[Financial Insider] "Unmissable Corporate Clients, We Said Let's Take a Small Loss"

Interview with Ko Gwon-ae, Corporate RM at Woori Bank Central Corporate Sales Headquarters
Those on the Frontline of Corporate Finance Battle
Must Find and Propose Win-Win Strategies for Banks and Corporates

Increased Organizational Support Amid Intensified Competition
Delegation of Decision-Making Authority to Teams, Operation of Talent Development Programs

What does the frontline of corporate finance, where a ‘silent war’ between banks is raging, look like? Hundreds of millions of won are frequently won and lost over differences in interest rates by just a few decimal points. Bank Relationship Managers (RMs) strategically use their ‘weapons’ such as interest rates, loan limits, and speed to fiercely compete for corporate clients and funds.

RMs Act as Client Advocates to Persuade Banks... Also Address Financial Needs of Employees

Since January, Go Gwon-ae, a team leader working as a corporate RM at Woori Bank’s Central Corporate Sales Headquarters, has taken on the role of ‘dedicated financial manager’ for about 150 domestic companies. Her clients include major corporations such as Daewoo Construction, Lotte Wellfood, Lotte Aluminum, and Lotte Global Logistics. When these companies plan new businesses or new facility investments, Go supports them in borrowing the necessary funds on time and at the lowest possible interest rates. She actively appeals to the loan review department on behalf of the companies regarding business prospects and growth potential, and advises on the most suitable financing methods.

Not only the companies but also each employee working at these companies is her client. For employees seeking mortgage loans to buy apartments, she introduces credit officers, and for clients needing large foreign exchange transactions, she explains the Foreign Exchange Transactions Act. By gaining customer trust in this way, she gradually expands her client base. Go said, “Corporate RMs are total managers who must take care of all financial services from A to Z that companies need,” adding, “Because we have to present cards that create a win-win situation for both the client and Woori Bank among many options, it always feels like we are being tested.”

Currently, Woori Bank has about 100 corporate RMs under 11 corporate sales headquarters. Corporate RMs who communicate directly with companies and branch managers who make decisions work in pairs to serve corporate clients. The corporate sales headquarters also has dedicated counters exclusively for corporate client services.

Gowon-ae Ko, Corporate RM, Central Corporate Sales Headquarters, Woori Bank.

Skipping Approval Procedures, Accelerating Talent Development... Strengthening Mid- to Long-Term Sales Competitiveness

Woori Bank recently declared the ‘Rebuilding of Corporate Finance Excellence’ and significantly increased organizational support. A notable point is that decision-making authority has been delegated to the sales field. For corporate clients that must be secured, complex approval procedures can be skipped, and sales branches can significantly lower interest rates or waive fees on their own authority. Headquarters approval can be obtained afterward. This is because prolonged decision-making could result in losing clients to competitors. They are also working to resolve difficulties by sharing work logs between headquarters and branches and activating meetings that reflect field voices.

Training programs to enhance the expertise of sales professionals are also in operation. Woori Bank conducts two pre-training sessions annually to systematically nurture RMs handling small and medium-sized enterprise clients, corporate RMs managing large corporate clients, and private bankers (PBs) responsible for high-net-worth client sales. Employees who complete the program are registered in the corporate finance and wealth management (WM) talent pools and receive preferential treatment when applying for related departments. Due to fierce internal competition, completing the program has become a ‘must’ rather than an option. Through this system, the bank plans to continuously discover sales talent and enhance its sales competitiveness in the mid to long term. Additionally, employees can apply for and attend training on necessary tasks such as structured finance and financial statements at any time.

Go said, “Corporate sales are like a soccer game where momentum and flow are important, so boosting team morale through swift support and decision-making is crucial,” adding, “As more companies prioritize practicality over loyalty and sales competition intensifies, I plan to actively utilize opportunities for skill enhancement and career management.”

Gowon-ae, Corporate RM at Woori Bank Central Corporate Sales Headquarters.