The readiness of Alpha Bank to contribute to strengthening the extroversion of Greek businesses, offering them new opportunities thanks to its strategic cooperation with UniCreditunderlined the CEO of the Group Alpha Bank, Vassilis Psaltis speaking at the “Greece Talks” conference of Travel.gr.

At the same time, he highlighted the important historical path of the Bank, which completed 145 years of leading contribution to the Greek economy and society this year and is a strong national brand distinguished for its consistency, durability and continuous evolution, in order to meet the changing needs of Customers.

The importance of extroversion and the new possibilities provided by the Alpha Bank – UniCredit partnership

Participating in a panel on “National Brands of Greece”, together with the Minister of National Economy and Finance Kostis Hatzidakis, the Chairman of the Board of Directors. of BSE and President and CEO of Bespoke SGA Holdings S.A. Spyros Theodoropoulos and the Managing Director of Grecotel Group Mari Daskalantonakis, Mr. Psaltis emphasized the importance of extroversion, which is a “key” for the necessary change in the production model of our country, and assured that “Greek banks are ready to support Greek businesses to spread their wings abroad”.

As he explained, the banking system acts as a precursor for businesses to enter foreign markets and has two roles: on the one hand, to help businesses take the next step, which requires different organization and corporate governance on their part, and, on the other hand , to be next to them in everything they need in the context of their development abroad.

“Alpha Bank, through its strategic partnership with UniCredit, offers a straight path that contributes to the internationalization of Greek businesses and is the ultimate essence of European banking integration, as businesses can be served by Greece for their presence in 13 countries that belong to the UniCredit network”, emphasized the CEO of Alpha Bank Group and added:

“The fact that UniCredit – one of the largest European banks, which is so actively trying to promote banking consolidation with the two major offers it has recently filed – has chosen Greece and Alpha Bank is a vote of confidence both for our country and and for the Bank”

Alpha Bank’s leading position in supporting Greek tourism

Mr. Psaltis noted that extroversion comes from tourism and export businesses, which are actively supported by the Bank in their efforts.

Referring specifically to the tourism sector, he pointed out that Alpha Bank is a leading player in its financing, having total balances that exceed €3.5 billion, maintaining long-term relationships with the vast majority of Greek hoteliers and having contributed to the realization of investments by major international brands , “with the aim that these investments are consistent with what suits Greece”.

Greek banks are looking for new growth opportunities outside the borders

Answering the question of the moderator of the debate, journalist Antonis Schroiter, about whether Greek banks have the required strength to return to the Balkans, where they had gained a dominant position in the 2000s but were forced to leave due to the financial crisis, Mr. Psaltis stated that “Greek banks have entered a phase of sustainable profitability, regardless of the course of interest rates, thanks to a series of actions: they have drastically reduced non-performing loans, they have controlled their operating costs, they have increased their productivity and so they are ready to strengthen the development of the Greek economy and the extroversion of Greek businesses”.

He also underlined Alpha Bank’s key contribution to the financing of the sustainable development of businesses, with its net credit expansion in this sector amounting to approximately 9 billion. euros, increased by 67% compared to 2018.

“Beyond that, the conditions are completely different compared to 15 years ago, when Greek banks had grown in the Balkans and cumulatively controlled a 25% share in the region,” noted the CEO of Alpha Bank Group and added:

“At that time, our country’s exports were focused on the Balkans, while today there is a much wider range of regions. Therefore, the crucial thing for Greek banks is to decide to which areas outside of Greece they will direct the available funds in order to help their existing or new customers. We are all working out what might be the next step for the internationalization of the Greek economy, but this is an issue that needs further investigation.”

In addition, he made special reference to Romania, where Alpha Bank, as he noted, was the first Greek bank to enter the market in 1993 and now, through the merger with the UniCredit Group subsidiary, creates a new structure that will be the 3rd largest bank in the country.

“Despite the very sharp crisis experienced by the Greek banking system in the last decade, with the forced sale of its holdings in banks in the Balkans, in the consciousness of the world – not only the Greeks – our brand has remained strong. 90% of Alpha Bank’s shareholders are non-Greeks who remember what Alpha Bank was like before the crisis and associate it with the stability and dynamism of Greece today. This is also reflected in the confessions we issue and proves that we have consistently walked our historical path”, commented Mr. Chanter.

Alpha Bank: 145 years of consistent track record

On the occasion of the title of the panel, “National Brand of Greece”, the CEO of Alpha Bank Group observed that “the concept of brand does not only refer to the logo, the colors, but to all the characteristics that distinguish a company in the market. It is its historical route”, adding:

“Alpha Bank has a history of 145 years. It even has a special logo, which comes from the back of the silver stater of Aegina, the first city-state to “mint” a coin in the Greek area. The badge and the blue color of our Bank’s identity are symbols of Greekness”.

Major investments in technological transformation

Asked to comment on the changes brought about by technological developments in the banking sector, Mr. Psaltis referred to the large investments implemented by Alpha Bank in this sector, responding to the new needs of its Customers:

“We are investing 150 million euros for 5 years. We are making colossal investments to meet what our Customers want. A very big transformation is underway, which you will see completed in the next 2-4 years. Then the Customer will now carry out everything from his mobile phone and his physical presence in the stores will only be related to matters of financial planning”.

As far as the business sector is concerned, he noted that the cooperation with UniCredit is the solution that Alpha Bank provides to businesses so that they can cover their needs abroad from Greece, without having to travel and look for another bank there.