Erste Bank : Group recognized as best private bank in CEE, Austria and Croatia by The Banker

Best Private Bank in Central and Eastern Europe

In selecting Erste Private Banking as the winner in three categories, the jury of this year's PWM /The Banker awards highlighted the fact that Erste Group is the largest wealth manager in Austria and one of the leading wealth managers in the CEE region, where it operates local private banking units in the Czech Republic, Croatia, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia. Across these markets, Erste Private Banking takes care of more than 15,000 private clients with a combined wealth of 17 billion euros. With the 2017 'Best Private Bank in Central and Eastern Europe' award, Erste Private Banking has now won this esteemed distinction from The Banker and PWM for the fourth year in a row.

Best Private Bank in Austria

Erste Private Banking's newest win in the Austria category marks the fourth time in five years that it has received the publications' award for being the best private bank in the country. In addition to its standing as a provider of private banking services, Erste Group is also the market leader in Austria in the investment fund business.

Wolfgang Traindl says: 'As a private bank within a universal bank, we can offer our clients -- besides wealth management and advisory services -- a full range of private banking, real estate and corporate products, and services such as transaction banking or short- and long-term financing. On the advisory side, we strongly emphasise guiding our clients into sustainable investment and philanthropy.'

Best Private Bank in Croatia

Erste has been providing private banking services in Croatia since 2007, and has offices in Zagreb, Rijeka, Split, and Osijek servicing more than 800 high-net-worth clients. 'In a highly competitive environment of ever-shrinking yield universe, we have managed to create products that offer value to our clients, while taking into account their desired risk exposures,' says Kristina Buconjic, head of private banking at Erste Bank in Croatia. The 2017 award in the Croatia category marks the second time in five years that Erste has won this distinction.

About the PWM/The Banker Global Private Banking Awards

In making their selections, the Global Private Banking Awards' judging panel of 15 experts from the private banking and wealth management industry compared more than a hundred private banks using key performance indicators such as portfolio management, asset allocation, due diligence, risk management, growth strategies, customer service, ethical factors, business models, staff retention levels and innovation.

Published by the London-based Financial Times Group, The Banker is a monthly magazine specialising in banking and whose awards and rankings are recognised benchmarks in the international banking industry. PWM Professional Wealth Management, which is also part of the Financial Times Group, provides information and analyses on products, market developments, tax issues and funds for high net-worth individuals.