Markus Schiffers of Orbian explains how a bank-agnostic funding model and scalable supplier onboarding are enabling multinationals to unlock working capital with greater flexibility, faster rollout and broader supplier inclusion – particularly in complex markets globally.
In an environment where working capital efficiency is increasingly tied to resilience, multinational corporates are rethinking how they structure supply chain finance. Traditional bank-led models, while well established, can struggle to deliver the flexibility and global scalability that modern supply chains require.
Orbian’s differentiation lies in a fundamentally different approach: a bank-agnostic funding model.
“We are able to combine multiple funding partners into a single pool selected by the client,” says Markus Schiffers, managing director and deputy chief executive officer. That gives buyers full discretion to adjust or replace funding providers over time, without restructuring the programme or opening new bank accounts, he explains.
This structural flexibility is increasingly relevant as corporates navigate shifting liquidity conditions, counterparty risk and evolving treasury priorities. Rather than relying on a single balance sheet, buyers can dynamically manage funding sources while maintaining continuity for suppliers.
Unlocking Flexibility
At its core, this more traditional supply chain finance solution is also straightforward: suppliers receive early payment, while buyers extend payment terms.
Innovation, however, is emerging in how these outcomes are delivered. Orbian’s model also includes newer structures such as ‘maturity payment financing’, where suppliers are paid on original terms while buyers benefit from extended payment periods.
“The buyer improves liquidity through the payment terms we are providing, without any impact on the supplier. That makes it significantly faster to implement, particularly in large and complex organisations.”
Markus Schiffers, Managing Director and Deputy CEO
Scaling Beyond Constraints
Such speed and scalability are critical, especially in non-standard geographies where regulatory fragmentation can complicate deployment.
Many traditional programmes rely on reverse factoring structures, which are regulated across multiple jurisdictions. The challenge is to replicate the same cash flow benefits without relying on highly regulated activities.
In response, Orbian offers what Schiffers calls “express” supply chain finance, which removes the need for suppliers to sign agreements, or sell or assign receivables.
Perhaps most significantly, this approach allows for more inclusive supplier onboarding.
While banks tend to focus on larger counterparties, Orbian’s model is designed to accommodate suppliers of all sizes. “This is possible because our supplier onboarding is much more efficient than the supplier onboarding of a bank,” adds Schiffers.
The implications extend beyond working capital optimisation. Broader supplier inclusion strengthens supply chain resilience and supports closer alignment between treasury and procurement. “You need buy-in from procurement,” Schiffers explains. “It’s much easier if they have a mandate to onboard all suppliers, not only those which fulfil certain conditions that a bank may set.”
Structural Shift
Orbian’s solutions reflect growing demand from corporates for flexibility, speed and scale as supply chains become more complex and financing conditions more fragmented,
Bank-agnostic models represent a structural shift – moving supply chain finance away from balance-sheet dependency towards more dynamic, multi-provider ecosystems. For multinationals, the outcome is not just improved liquidity, but greater control over how, and from where, that liquidity is sourced.
