March the 31st, 2022 - The Global Finance magazine has declared Privredna banka Zagreb (PBZ) as the best Croatian bank.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, the Global Finance magazine has declared Privredna banka Zagreb d.d. (PBZ) a member of the Intesa Sanpaolo Group, the best Croatian bank for the second year running.

Global Finance has announced its annual award for the world's best banks for the 29th time in a row in its list entitled the World's Best Banks 2022. The full report on the awarded banks will be published in the May print and digital edition of the Global Finance magazine and online at GFMag.com, with winners selected in more than 150 countries and territories across Africa, Asia-Pacific, the Caribbean, Central America, Central and Eastern Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, North America and Western Europe.

The winners of this year's awards are those banks that have carefully monitored the needs of their clients in demanding markets and achieved strong results while laying the foundations for future success.

''During these challenging times, when we've been working in very difficult conditions for the past two pandemic-dominated years, and now in further increased global uncertainties and turmoil due to the war in Ukraine, this Global Finance award isn't only a confirmation of our business excellence, it also further encourages us to continue to be a better support to our clients because of which we constantly strive to be as good as possible. I would also like to thank all of the employees of the PBZ Group for their commitment and contribution to achieving these successful results,'' said Dinko Lucic, President of the Management Board, on the occasion of PBZ having been declared the best Croatian bank.

The selection decisions were made by the editors of the Global Finance magazine after consultation with corporate financial managers, bankers and banking consultants, and analysts around the world.

In selecting the best banks, Global Finance took into account a number of factors, from quantitative objective indicators to informative subjective ones. The objective criteria considered included: asset growth, profitability, geographical reach, strategic relationships, new business development and product innovation. The subjective criteria included the opinions of capital market analysts, the credit rating analysts, banking consultants and others involved in the industry.

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October 15, 2021 - Valamar and PBZ Croatia Osiguranje will continue with significant investments in repositioning the tourist portfolio of Stari Grad on the island of Hvar with the first sustainable eco-resort in Croatia valued at 220 million kuna.

The construction of Valamar's first sustainable eco-resort is only part of the investment that Valamar and PBZ Croatia Osiguranje are planning to manage mandatory pension funds for 2022, reports HRTurizam. 

Namely, the Helios Faros Supervisory Board decided that Valamar and PBZ Croatia Osiguranje will continue with significant investments in repositioning the tourist portfolio in Stari Grad on the island of Hvar to 4* and 5* in the amount of HRK 220 million.

In addition to the already mentioned sustainable eco-resort, it is planned to complete the investment at the Hvar [PLACESHOTEL] by Valamar, the construction of the Aquamar pool complex, and the overall arrangement of the tourist zone.

The eco-resort is Valamar's new concept of a fully sustainable eco-resort positioned for family vacations. The construction of the resort will be achieved by respecting the highest standards of green building, which includes environmentally friendly materials with minimal impact on the environment, the use of renewable energy sources, and a high level of energy efficiency.

Valamar's eco-resort on Hvar is the first tourist project that will use prefabricated buildings and modular construction designed according to Valamar accommodation quality standards.

The concept is inspired by nature and sustainable design, so the resort’s architecture blends into the island’s natural environment in the design of the buildings while the interior design is signed by local designers and artists using local tradition and materials. Felled trees will be used in landscaping, and each felled tree will be replaced with newly planted ones. Great emphasis will also be placed on offering local food and groceries produced on the island, while digitalization will eliminate the use of paper throughout the hotel.

The project is planned to be built in two phases during 2022 and 2023, and to realize all green initiatives in full potential and all aspects of sustainable development of the resort, the project will apply for green EU funds.

Valamar and PBZ Croatia Osiguranje d.d. jointly acquired Helios Faros, a tourist company in Stari Grad on the island of Hvar, through bankruptcy proceedings. During the Covid-marked 2020, business at Helios was restarted, and in 2021 the first renovated hotel Hvar [PLACESHOTEL] by Valamar was opened.

Helios Faros' business development plan assumes investments in the total amount of around HRK 800 million in sustainable high value-added tourism that will have a positive impact on the economic growth of the island. By 2025, the reconstruction and construction of three hotels and resorts of categories 4* and 5* with a total capacity of 700 accommodation units is planned.

For more on travel in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

December the 4th, 2020 - When it comes to Croatian banks, or perhaps it is more realistic to say banks which operate within Croatia, the options are numerous. Despite the amount of choice on the table, PBZ has won the title of Bank of the Year in Croatia thanks to the prestigious The Banker magazine, for which it had to satisfy many very stringent requirements.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, a very wide range of quantitative and qualitative criteria were considered for The Banker magazine's award, which is considered the "standard for banking excellence" in the challenging and demanding financial industry.

Dinko Lucic, the president of the management board of the Croatian bank PBZ, on the occasion of the proclamation of it having won The Banker magazine's Bank of the Year Awards 2020, said:

''We're extremely proud of having received this prestigious international award, which our bank has acheived for the second year in a row now, and that pride is especially emphasised during these difficult and very challenging times dominated by the coronavirus pandemic. I would especially like to emphasise that this success wouldn't have been possible without our employees, their continuous commitment and hard work of the entire PBZ Group team, the support of the parent bank team as well as all our clients for whom we're constantly striving to be even better.''

''We're continuing down the path of innovation, focusing on the continuous improvement of our services and customer relations and the further transformation and digitalisation of our business, which proved to be crucial during the pandemic,'' concluded PBZ's Lucic.

