The reputable British magazine called the Banker, in cooperation with the magazine PWM awarded Erste Group as “Best Private Bank in Central and Eastern Europe”. The winners of these prestigious awards were announced last week at the festive gala evening in London.

“Since we are a member of a large international group, it is natural for us that we also offer to our clients the same quality services that have been provided by our Erste mother group for almost two hundred years. Our advantage is that we perfectly know the region of Central and Eastern Europe. We have a very strong team of analysts behind us, not only in Slovakia or Vienna, but also at the headquarters in other countries of the Erste Group”, Michaela Kaňová, Director of Erste Private Banking in Slovakia said.

When making its choice, the expert panel compared more than 120 banks from 60 countries using key performance indicators such as portfolio management, asset allocation, due diligence, risk management, growth strategy, customer service, ethical factors, business models, staff retention levels and innovations.

“We are honoured that The Banker and PWM evaluated our long tradition in private banking service provision as being at the highest level in Central and Eastern Europe”, Wolfgang Traindl, Director of Private Banking and Institutional Clients at Erste Group said. “Regardless of which market our clients are based on, they receive individual support and investment consultancy at the highest level. All this with full exploitation of the strict local as well as international criteria in the field of education and selection of our private bankers.”

The Erste Group provides private banking services on six banking markets to 16 thousand creditworthy clients with a total value of their property in the amount of almost EUR 17 billion. The group has received the prestigious award “Best Private Bank in Central and Eastern Europe” from the magazines The Banker and PWM for three consecutive years. Recently also the magazine Euromoney has reported the banking group as “The best bank in Central and Eastern Europe for Wealth Management”.

The magazine Banker, issued by the Financial Times Group based in London, is a monthly specialising in the bank sector, whose awards and rankings are recognised as standards in international banking. PWM Professional Wealth Management, which also part of Financial Times Group, provides information and analysis of products, market developments, tax agenda and funds for high net worth individuals.

Erste Group is a prominent provider of financial services in the eastern part of the EU. Approximately 46,700 employees provide services to 15.7 million clients in 2,700 branches in 7 countries (Austria, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Romania, Hungary, Croatia, and Serbia). At the end of H1 2016, Erste Group reported assets amounting to EUR 204.5 billion, a net profit of EUR 841.7 million, and core capital coefficient (CET1, Basel 3, phased-in) at the level of 13.3 %.