Awards for Excellence 2016
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It is encouraging to find many European banks getting involved in the lynchpin of the European economy, small and medium-sized enterprises. In its German business, for example, Commerzbank has reoriented its global network towards internationally orientated Mittelstand clients (even if many of these are much bigger than the EU’s definition of an SME). Intesa Sanpaolo has improved methods of ensuring its SME loan growth in Italy is sustainable by identifying top-performing larger companies and then seeking to grow market share among those firms’ SME suppliers.
British banks including HSBC and Lloyds are also focusing more on SMEs, and not just because of government encouragement. Lloyds, in particular, has been careful not to miss out on the burgeoning technology and financial technology industry around London; it has positioned its regional SME industry specialists accordingly.
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Angel Rivera, Santander |
However, Santander wins best bank for SMEs, following a concerted push to grow in the sector, ensuring that these clients are a core part of its business model in Europe.