In a recent blog post, Tobias Miarka, who leads Crisil Coalition Greenwich’s corporate banking research globally, noted that obtaining reliable information about tariffs – and insights about how to best navigate a constantly shifting set of trade policies – has been a pervasive problem for companies this year.
Throughout this period, banks have proven to be a valued source of advice to corporate leadership teams around the world.
Crisil Coalition Greenwich’s 2025 tariff insights report suggests banks are the most important source of information and advice for large companies in Europe, although their US counterparts are as likely to turn to suppliers for guidance and more inclined to learn from the experiences of their peers or from industry bodies and trade associations.
Banks are by some distance the most important source of tariff guidance for large Asian companies though with more than half (52%) of those surveyed referencing their banking partners compared to one-third who lean on suppliers for information and advice.
Inga Kudzmaite, Hong Kong-based Treasury and Tax Director Asia at Carlsberg Group says she receives some market impact analysis related to tariffs from her banks, although this has not extended to mitigation strategies specifically.
“As our business model is rather localised – source locally and sell locally as much as possible (with a few export exceptions) – and we have almost no exposure in the US, there is less impact for us compared to some other corporates,” she adds.
However, this is not the experience of Amit Baraskar, Vice President & Head of Treasury at Thomas Cook India, who says Indian treasurers are much more likely to look to official and informal networks.
“This topic is very timely,” he says. “With mood swings in the west with respect to tariff rates and dates it becomes critical to keep a tab on all aspects of the tariff tug-of-war. But I don’t think Indian corporates turn to banks for trade tariff information.”
In addition to networks, he says the most popular sources of information for Indian corporate treasurers include platforms such as LSEG, Bloomberg and NSE Cogenesis, search engines and AI apps, and consultants.
“I have run a poll among the Indian treasury community and the initial views are exactly in line with the above,” says Baraskar. “On the question of where Indian corporates get tariff-related advice, more than 85% referred to networks. Not one respondent said they got this information from their bank.”
He says he finds the over-reliance on unverified informal networks and under-usage of credible platforms which provide verified information surprising.
“Going forward, banks have an opportunity to deepen client relationships and potentially create opportunities to expand relationships across banking, cash management and trade finance by proactively reaching out to companies with accurate and up to date information on fast-changing trade policy and insights and ideas on how companies can navigate this new environment,” says Miarka.
