News

Global Finance magazine has named the “Best Emerging Market Banks in Central and Eastern Europe” in an exclusive survey to be published in the May 2008 issue. Global Finance editors-with input from industry analysts, corporate executives and banking consultants-selected the best emerging market bank in the region and in 21 countries. Criteria for choosing the winners included growth in assets, profitability, strategic relationships, customer service, competitive pricing, and innovative products.

Global Finance, which celebrates its 21st year of publishing in 2008, has 50,000 subscribers and more than 284,000 readers in over 158 countries. This audience includes chairmen, presidents, CEOs, CFOs, treasurers, and other financial officers responsible for making investments and strategic business decisions for large global companies and financial institutions.

Global Finance also targets the 8,000 key portfolio investors who control over 80% of all assets under professional management.

This is the fifteenth year that the magazine has selected top banking performers in emerging markets. The report covers best banks in Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Latin America, and Central and Eastern Europe. “Emerging markets are attracting increased attention as the global economy expands,” says Joseph  D. Giarraputo, publisher and president of Global Finance. “We have identified the banks that provide service to corporations seeking to take advantage of substantial opportunities for growth in a sometimes challenging environment.”

Regional Winner: RZB / Raiffeisen International

• Albania — Raiffeisen Bank;
• Belarus — Belagroprombank;
• Bosnia and Herzegovina — Raiffeisen Bank;
• Bulgaria — UniCredit Bulbank;
• Croatia — Privredna banka Zagreb;
• Czech Republic — Ceskoslovenska Obchodni banka;
• Estonia — Hansabank;
• Hungary — OTP Bank;
• Latvia — SEB Enskilda;
• Lithuania — SEB Bank;
• Macedonia — Komercijalna Banka;
• Malta — Bank of Valletta;
• Moldova — Moldova Agroindbank;
• Poland — BPH (UniCredit Group) ;
• Romania — BRD-Groupe Société Générale;
• Russia — Alfa-Bank;
• Serbia — Raiffeisen Bank;
• Slovakia — Tatra Bank (RZB Group);
• Slovenia — Nova Ljubljanska Banka;
• Turkey — Akbank;
• Ukraine — UkrSibbank.