Textové pole: PRESS RELEASE Prague, 12 December 2013 Raiffeisenbank celebrates twenty years in the Czech market Raiffeisenbank a.s. celebrates 20 years of operations in the Czech market. Over the 20 years of successful organic growth, the company evolved from a bank of two branch offices and 39 employees to the market’s fifth largest bank managing assets worth 190 billion crowns, running a network of 123 branches located all over the Czech Republic and employing nearly three thousand members of staff. "The story behind these figures is a story of endless effort of all the employees who had been working with the bank in the course of the 20 years. By the way, some of our current colleagues have been with the bank for all the 20 years since the beginning; that also testifies to the fact how powerful our corporate culture is. They, as well as all other colleagues, deserve a big thank you for how successful our story of the past twenty years was. Also, our gratitude goes to the hundreds of thousands of our loyal and satisfied clients, as well as our shareholders for making this successful growth possible and for supporting it further in the upcoming years," Raiffeisenbank’s CEO Mario Drosc commented on the 20^th anniversary. "Despite the economic difficulties in recent years, the growth model of the Czech Republic as a Central European export power house is still valid. To me one of the main advantages of the Czech economy is the soundness of its banking industry that is well capitalized and liquid. I am proud that over the last 20 years Raiffeisenbank has become a well trusted brand and long-term partner to our clients in the Czech market. I am confident that our business will further expand, as we identified the Czech Republic as one of our future focus markets", said Karl Sevelda, CEO of Raiffeisen Bank International. History of the bank since 1993 1993 – Raiffeisenbank is granted a banking license from the Czech National Bank and sets up a branch office in České Budějovice and the company’s headquarters in Prague at Vodičkova. The bank launches its operations as a bank primarily focused on corporate clients. As at the end of 1993, the bank recognizes CZK 1.7 billion crowns in assets, a loss of dozens of million crowns and employs 39 people. 1995 – The bank reaches profit for the first time: CZK 25 million crowns. 1999 – Raiffeisenbank starts providing mortgage loans; over time it ranks among the market’s four strongest mortgage banks and introduces various unique innovations on a regular basis. Raiffeisenbank was the first bank to offer mortgage loans without a proof of income, turnover-based mortgage loans for businesses, or variable mortgage loans. Also, it was the first to stop requiring invoices to be presented during construction. The unique Advisor’s mortgage loan is one of the bank’s innovations of today. 2001 – The bank’s first significant expansion into retail banking; among other products, the bank launches internet banking and the number of clients approaches 100 thousand. Kamil Ziegler became the bank’s CEO. 2004 – The bank’s new CEO is Lubor Žalman, who played the key role in the bank’s success in the upcoming years. Over nine years under his management, Raiffeisenbank successfully merged with eBanka, received many local and international awards and expanded and strengthened notably. While total assets of Raiffeisenbank as at the start of Lubor Žalman’s mission amounted to CZK 67 billion, now the bank’s size reaches nearly 200 billion. Yearly profits rose from 220 billion in 2003 to two billion crowns. 2006 – Raiffeisenbank acquires eBanka. eBanka, originally an online bank established in the late nineties as Expandia Banka, becomes part of the Raiffeisen group; with the acquisition, Raiffeisenbank significantly increases the number of its clients and doubles its sales network to approximately 80 branch offices. 2008 – The merger with eBanka is successfully completed. The course of the merger (which also included a globally unique growth of the bank’s client base during challenging times of the merger) is appreciated by both professionals and the public; among other, the bank is named Bank of the Year 2008 in the local renowned MasterCard Bank of the Year competition, and is also recognized as the Best Bank in the Czech Republic by Global Finance. Having the merger closed, the bank moves to new premises in City Tower at Pankrác in Prague. 2009 – As part of a stronger emphasis on corporate social responsibility projects, Raiffeisenbank becomes banking partner of the Help the Children! fundraising initiative. 2010 – Expansion of the branch office network: in 2010 and 2011, the bank notably expands its network of branch offices and by the end of 2011 it renders services to its clients through more than 120 points of sale. For the fourth time in the last five years, Raiffeisenbank is awarded the Most Dynamic Bank of the Year; eKonto is named Account of the Year three times in a row. 2011 – Launch of the new private banking concept under the brand of Friedrich Wilhelm Raiffeisen referring to the founder of the Raiffeisen group and his ideas. FWR introduces various services, unique to the Czech private banking market, such as open architecture, superior investment advisory or the globally most prestigious MC World Elite credit card, offered by FWR as the only bank in the Czech Republic and one of the less than 100 banks in the world. 2012 – Major product innovations with an emphasis on high quality and superior advisory. Among other products, the bank unveils its eKonto KOMPLET account, providing the client with all services for one transparent fee with, for example, free ATM withdrawals all over the world. Also, the bank launches smartphone account control (awarded as the best financial application according to the Mobile Application 2013 survey) or new credit cards with a loyalty programme and extensive insurance. 2013 – Mario Drosc is the new CEO of Raiffeisenbank. Mario Drosc has been working with the bank since 2006, first as the head of retail banking and later as deputy CEO responsible for all sales units of the bank. 2013 – Raiffeisenbank is awarded for rendering best service in mortgage loan sales. Also, the bank is named safest loan provider in the Safe Loan Navigator survey. These awards testify to the bank’s focus on high quality and superior advisory. Raiffeisenbank’s primary focus in the Czech Republic is on premium clients with higher income and active interest in their finance management. The bank emphasizes quality of its services, a wide range of products, high quality advisory and long-term financial planning. The bank’s strong position in premium services and investments is also associated with the formation of Raiffeisen investiční společnost, an investment management company. Tomáš Kofroň Raiffeisenbank a.s. Basic information about Raiffeisenbank a.s. Raiffeisenbank a.s. (RBCZ) has been providing a wide range of banking services to individuals and corporate clients in the Czech Republic since 1993. Raiffeisenbank renders services to its clients via a network of more than 120 branch offices and client centres. The bank also provides services of specialized mortgage centres, personal, corporate and business advisors. Total assets of the bank exceed CZK 200 billion. According to this particular figure, Raiffeisenbank is the fifth largest bank operating in the Czech market. The bank’s reported profits for 2012 reach nearly two billion crowns. Various local and international awards testify to the quality of the services the bank offers. Raiffeisenbank has been regularly awarded mainly for its dynamics; in terms of products, eKonto has been traditionally named the best account in the Czech Republic and the bank’s internet banking is also considered the market’s best choice. Raiffeisenbank’s primary focus in the Czech Republic is on premium clients with higher income and active interest in their finance management. The bank thus emphasizes quality of its services, a wide range of products, high quality advisory and long-term financial planning. As such, it introduces various new products and services to the Czech market on a regular basis, most recently the new eKonto account, a new portfolio of credit cards, or smartphone account control. Given the scope of their features and benefits, the two services immediately ranked among the best rated in the Czech market. The majority shareholder of the bank is Austria’s Raiffeisen Bank International AG (RBI), established in October 2010 through the merger of Raiffeisen International Bank-Holding AG and the principal business areas of Raiffeisen Zentralbank Österreich AG (RZB). RBI regards both Austria, where it is a leading corporate and investment bank, and Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) as its home market. RBI is a fully-consolidated subsidiary of RZB, which indirectly owns around 78.5 per cent of the common stock; the remainder is in free float on the Vienna Stock Exchange. The Raiffeisen group has been regularly recognized as the “Best Bank in Central and Eastern Europe” by such prestigious business publications such as Euromoney, Global Finance or The Banker. Moreover, Raiffeisen's network banks in CEE have regularly won "best bank" distinctions for their respective countries.