World Finance Banking Awards 2016

In keeping with a more-than-five-year trend in which those slow to change have fallen by the wayside, the banking sector has this year been awash with major regulatory and technological change. Virtually unrecognisable from that of a few years ago, this is a new era for banking: one in which the customer lies at the heart of every decision, and sustainability as opposed to profitability is key. Survival – it seems – rests on the ability of banks big and small to keep pace with the rate and scale of the transformation, and nowhere else is this more visible than among the banks featured in this year’s  

Trust in the banking sector has been restored, and customer-centricity has emerged as an absolute requirement if banks harbour any hopes of survival. People – not profitability – can make or break a business, and many a major name has committed to that sentiment in the hope of pushing ahead of its rivals. New operating strategies have emerged to put customers and employees at the centre of businesses, and technology has proven decisive in the sector’s transformation.

Aside from restoring faith in the sector, technology has paved the way for new and innovative names, and while they can hardly compete with industry stalwarts on scale, a technology-first mentality has opened the door to a range of new opportunities. Investment in IT is no longer an option but a requirement for any bank with aspirations of becoming a market leader. And as much as these investments have proven costly, the benefits to both bank and customer cannot be understated.

Elsewhere, a raft of regulatory reforms has done a great deal to redefine the operating environment. While the burden has, for some, proven too much to bear, others have treated this new regulatory system as an opportunity to stand out from the crowd. Of course, the debate over whether these reforms are beneficial at all will rage on, but the overhaul itself is proof of the fact that banking is a changed proposition.

As much as markets have regained a foothold this past year, stability rests in large part on the banking sector and its ability to push money into and around the economy. This is a banking sector that rests on a threefold commitment to customer service, compliance and innovation, without which this new economic landscape would not exist. The guide provided with this issue takes a look at how banking in all its various forms is spearheading these latest developments, and realising a more sustainable measure of prosperity.

As ever, we’ve scoured the globe for the names that have truly set their markets alight and the ones that have not only exceeded expectations, but also delivered where others have failed. Our research team, together with input from our readers, has delved into the markets to find out which individuals and institutions have pushed the envelope and provided the very best in leading financial services.

With our in-house judging panel, we have selected the finest performers of the year – a challenging task with many tightly contested categories. In the supplement, readers will find insight into each of the year’s leading institutions, as well as those individuals who have made a real difference on each continent. Once again, congratulations to our winners, who we hope to see much more of in the months and years to come.

World Finance Banking Awards 2016    

Best Retail Bank, Angola        
  Banco de Fomento Angola

Best Banking Group, Azerbaijan        
  PASHA Bank

Best Commercial Bank, Azerbaijan        
  PASHA Bank

Best Banking Group, Bolivia        
  Banco Mercantil Santa Cruz

Best Investment Bank, Brazil        
  BTG Pactual

Best Banking Group, Brunei        
  Baiduri Bank

Best Commercial Bank, Canada        
  BMO Bank of Montreal

Best Banking Group, Chile        
  Banco de Crédito e Inversiones

Best Private Bank, Chile        
  Banco de Crédito e Inversiones

Most Sustainable Bank, Chile        
  Banco de Crédito e Inversiones

Best Banking Group, Cyprus        
  Eurobank Cyprus

Best Banking Group, Dominican Republic        
  Banco Popular Dominicano

Best Commercial Bank, Dominican Republic        
  Banco de Reservas

Best Retail Bank, Dominican Republic        
  Banco de Reservas

Best Investment Bank, Dominican Republic        
  Banco de Reservas

Best Banking Group, France        
  Crédit Mutuel

Best Commercial Bank, Germany        
  Commerzbank

Best Banking Group, Ghana        
  Zenith Bank Ghana

Best Private Bank, Greece        
  Eurobank

Best Retail Bank, Greece        
  Eurobank

Best Commercial Bank, Hungary        
  ING Bank Hungary Branch

Best Banking Group, Jordan        
  Jordan Islamic Bank

Best Commercial Bank, Kenya        
  Co-operative Bank of Kenya

Most Sustainable Bank, Lebanon        
  Bankmed

Best Banking Group, Lebanon        
  Bankmed

Best Private Bank, Liechtenstein        
  Kaiser Partner

Best Banking Group, Macau        
  ICBC (Macau)

Best Commercial Bank, Mozambique        
  Banco BCI

Best Commercial Bank, Myanmar        
  Kanbawza Bank (KBZ Bank)

Best Retail Bank, Myanmar        
  Kanbawza Bank (KBZ Bank)

Best Banking Group, Myanmar        
  Ayeyarwady Bank

Best Private Bank, Myanmar        
  Ayeyarwady Bank

Most Sustainable Bank, Myanmar        
  Ayeyarwady Bank

Best Banking Group, Nigeria        
  Guaranty Trust Bank

Most Sustainable Bank, Nigeria        
  Access Bank

Best Banking Group, The Philippines        
  Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation

Best Commercial Bank, The Philippines        
  Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation

Best Investment Bank, Portugal        
  CaixaBI

Best Commercial Bank, Portual        
  ActivoBank

Most Sustainable Bank, Saudi Arabia        
  Arab National Bank

Best Private Bank, Spain        
  Banca March

Best Commercial Bank, Sri Lanka        
  Sampath Bank

Best Retail Bank, Sri Lanka        
  Sampath Bank

Most Sustainable Bank, Sri Lanka        
  People’s Bank

Best Banking Group, Sri Lanka        
  People’s Bank

Best Commercial Bank, Taiwan        
  Mega ICBC

Best Retail Bank, Turkey        
  Garanti Bank

Best Banking Group, Turkey        
  Akbank

Best Private Bank, US        
  Brown Brothers Harriman

Best Commercial Bank, US        
  Bank of the West

Banker of the Year, Asia        
  Aung Ko Win at Kanbawza Bank (KBZ Bank)

Banker of the Year, Middle East        
  Dr. Robert Maroun Eid at Arab National Bank

Banker of the Year, Europe        
  Jose Maria Ricciardi at Haitong Bank