Bermuda

Bank of BermudaBank of Bermuda has taken a holistic approach to business, employment and the community, which sets it apart from its competitors.

Benin

Ecobank Benin

Belgium

FortisOne of the participants of Europe’s most debated deals (the acquisition of ABN AMRO), Fortis has had an exciting year. It has grown profitability in the wealthy Benelux markets, which provided a 17% net profit increase, and has expanded its business in Turkey, Poland, India and the US.

Belarus

BPS BankIn 2006, Minsk-based BPS Bank produced outstanding results with a 178.4% increase in profits; and further increases are expected this year. In an expanding market, BPS Bank has shown itself to be one of the most profitable and efficient of the Belarusian banks.

Barbados

Barbados National BankBarbados National Bank (BNB) carried out a major restructuring of its balance sheet last year, significantly reducing the risk of overdependence on any one sector. Apart from strengthening the bank’s balance sheet, this enhanced the group’s long-term growth prospects and profitability, enabling it to absorb unforeseen shocks better.

Bangladesh

Bank Asia

Bahrain

Ahli United Bank

Bahamas

FirstCaribbean International Bank (Bahamas)

Azerbaijan

International Bank of AzerbaijanInternational Bank of Azerbaijan (IBA) boosted its asset base by a record 59.91%, with an 85.19% increase in net profit. This impressive performance was achieved by strengthening efforts to grow the capacity and quality of its loan portfolio, taking advantage of a more beneficial interest rate environment.

Austria

Raiffeisen ZentralbankStrong domestic results and an impressive cross-border acquisitions campaign have singled out Raiffeisen Zentralbank (RZB) as the best bank in Austria.

Australia

Westpac Westpac has continued to focus on the twin goals of driving strong income growth, while improving operational efficiency in its core markets of Australia, New Zealand and the near Pacific.

Uganda

Crane Bank

Turkmenistan

State Bank for Foreign Economic AffairsActing as a bank that specialises in rendering services to the government and corporate clients, the State Bank for Foreign Economic Affairs believes that serving individuals is also one of its basic operational objectives.

Turkey

Yapi Kredi BankFollowing Koçbank’s acquisition of Yapi Kredi Bank (YKB) in 2005 and the resultant complex merger of the two banks, YKB re-emerged from a difficult period and returned to profitability in 2006 after losses in previous years.

Tunisia

Banque de Tunisie

Trinidad & Tobago

Scotiabank Trinidad & Tobago

Togo

Ecobank TOGOEcobank Transnational’s net profit rose by 70% last year, the biggest increase among its peers. One of its major achievements was its listing on three west African stock exchanges, a unique event in Africa.

Thailand

Bangkok BankBangkok Bank has implemented a focused growth strategy to expand its regional branch network and capitalise on the high potential in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) region and China.

Tanzania

Standard Chartered Bank Tanzania

Taiwan

First Commercial BankDespite rapid changes in the market and the competitive environment, First Commercial Bank’s (FCB) main business lines, such as corporate banking, foreign trade finance and trust business, performed well last year and drove stable operating growth.