With the aim to create a contemporary bank that is flexible and which will develop established relations and offer complete solutions to its clients, Ancoria Bank formally announced its operation in Cyprus.
Speaking at a press conference on 14th June, Chief Executive Officer of Ancoria Bank Mr. Yiannis Loizou spoke about establishing the bank and its operation as well as the plans for Cyprus.
As Mr. Loizou stated, in its time of operation, the bank has established two Banking Centres, one in Nicosia and one in Limassol and also it will soon operate in Larnaca. Overall, the bank currently employs 60 people. Mr. Loizou, said that the recruitment selection criteria set by the bank were very strict and the selected team are highly-skilled professionals of the wider financial sector, with excellent academic qualifications and young graduates with an appetite for hard work.
The aim and purpose of Ancoria Bank, he added, is not the creation of another bank in Cyprus, but the creation of a contemporary and flexible financial institution with a new culture, a new approach and a new relationship with its clients.
As a new bank, without the known weights of the banking sector from the recent past, Mr. Loizou noted, we have a strong capital (initial capital of €50 m.), we seek to operate in a contemporary way and have all the appropriate financial infrastructure for a direct and flexible service to our clients.
Our vision he said, is to create a bank that will establish rewarding relationships with the consumers. Honesty, transparency, integrity and professionalism, Mr. Loizou stressed, are the principles on which we build on in order to better serve our clients.
Referring to the competitive advantage of Ancoria Bank, he said:
• “Together with our clients we will identify their real needs and we will accordingly offer them the right solution.”
We are not going to offer solutions to our clients, he explained, which either will not respond to their real needs, or that they will be beyond their capabilities. Our decisions will be made with purely client-driven criteria and a mutual benefit for our clients and our bank, he said.
Continuing Mr. Loizou emphasized that Ancoria Bank, acknowledging the turning point at which the Cypriot economy is and believing in the entrepreneurial capacity of Cyprus, is determined to support businesses and individuals (households). For this reason, we will offer clear and flexible solutions, covering all the needs of our clients. Already, he said, we offer banking products to finance businesses and individuals, mortgages, student loans, car loans and other consumer products. Over the years, our products, he stated, will be enriched and expanded to cover every consumer need.
He also said that the bank gives tremendous importance to Corporate Governance matters and transparency, in the use of contemporary technology, and innovation. For this reason, he mentioned, we will promote with every way our “online banking”, offering clients integrated technology solutions that facilitate daily contact with our bank.
Concluding he highlighted the following:
• ” Ancoria Bank is here to stay and to create in the domestic market. With vision, high levels of professionalism and long-term relationships with our clients, we will aim to create a new banking culture. We will work hard to redefine the bank-client relationship. We are ready for the long journey of creation. The establishment and operation of Ancoria Bank opens a new chapter in the banking affairs of Cyprus. Our promise to the consumers is that we will do everything possible to create a genuine, useful and effective relationship with our clients. ”
At the press conference, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Ancoria Bank Ms. Evgenia Christodoulou, presented the very first advertising campaign of the bank.
As she stated the leading roles in the campaign are held by Ancoria Bank’s people. The individuals representing the bank are actual members of the Ancoria Bank team and they project what they actually do in their everyday working life. They are approachable, friendly and smiling, full of energy, ready to assist, and to create at their workplace, a bright, warm and welcoming place.
Continuing Ms. Christodoulou said:
• “The advertisement starts with the beginning of a new day, a sunny, bright day, full of optimism and smiles. The words used in the campaign: Contemporary, humane, approachable, friendly, transparent, efficient. Definitions, which we are well aware we can adopt as we would never want to promise something we cannot support. These we can say with confidence!”
Concluding Ms. Christodoulou noted how Ancoria Bank is a bank that is redefining banking practice as it should be:
• “A bank that respects each client and their business, that understands their needs today and tomorrow and gives priority to customer service.”
