“The key task of Tatra banka in this period is a sound preparation for the adoption of our new currency – the euro – from a technological, logistic and organisational point of view. We have been preparing for this change for almost two years,” says Igor Vida, the bank’s CEO.
Profits rose 14.5% in 2007, to SlK3.45bn (€113.1m), with assets climbing 21.2% to SlK253bn. “Our goal at the same time is to retain our position among the strongest Slovak banks and reinforce our image as an innovator in the banking market,” says Mr Vida.
One of the most significant innovations in recent months was the introduction of the Card&Reader tool that increases the security of internet banking transactions by incorporating a chip and reader into customers’ standard payment card for use online.
To diversify its activities, the bank also opened its first investment centre in November 2007, which is also the first outlet of its kind in Slovakia, giving retail customers access to the full range of investment-related services. This has helped the bank gain significant market share in the local asset management industry.
