News

Personal Changes in Erste Corporate Finance

Francis J. Nosek will become the new CEO and the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Erste Corporate Finance investment company, a subsidiary of Ceska Sporitelna, as of October 15, 2008. Francis J. Nosek will replace in both positions Pavel Matějka, who had accepted an offer from another company outside the Financial Group of Ceska Sporitelna and Erste Bank.

Franics J. Nosek is an American citizen, who has working experience in the investment banking since 1996. His professional career included, among others,  PriceWaterhouseCoopers or Lazard of London.

“Erste Corporate Finance is known as one of the best and the most successful investment companies in the market. I am honored and proud to join its team. I am looking forward to our next joint efforts,” said Francis J. Nosek.

The Board of Directors in Erste Corporate Finance has been efforced also by the investment banker Jan Mareš since October 1, 2008.

For further information please contact the Press Centre of the Ceska Sporitelna Financial Group:

Hana Trhoňová   
Corporate Com. FSČS    
E-mail: htrhonova@csas.cz     
Tel: 261 073 231     
Mobil: 733 141 154    

Kristýna Havligerová
FSČS Press Officer    
E-mail: khavligerova@csas.cz
Tel.: 261 073 330   
Mobil: 724 602 113

Ceska Sporitelna in Figures

Over 1.1 million clients use Ceska Sporitelna’s direct banking; the 2nd largest Czech bank in the Czech Republic as for Total Assets (CZK 874 bn) with a profit of CZK 6.60 bn); 3 main direct banking channels – SERVIS 24 (Telephone, Internet, and GSM); 4 main groups of clients – retail, small and medium-sized enterprises (SME), municipalities, and large corporate; over 5 million clients – the largest number of clients in the Czech Republic; clients have 6 ways of servicing their accounts: in person at branch, through a collection box, via telephone, the Internet, ATM, or a mobile telephone; 8 branches throughout the country are open 7 days a week, available to any client (overall, CS has 642 branches), because CS clients are not tied to a single branch; 14 subsidiaries covering the entire spectrum of financial services and client needs; 14 Mortgage Centres for comprehensive service in housing; 15 Commercial Centres for SME clients; 51 ATMs for the visually impaired, throughout the country; more than CZK 100 bn of assets in administration; more than 180 years of history and tradition; 1,139 ATMs; 10,896 professional employees. Figures as at 30 June 2008. Financials are consolidated, and calculated according to the International Standards for Financial Reporting.

Ceska Sporitelna – A Responsible Partner for Society

Ceska Sporitelna develops and maintains the philanthropic tradition that has been a part of the savings bank principle for 180 years.  Ceska Sporitelna supports charities, non-profit organisations, civic associations, foundations, and funds. In 2002, Ceska Sporitelna established its own foundation – Nadace České spořitelny (Ceska Sporitelna Foundation). The foundation’s purpose is to support projects from the fields of culture, education, science, public and social concerns, healthcare, charity, community activities, sport, and ecology. The following non-profit organisations are among the partners supported by the Foundation’s resources: Caritas Czech Republic; Life 90; Endowment Fund of Livie and Vaclav Klaus, Sananim; VIA Foundation or Partnership Foundation. Since November 2005, Ceska Sporitelna has included its clients in its charitable activities, through the bank’s loyalty Bonus Programme, which enables clients to donate their points collected for card transactions to selected charitable projects.  Since 2007, Ceska Sporitelna has made it possible for all of its employees to donate two workdays per year to charitable causes. Ceska Sporitelna’s social responsibility on the financial market is exemplified by its responsible lending policy initiative. In January 2008, it took part in the birth of the Counselling Centre for People in Financial Distress, an independent organisation, and the first of its kind in the Czech Republic.

Erste Bank Group

Erste Bank Group with its 54.286 employees is one of the leading financial providers in CEE, serving over 16 million clients in almost 3,000 branches in 8 countries (Austria, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Romania, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia and Ukraine). As of 30 June 2008 Erste Bank Group has reached 214.2 billion EUR total assets, net profit of EUR 636.6 million and ROE of 14.7 %.