Companies

The banking industry of Greece, along with the population, was put through its paces during the past decade, as financial troubles snowballed into a national crisis. One of Greece’s long-established traditional banks, National Bank of Greece, withstood the turmoil to emerge today as its country’s pioneer in digital innovation, leading its millions of customers into a future filled with hope for greater choice, efficiency and satisfaction in their banking experiences.

A global crisis is the litmus test of a bank’s fitness to serve its customers. In Belgium, bank-insurer KBC Group has proven throughout the COVID-19 upheaval that it is equipped to weather the storm and make lasting improvements that will outlive the pandemic into the future. Guided by its PEARL+ cultural philosophy and dedication to digitalisation, KBC continues to help all of its stakeholders realise their dreams while protecting them.

Belgium’s bank-insurer KBC Group has learned through experience that thinking differently and aiming for the next level is the surest way to meet its goals of enabling customers as they realize their dreams and protecting them as they progress. In our interview, CEO Johan Thijs explains how KBC is leading through one of the most challenging times the financial and insurance industries have experienced, with its focus trained on customers.

Nordea Bank Apb, based in Finland, has proved that banks can be their customers’ greatest financial support in times of crisis. Long committed to assisting customers to realize their dreams, Nordea has taken proactive steps to ensure that their clients continue to not only survive but thrive during the COVID-19 pandemic. In our interview, CEO Frank Vang-Jensen describes the bank’s resolute commitment to go one step further for its customers.

The question for many banks today is whether to broaden client outreach to as many different customer segments as possible or concentrate on serving a targeted group. Mali’s BICIM, during its massive reorganization three years ago, took the latter route, with exceptional results. Intent on providing excellent personalized service to the country’s top-level clients, BICIM has found its distinctive niche and role, as CEO Samir Mezine describes in our interview.

Leading the banking sector of the affluent UAE is Mashreq Bank, which, after more than 50 years, has proven its unrelenting commitment to place its customers at the centre and innovate to achieve that goal. The bank, known for being the first to introduce game-changing breakthroughs, is guided by its mission to build long-term relationships with its clients. In our interview, Ellis Wang explained the bank’s latest plans and developments.

Most financial institutions need years to find their footing, but Cambodia’s five-year-old Prince Bank hit the road running. True to its mission to help “customers succeed through professional financial services”, it offers a variety of products and services to a growing number of satisfied customers. CEO Honn Sorachna and Chief Digital and Technology Officer Jennifer Lee Cheau Lin describe its progress in becoming the bank of choice for its customers.

Pakistan has many strengths, but it is not world-renowned as a pioneer in digital banking. However, Pakistan’s Silkbank has been so successful in growing its digital footprint that it has become an example to larger banks of how to exploit digital banking fully. Erum Tarin and Naveed Mushtaq describe in detail the lengths to which Silkbank has gone to fulfil its core value of focusing on the customer, no matter what that entails.

Thailand’s Government Savings Bank has financially assisted the country’s citizens since 1913, today offering much more than savings accounts. State-owned, it seeks to enhance the financial welfare of private citizens and businesses. Recently, the bank has devoted itself to making the most of digital channels to serve customers best. During our interview, Vitai Ratanakorn, President and CEO, and Boonson Jenchaimahakoon, First Senior EVP-Technology, described GSB’s current goals and latest innovations.

BDO Unibank has been the bank of choice for Filipinos for decades, rewarded for its dedication to satisfying customers’ needs with high rankings. The Philippines’ Enhanced Community Quarantine has tested BDO’s dedication to its stated values, but it has proven faithful to its CORE commitments to clients. Even in stressful times, BDO is on track to fulfil its vision of serving as many customers as possible as expertly as possible.