team spirit - Bankier.pl

Our efforts to offer products meeting the most advanced
technological standards are paying off: one-third of our retail
customers and more than 50 % of the small and mediumsized
businesses which bank with us currently use Internet
accounts to manage their assets. In addition to offering classic
online banking services, Bank BPH’s Sez@m product gives customers
direct access to their portfolio of mutual funds via an
Internet brokerage service. This sophisticated system enables
customers to make bank transfers, place orders for mutual
funds and shares in listed companies, and use prepaid services
via a mobile phone.
A growing number of small and medium-sized businesses use
“Harmonium Packages”, which include a settlement account
and thus differ from similar products.
Corporate customers
Corporate customer business continued to develop very well
in 2005. Business volume rose significantly: average lending
volume grew by 6 % to PLN 17.2 bn, and deposits increased
by 17 % to PLN 13.1 bn.
Bank BPH is the number 1 arranger of syndicated loans.
The Group-wide cross-selling initiative has produced positive
effects also in the largest market of the region in which the
Group operates. While business with German and Austrian
companies shows the largest potential, we now also see a
stronger trend in Polish companies expanding into other countries
in the region.
Our Internet tools meet with a very favourable response from
local business customers: the “BusinessNet” platform enables
companies to manage their entire financial needs, including
accounting procedures, and to combine this with all products
and services offered by Bank BPH. In 2005, we won several
awards for this tool, including “The European Banking Technology
Award” in the “Best Customer Relationship Achievement”
category, and – from Global Finance – the title of
“World’s Best Internet Banks – Best Internet Banking System
for Corporate Clients in Poland”.
International Markets and securities business
In 2005, Bank BPH expanded its activities on money, currency
and capital markets. Based on the acquisition of new customers
and the organic growth of customers’ portfolios, assets
under custody rose by 86 %. Bank BPH arranged mediumterm
and long-term corporate bonds totalling PLN 1.1 bn,
which constitutes almost 63 % of new bond issues as at the
end of 2005, giving the bank the top position in the market.
We saw strong growth in fund business, especially in pension
funds and mutual funds.
Outlook
Bank BPH aims to achieve continued dynamic growth in 2006.
In the retail segment the bank expects substantial increases in
mortgage loans, credit cards, account packages and fund business,
based on an expanded network. Pursuant to the Shareholders’
Agreement on BA-CA’s future role within UniCredit
Group, UniCredit is to be directly responsible for operations in
Poland.
Czech Republic –
HVB Bank Czech Republic
€ m 2005 2004
Total assets 5,711 4,681
Net income before taxes 78.7 72.4
ROE before taxes 16.4 % 18.0 %
Cost/income ratio 51% 50 %
Employees (full-time equiv.) 1,101 1,250
Offices 24 24
The Czech economy performed
well in 2005, with
real growth of 4.9 %, an
Praha
inflation rate of just under
2 %, and a current account
deficit of 2.6 % of GDP, reduced
to half of the 2004 figure. Foreign
demand made the strongest contribution to growth,
although domestic demand also increased in the course of the
year. Foreign trade supported the national currency: in 2005,
the Czech crown appreciated by about 5 % against the euro.
This dampened inflation and had a stabilising effect on interest
rates. Lending growth accelerated as the year progressed,
with corporate loans increasing significantly and credit
demand from private customers remaining buoyant, especially
for housing loans. As in the previous year, the increase in
deposits from private customers lagged behind the growth of
loans.
CEE Network of Bank Austria Creditanstalt in 2005 81