Money Buzz! Europa

Tag: BCR

  • Immofinanz buys former BCR HQ in Bucharest for EUR 36 million

    Immofinanz buys former BCR HQ in Bucharest for EUR 36 million

    BCR has concluded the ownership transfer of the landmark Bucharest Financial Plaza, the former headquarters of the company from Calea Victoriei to Immofinanz.

    Immofinanz plans a renovation of the property into a high-quality and green myhive building with a sustainability certification of at least Gold.

    Located next to the Old Town, Bucharest Financial Plaza is a landmark with 26.300 sqm GLA.

    The property was completed in 1998, being the most imposing building in the city at that time, and was refurbished in 2012.

    The building can be easily split between its two sections, Tower (17th floors) and Podium (6th Floors), and it has the largest natural illuminated atrium in the city.

    BCR moved its headquarters in 2020, in a 14.400sqm space, in Business Garden Bucharest, a LEED Platinum certified office complex.

  • Thomas Kolarik appointed to Operations & IT Vice-President of Erste BCR

    Thomas Kolarik appointed to Operations & IT Vice-President of Erste BCR

    Romanian Commercial Bank (BCR), part of Erste Group, has named Thomas Kolarik, an experienced IT top executive to Vice President position responsible for operations & IT at BCR starting January 1st 2021.

    His appointment is subject to regulatory approval by the National Bank of Romania.

    He shall succeed Ryszard Druzynski, member of the board in charge with operations & IT, who is finishing his mandate and has decided to return to native Poland in order to pursue other career opportunities. 

    Thomas Kolarik, a Ph.D holder in Computer Science from the Vienna University of Economics and Business, holds an extensive professional background as IT executive in senior CIO/CTO roles with banking, reputed international IT service providers, as well as start-up experience.

    Over the last 10 years, Kolarik has filled the role of Managing Director for s IT Solutions Austria, the IT provider for Erste Group Bank in Austria, Erste Bank Austria and 45 Savings Banks, where he managed 800-1.000 employees overseeing a rich software applications environment for more than 20.000 users and close to 1.000 branches, based on a common core banking system.

    Before that, he had built a consulting company from scratch, after acting as the business development manager of a multi-national IT services provider.

  • BCR, RON 3.7 billion new loans in H1 2020

    BCR, RON 3.7 billion new loans in H1 2020

    In retail banking business, BCR generated total new loans in local currency to individuals and micro businesses of RON 3.7 billion in H1 2020 mainly driven by mortgage loans.

    Cash loan sales decreased by 9.3% yoy, impacted in Q2 2020 by lower consumption and higher uncertainties generated by the pandemic context.

    Mortgage new sales grew by 25% yoy in H1 2020 mainly driven by standard product. Newloans to micros went up by 24.0% yoy in H1 2020.

    In corporate banking business, BCR approved new corporate loans of RON 3.2 billion in H1 2020. The stock of financing for SME segment (including BCR Leasing subsidiary) increased by 9% yoy to RON 6.3 billion (EUR 1.3 billion) as of 30 June 2020, as a result of a high focus on new business and advance in leasing.

    Public Sector financing increased by 16.1% yoy. Real Estate segment strongly increased by 20.9% year-on-year on drawdowns within the office and commercial projects financed over the last year.

    The intelligent banking platform George reached 900.000 users, up by 70% as compared to H1 2019. The number of transactions through George increased by 130% in H1 2020 as compared to the same period in 2019.

    In addition, there was an increase of over 150% in accessing banking products in the digital platform, the biggest appetite being for the 100% online George account, which reached a share of 52% of the total current accounts opened in 2020.

    The shared online platform Casa Mea App, that runs document workflow for proprietary mortgage, has been already used for 44% of disbursed loans.