The whole project also involved a shift to more service oriented architecture, in order to create an integrated suite of services open to different countries with different demands and ways of working.

Gupta said the changes meant "faster onboarding" of clients, simplified and consistent processes, and greater self administration for customers. The bank estimated that it had set up accounts for nearly a thousand large customers, with complex portfolios, using the new system.

"It was hard at first to explain to the business the need for a blueprint," he said. "But they've seen how effective it has changed things. People now check that any changes fit with the blueprint."