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The Euromoney Excellence Awards are given worldwide to financial institutions and banks that provide their clients with the highest level of service, innovation and expertise. Privredna banka Zagreb (PBZ) has taken home the ''Best Bank in Croatia'' award.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes on the 17th of July, 2020, the Euromoney Awards for Excellence 2020 were awarded to Privredna banka Zagreb (PBZ), a member of the Intesa Sanpaolo Group, in the category of the best bank in Croatia, and to Intesa Sanpaolo as the best bank in Italy. As stated, the Euromoney Excellence Awards are given worldwide to financial institutions that provide their clients with the highest level of service, innovation and expertise. A wide range of qualitative and quantitative criteria need to be taken into account for this handing out of these awards and they're considered to be the most prestigious awards in the entire banking industry.

On the occasion of the announcement of this award, Dinko Lucic, President of the Management Board of Privredna banka Zagreb, stated: ''We're extremely proud of [having received] this prestigious international award that has come during these difficult COVID times. I often point this out, but it's true that the real difference is made by people, and the more difficult the situation in the world is, the more important the role of professional, calm and highly educated employees becomes. This award is a confirmation of the continuous commitment and work of our entire Privredna banka Zagreb Group team. I'm proud of all of our employees and on this occasion, I'd like to thank them for their contribution, I'd also like to thank all of our clients for whom we constantly strive to be even better.''

The Euromoney Awards of Excellence were established back in 1992 and were the first of their kind in the whole global banking industry. This year, Euromoney received almost 1,000 applications from banks for a region and country award programme that includes more than fifty regional awards and the award for the best banks in almost 100 countries.

For more on banks in Croatia, follow our lifestyle section.

After a massive donation of 1 million kuna to Zagreb's ''Dr. Fran Mihaljevic'' Clinic for Infectious Diseases, the PBZ (Privredna banka Zagreb) Group is donating an additional 3.5 million kuna to Croatian hospitals to help them with the fight against the coronavirus pandemic.

As Novac writes on the 9th of April, 2020, this donation is part of the PBZ Group's efforts during these utterly extraordinary circumstances to assist health care providers in combating the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) and in treating those who have contracted the infection in Croatia, as well as for help in remedying the aftermath of the devastating earthquake that struck the city of Zagreb recently.

The donation totalling 3.5 million kuna includes seven Croatian hospitals, all located in Zagreb, that will be donated to 500,000 each kuna.

"Croatia is one, we should always keep that in mind, and help our country whenever we can, and especially now during these extraordinary circumstances. In response to our community's needs, in early February, we donated one million kuna to the Dr. Fran Mihaljevic Clinic for Infectious Diseases for the procurement of medical equipment. Now, two months later, faced with the coronavirus pandemic and the aftermath of a strong earthquake, we have decided to donate an additional 3.5 million kuna to hospitals for the medical equipment they need. This donation is part of our corporate social responsibility project 'I do good every day' through which we continuously support national, long-term projects for the well-being of children and young people, but we also respond to the current needs of our society," said Dinko Lucic, CEO of Privredna banka Zagreb.

"On this occasion, I'd like to thank the PBZ Group once again for recognising the need and taking the initiative which will provide for better quality work in our earthquake-damaged health care facilities and thereby facilitate day-to-day care for patients during the coronavirus epidemic," said Prof. dr. sc. Vili Beros, MD, Minister of Health.

As touched on, the PBZ Group made the generous donation of 3.5 million kuna as part of its humanitarian project 'I do good every day', which has been helping the community for over ten years now. The project was launched by the Group back in 2008 to continuously offer long-term support to the community in which it operates, allocating one kuna for each transaction made with a Visa card, at no additional cost to card users.

The PBZ Group has so far raised more than 19 million kuna for the project and, including these latest ones, has made a total of 48 donations to hospitals and social care homes across Croatia.

Make sure to follow our dedicated section for more on coronavirus in Croatia.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes on the 25th of May, 2019, Dinko Lucić, CEO of Privredna banka Zagreb (PBZ), which is a member of the Intesa Sanpaolo Group, is the winner of the prestigious CEO Today's Europe Awards for 2019 for his remarkable contribution to the presentation of Privredna banka Zagreb in the Republic of Croatia.

Every year, CEO Today recognises and honours the most prestigious companies and their C-level executives in today's business world. The CEO Today's Europe Awards rewards the success, innovation and strategic vision of CEO's in numerous sectors and industries across Europe (the IT sector, telecommunications, pharmaceuticals, banking and finance, energy, mobile technology and communications, transportation services, etc.). CEO Today identifies the most successful, innovative, and future-oriented company leaders.

On the occasion of the announcement, Dinko Lucić, the CEO of PBZ, stated:

"I'm extremely proud of this truly special award, which is a historical and permanent record of recognition and success of our entire PBZ Group team. One of my basic beliefs, which has been confirmed during my long-standing managerial practice, is that the real difference is the people. I'm proud of our team and on this occasion, I'd like to thank all of our employees and also all of our clients for their constant efforts to be even better and to provide the full spectrum of financial services at the highest global level.''

The CEO Today Europe team has recognised a number of achievements by Mr. Lucić and PBZ in the past twelve months. The research team looks at the attitudes of many stakeholders, including investors, analysts, employees and media professionals around the world in order to properly create the basis for their annual award.

The results are then used as guidelines for considering and publishing the best management practices and critical performance factors, as well as the determination of eligibility based on achievements, which can be revenue growth and/or profit, a successful turnaround, good performance in difficult and complex times for the economy and industry, expanding onto new markets, leading market share(s), successful M&A integration, new products and services, and new business models and strategies.

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With this project, PBZ Group collected more than 14 million kuna and realised 36 donations.

Franck's popular crisps fall victim to the bank.

ZAGREB, April 29, 2018 - Privredna Banka Zagreb's (PBZ) net profit in the first quarter of 2018 totalled 285.4 million kuna, up 5.2% on the year, according to a financial statement.