9. Global banking business turnaround

Around 2002, the global economy began to pick up to bring favorable conditions to the financial markets, which had suffered from a prolonged slowdown since the late 1990s, when the two pre-merger banks sizably reduced assets and networks overseas. With the tailwind of a buoyant economy, the Group turned to promoting global business. It expanded networks outside Japan, including in emerging-market countries, when the repayment of the injected public funds was nearly completed in the mid-2000s.

SMBC began to expand its overseas network with a particular focus on Asia—mainly China, Vietnam, and Malaysia. Local incorporation was expected to provide an advantage in operations in China. The bank established Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (China) Limited (SMBCCN) in April 2009 and set up a combined total of eight head and branch offices and four representative offices by May 2011. In other Asian regions, seeking to seize opportunities brought by regional burgeoning economies, SMBC proactively worked to form alliances with local banks, including the Bank of East Asia in Hong Kong and Kotak Mahindra Bank in India.

Expansion strategies were also developed in other regions. The Dubai Branch and other local bases were opened to build regional networks in the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America. Meanwhile, organizational restructuring programs for cost effectiveness were executed, specifically for downscaling the Los Angeles Branch to the status of representative office and consolidating all administrative functions located in Europe into the base in London.

Around 2007, the business environment began to rapidly worsen, and SMBC’s International Banking Unit devoted strenuous efforts to making profits. It upgraded risk-control systems and selected highly profitable projects. As a result, the unit effectively maintained a growth trend of net international business profit.