Banco Santander Brazil has become the first bank in Brazil to implement Konsole, one of the flagship solutions from trade finance technology company Komgo.
The alliance gives Santander’s corporate clients a platform to manage their foreign trade operations with greater security, efficiency and transparency. Konsole is already available to those clients, with joint onboarding teams from both companies supporting the rollout.
The companies said the aim goes beyond digitalization. Santander wants to raise the quality of service it gives corporate clients, offering a simpler, faster and more seamless experience across their trade finance activity. As the first bank in Brazil to adopt Konsole, Komgo said, Santander strengthens its position at the forefront of trade finance innovation.
The launch builds on a multi year collaboration between the two companies. Santander Group entities are already connected to Komgo’s network in several markets around the world.
Agustín Martino, Head of Sales for Latin America at Komgo, said Santander Brazil is taking an unusual step in digitalising international trade, and that the bank’s leadership shows in how it keeps its focus on clients while pushing ahead. He added that over the long term the alliance should become a core part of the bank’s trade finance offer.
“Santander Brazil is taking a unique step in the digitalization of the international trade business. Being a bank of such strong leadership, this shows its ability to keep disrupting while always keeping the focus on its clients and their needs. In the long term, without a doubt, our alliance will be a core part of its trade finance value proposition,” Martino said.
For Brazilian companies that import and export through Santander, a platform built for managing foreign trade operations could make their trade finance activity simpler and faster, which is the stated goal. For Komgo, a first Konsole bank in Brazil adds a new market to its network, though neither company has said how many clients will be onboarded or what features will follow.
Digital Trade Outlook’s View: Client First, Platform Second
What stands out is how much of the announcement is about the client experience and how little is about the technology itself. Santander describes Konsole as a way to make trade finance simpler and faster for corporate clients, and it is putting joint onboarding teams behind it from the start. Because other Santander Group entities already sit on Komgo’s network, a Brazilian connection could make it easier to serve clients that trade across several of the group’s markets. With no client numbers or timeline disclosed, the thing to watch is whether other Brazilian banks follow Santander onto the platform.
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