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KOSOVO
Finance & Banking
Raiffeisen Bank
Raiffeisen Bank Kosovo Named
Bank of the Year 2007
Raiffeisen Bank, with the strongest
capitalisation of any bank in
Kosovo, had a record year in 2007.
The bank’s assets grew by more than
27% over the year to reach €477
million and its profits totalled
€14.9 million. “Raiffeisen Bank
has recorded a significant growth
every year since it started to operate
in Kosovo,” says CEO Bogdan
Merfea. The Banker, a magazine of
the Financial Times Group, named
Raiffeisen Bank Kosovo ‘Bank of
the Year’ in 2007.
The bank was acquired by the
Raiffeisen International group in
2003 and now offers international
reach and expertise as well as in-depth
local knowledge. Raiffeisen International,
its parent company, is known
for its success in emerging markets
and has activities in 17 Central and
Eastern European countries with
banking and leasing subsidiaries, as
well as a number of other financial
service providers.
Bogdan Merfea, CEO
Raiffeisen Bank Kosovo is a
commercial bank serving both retail
and corporate customers. “Currently
we are in the sustainable growth stage
with our individual and corporate
clients contributing equally to our
growth in Kosovo. In the future,
however, I believe the retail sector
will offer the biggest opportunities,”
Bogdan Merfea says.
Ideal partner for foreign
investors
Raiffeisen Bank is the ideal local
partner for foreign investors in Kosovo.
Bogdan Merfea points out, “Our professional
skills, expertise, and tradition
help us to be a very attractive bank
for foreign investors, as does our welldeveloped
network in more advanced
economies. We have very good people
in Kosovo and we can also tap into the
knowledge of the group.” Raiffeisen
Bank is particularly well known in
Kosovo for its involvement in privatisation
projects.
Since it started to operate, Raiffeisen
Bank Kosovo has recorded sustainable
continuous growth in Kosovo’s
emerging financial services sector
in all three segments: assets, loans
and deposits. “We are a universal
bank offering banking products and
services to all customers. We continue
to be focused on offering comprehensive
financial solutions to both local
and international customers,” Bogdan
Merfea says.
Raiffeisen Bank Kosovo’s growth
strategy focuses on distribution
development and product innovation.
Bogdan Merfea says, “There is a lot of
room to create innovative products
tailored to the local market. Our
slogan is ‘Live better!’ Our brand is
closely linked to the aspirations of
the Kosovar people. Our slogan also
means that Raiffeisen Bank is not here
just to make money in the short term.
We are in Kosovo for the long haul.”
Raiffeisen Bank Kosovo J.S.C
UCK Street 51, Prishtina 10000,
Kosovo
Tel: +381 38 222 222
www.raiffeisen-kosovo.com
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