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A n n u a l R e p o r t 2 0 0 7
Highlights in 2007
• We opened our Kinshasa training centre in
June. The centre is used to provide induction
courses and job-specific training for all new
employees and refresher courses for existing
staff. It also offers intensive on-the-job training
for newly recruited loan officers, who
analyse real loan applications and monitor
outstanding loans with coaching from experienced
senior loan officers.
• In October, we opened a branch in Macampagne
in the western part of Kinshasa. Negotiations
were completed to rent premises for
two additional branches and a business centre,
and construction and renovation of these
facilities began in the third quarter. Negotiations
to purchase the premises of our head
office were initiated and were still underway
at the end of the year.
• The bank introduced several new products
and services. We launched the Express
Micro Loan, a credit facility that offers very
small businesses streamlined procedures
and faster processing. In February, we introduced
the first VISA-licensed merchant
point-of-sale (POS) terminal in the Democratic
Republic of Congo (see Special Feature). We
increased our penetration of the card market
by offering a new current account that is
linked to card usage and has no maintenance
fee. We also launched secure Internet banking
services, which reduced customers’ waiting
times in the branches.
• We organised two exhibitions of works by
local artists at our head office branch, welcoming
the public to these shows at ceremonies
attended by the artists. Since launching
our operations, we have provided exhibition
space for artists in our branch facilities.
This gives our institution a colourful touch of
local culture that is greatly appreciated by
customers and staff. In collaboration with a
number of artists, we launched an initiative
in 2007 to decorate the walls around the
bank’s ATMs with attractive, eye-catching
paintings. This clearly distinguishes our ATMs
from those of our competitors.