cares about my challenges and is willing to work with me.”

Incorporating elements of behavioural psychology, user experience, Big Data, artificial intelligence (AI) and more, Mambu demonstrates very clearly that embracing digital isn’t restricted simply to technology, but rather involves investing in a new way of operating as a business. “Mambu knows what it does and we have a very clear philosophy,” says Bertrand. “We use this analogy that we're an engine and that our customer gets to build whatever car they want around us.” However the solution is not only configurable but also iterative: if the client decides to pivot from their original idea, Mambu facilitates this while still remaining the immutable ‘engine’ of the project. This is what the company calls ‘composable banking’, a core concept, and one designed to give the customer full control of their end product.

Carroll declares that there is only one platform that TNEX could have developed its bank on: Mambu. Concluding, Bertrand reiterates that, as TNEX continues to develop what it hopes to be one of Asia’s best banking experiences, Mambu will ensure it plays a vital part. “The fact that we can support someone like Bryan, who basically wants to do something really different and be a game-changer, is super exciting for my team and for us as a business.”