"Money flowing into Central and Eastern European markets has declined in the last quarter," says Andrej Zatko, private banking director and member of the board of directors at J&T Banka. "Investors are off mood and unwilling to take on high-risk investments."
But J&T Banka has remained strong. It recorded a net profit of Kc233 million ($12.2 million), up 14% year on year in June. Client deposits rose by 20% year on year to Kc47 billion. "We demonstrate permanent growth not only in finance but also in the number of clients we acquire, even in a market where well-known multinational banks dominate," says Zatko.
He adds: "Whereas large multinational private banks build on their history and name, we build on the results we bring to our clients. To win the fight against big international brands, we need to put in a lot of effort. We have to do more and offer more to win over clients."
The big difference between J&T Banka and the global players active in the region is in its approach to investments.
"We offer our clients the chance to enter business opportunities with us right from the beginning.