The magazine, which is part of The Financial Times group, announced UniCredit for the best bank also in Italy, CEE, Croatia, Poland, Turkey and the Ukraine

 

The Banker international magazine, which is part of The Financial Times group announced UniCredit Bulbank for "Bank of the Year 2009" in Bulgaria. The Banker’s annual awards are the culmination of various polls over the year on a country basis and this is why in the financial circles they are known as the Bank Oscars.

 

The award was presented to UniCredit Bulbank’ s CEO, Mr. Levon Hampartzoumian, and the bank’s COO, Mr. Andrea Casini, late last night at an official ceremony in London. The managers of the best banks from The Banker’s world poll were invited to the event.

 

Apart from announcing UniCredit Bulbank for the best bank in Bulgaria, The Banker presented another six awards to UniCredit: "Bank of the Year 2009" for Italy, Central and Eastern Europe, Croatia, Poland, Turkey and the Ukraine. Only two months ago, UniCredit was selected also for "The best investment bank in CEE" by The Banker.

 

"These awards are high recognition of UniCredit as an European banking group even in a difficult economic environment. They attest to the strength of our business model and reaffirm our decisiveness to become a still more customer-oriented organization with strong relations with the local communities", said Alessandro Profumo, Chief Executive Officer of UniCredit Group. "I would like to express my gratitude to all 168 000 colleagues within the group for their excellent work. Thanks to their commitment we have passed through a hard and yet successful year”, added Mr. Profumo.

 

"UniCedit Bulbank is an indisputable leader as well as the largest bank in Bulgaria because of two reasons – our customers and our colleagues. We have clear priorities – increasing the satisfaction of the customers who use our services and the satisfaction of the employees who work at the bank. The Banker’s prestigious “Bank of the Year” award is an external acknowledgement that we are following the right course”, said Mr. Levon Hampartsoumian, Chief Executive Officer of UniCredit Bulbank.

 

The award presented to UniCredit Bulbank for “Bank of the Year 2009" from The Banker is the third award for best financial institution in the country, which is awarded by an independent jury with international participation to the bank in 2009 after the Euromoney and Emeafinance awards. Over the year, the bank again ranked first in Bulgaria in the Global Custodian poll for custodial services. Apart from being honoured for its business results, UniCredit Bulbank received also a corporate social responsibility award from the Association of Cancer Patients.

More information on The Banker’s awards will be published later today at www.thebanker.bg

For contacts:

UniCredit Bulbank, PR and Corporate Identity

Viktoria Blazheva, Phone No.: 02/9264 993, viki.davidova@unicreditgroup.bg

Ekaterina Ancheva, Phone No.: 02/9264 963, ekaterina.ancheva@unicreditgroup.bg