Investment arm of PKO Bank Polski best broker in the region

The awards confirm the effectiveness of the "Leader" Strategy for 2010-2012 implemented since last year. In accordance with this strategy, PKO Bank Polski has strengthened its position in all the major market segments, including the investment market.

"Last year we took part in the largest IPO transactions in Poland, SPO and ABB. PKO Bank Polski Brokerage House was involved, among others, in Poland's record initial public offerings of PZU, Tauron and the Stock Exchange. Our activities allowed us not only to strengthen our leadership in Poland, but also to sail on the wider, European water," said James Papierski, Vice President of PKO  Bank Polski responsible for Investment Banking.

The bank's position as a regional leader in the financial sector is confirmed by the findings of a recent ranking of the British firm Brand Finance, which includes the most valuable bank brands in the world in 2011. The financial institution with the most expensive brand in Poland, as well as the entire region of Central and Eastern Europe, turned out to be PKO Bank Polski.

"Total focus on customer needs and the modernization efforts conducted by the Management Board have not only led to a significant improvement in financial performance, but also to a systematic increase in brand value. It is precisely the positive image of PKO Bank Polski that makes it the financial institution of first choice for the next generation of Poles," said Zbigniew Jagiello, CEO of PKO Bank Polski.

It is worth noting the very positive trend for the brand value of the largest domestic bank. According to calculations by Brand Finance, over the past two years the value of the PKO Bank Polski brand has leapt almost 2.5-fold. While in 2009 it was valued at 638 million USD, its value is now almost 1.5 billion USD.

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PKO Bank Polski is the leader of the Polish banking sector in terms of financial performance. After the third quarter 2010 net income reached PLN 2.5 billion, which constituted almost 29 percent of earnings in the Polish banking sector in that period. With 28-percent market share the Bank also holds the leading position in sales of loans, offering not only traditional mortgages, but also preferential mortgages with state subsidies. PKO Bank Polski has been awarded in many prestigious rankings. The Bank’s mortgage offer, in terms of adapting to untypical customer expectations, has been recognized as the best on the market by financial comparison engine Comperia.pl. The Bank is also praised for its flexibility to offer these loans, which may be granted to cover a variety of purposes, as well as for being the best savings and investment bank. As many as five products of PKO Bank Polski: mortgages, cash loans, accounts, deposits and credit cards, have been awarded by the magazine Reader's Digest with "Product of the Year 2010" certificates as the most often and most frequently chosen products by customers. The Bank has won the "Golden Banker" award as the best in the mortgage market, has also won the contest "Entrepreneur-Friendly Bank", and holds the certificate "Customer-Friendly Company". According to analysis by the research firm MillwardBrown SMG/KRC, among the surveyed financial institutions PKO Bank Polski enjoys the highest confidence - three quarters of respondents trust its financial stability. PKO Bank Polski is also the strongest bank in the country in terms of image, as shown by its position as leader in the "Top Brand"  ranking compiled by Press magazine. It is also the most valuable brand on the Polish banking market. Specialists from The Banker magazine estimated the value of its brand at USD 1 billion and in Rzeczpospolita "Polish Brands 2010" ranking  its value was set at PLN 3.6 billion.