BEST BANK
SEB Vilniaus Bankas
BEST DEBT HOUSE
SEB Vilniaus Bankas
BEST EQUITY HOUSE
SEB Vilniaus Bankas
BEST M&A HOUSE
SEB Vilfima
Vilniaus Bankas, which changed its name to SEB Vilniaus Bankas last year to reflect its ownership by Sweden's SEB, has long been a pioneer of banking in Lithuania. Its dominant position in deposits and lending cements its status as the biggest bank, with more than $1 billion greater assets than the second-largest bank, Hansabankas. Its loan portfolio accounted for 35% of the market at the end of 2004 and its deposits for 34% of the market. SEB Vilniaus Bankas is now being used to further SEB's expansion in eastern Europe and in January 2005 it acquired Bank Agio in Ukraine.
Although Deutsche Bank and UBS led the only international issue from the Republic of Lithuania – the successful €600 million issue in February this year – SEB Vilniaus Bankas wins the award for best debt house. It had a co-lead role in this 11-year Eurobond issue. But it is the domestic market in which SEB Vilniaus Bankas really shines. It has a market share of 15% in the Lithuanian government bond primary market and 17% of the combined corporate and government bond market.