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Global Finance names "The World's Best Internet Banks" – Raiffeisen wins thirteen awards
15 November 2006
Thirteen of this year's "World's Best Internet Awards", assigned by the US-magazine Global Finance, were given to the Austrian Raiffeisen Banking Group and the RZB Group, headed by Raiffeisen Zentralbank Österreich AG (RZB), making them by far the most successful banking groups in this international competition.
The winners were selected by a high-calibre jury, which consisted of international banking experts of the Tata Infotech Group and editors from Global Finance. The Raiffeisen Banking Group and the RZB Group dominated the category Best Consumer Internet Bank in Austria and five individual Central and Eastern European countries, respectively. In Austria and three markets of Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), RZB and its subsidiaries were chosen as "Best Corporate/Institutional Internet Bank", RZB for already the sixth time in a row. The RZB Group was chosen as Best Overall Consumer Internet Bank for CEE.
The prize-winners were selected based on the following criteria: Strength and consistency of their internet strategy, increase of the online customer base, product range, positive evidence for advantages from internet activities such as web design and functionality of web-sites. The winners for the categories (e.g. "Best Online Cash Management") were selected by considering the relative strength and success of their web products and services. The winners of the awards were announced at a ceremony in New York on Tuesday.
RZB is the leading international Banking Group in Austria and CEE
The consequent and future-oriented exploration of the multiple possibilities of the internet is one of the core strategies of both the RZB Group and the Austrian Raiffeisen Banking Group. "Raiffeisen is the clear market-leader in internet banking in Austria and achieves further impressive growth rates despite an already high base level," said Walter Rothensteiner, RZB's Chairman of the Managing Board. "This claim has been transferred to Central and Eastern Europe. These awards underline the high quality of our internet services and we are proud that this was approved by an independent jury."
Broad product range, secure and customer-friendly
Both the RZB Group and the Raiffeisen Banking Group are the leaders in internet banking on the basis of their ample product range. The offerings comprise Electronic Banking, regional markets, cash management tools, e-Custody Platforms and capital market research tools. In addition to this on-stop-shop-concept, RZB has the first mover advantage, as it introduced these products on both the Austrian and the Central and East European markets. Rothensteiner values "security" and "usability" most highly: "As a regular user of the Raiffeisen internet services I do have a good overview of these products. I am glad to see that our colleagues from the internet services reach the same high standards as the staff from the classical banking business."
"The banks constantly improve and extend the internet offers for private and company customers," said Global Finance Publisher Joseph D. Giarraputo. "The high grade of development and the usability will set high benchmarks for future competitors".
Complete List of Awards won by the RZB-Group:
COUNTRY AWARDS
Best Consumer Internet Bank
• Austria – Raiffeisen Banking Group
• Bulgaria – Raiffeisenbank (Bulgaria)
• Czech Republic – Raiffeisenbank
• Hungary – Raiffeisen Bank
• Slovakia – Tatra banka
• Russia – Raiffeisenbank Austria
Best Corporate/Institutional Internet Banks
• Austria – RZB
• Bosnia and Herzegovina – Raiffeisen Bank Bosna i Hercegovina
• Croatia – Raiffeisenbank Austria
• Serbia – Raiffeisen banka
REGIONAL AWARDS
Corporate/Institutional
• Best Integrated Corporate/Institutional Bank Site (Europe) – RZB
• Best Corporate/Institutional Web Site Design/CEE – Raiffeisen banka, Serbia
Best Overall Consumer Internet Bank
• Central and Eastern Europe – RZB
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Global Finance has offices in New York and London and 50.000 subscribers and more than 250.000 Readers in approximately 160 countries. Readers are mainly decision makers in global companies or financial institutions. Global Finance moreover reaches most of the 8.000 „key portfolio investors”, who control more than 80 per cent of all assets under professional management.
RZB is the central institution of the Austrian Raiffeisen Banking Group, the country's most powerful banking group. It is a leading corporate and investment bank in Austria and also considers CEE as its home market. Via listed subsidiary Raiffeisen International Bank Holding AG, it operates the leading banking network in CEE with 16 subsidiary banks and numerous finance leasing companies in 16 markets. 11.7 million customers are served via 2,775 business outlets.
