Slovenia

Best bank – Nova Ljunljanska Banka
Best debt house – RZB
Best M&A house – ABN Amro
Best local partner – Publikum

Nova Ljubljanska (NLB) still dominates the Slovenian banking sector by some way, with 44% of all banking assets in the country. But it remains dynamic and aggressively competitive. In September 2002, Belgian bank KBC bought 34% of NLB, and the investment has proved better than some of KBC’s other acquisitions, such as Kredyt Bank in Poland. NLB’s net income was down slightly on 2001, at Tr28 billion ($137 million) in September 2002 compared with Tr34 billion at the end of 2001.