All articles by Duygu Tavan
Duygu Tavan
Citi launches new campaign in time for Christmas
Just in time for the festive season, Citibank North America has launched a rewards promotion which offers credit card holders the chance to win prepaid cards with a value between $10 and $10,000
Citi rolls out its first flagship store in New York
The bank said that the new 9,700 sq ft branch on Broadway redefines its retail banking strategy in the US. It features six interactive sales and other media walls, enhanced image ATMs, free online access and Wi-Fi for customers, 24 hours access seven days a week and customer service experts who will assist customers via video-link.
Crédit Agricole sets out retail strategic plan
Credit Agricole has presented a strategic plan with the aim of becoming the “market leader in full-service retail banking in Europe, a model combining all of the activities of a full-service bank serving its clients and the regions in which it operates”. The strategic plan is the result of a collective review by the managers and employees of the entities that make up Credit Agricole the Regional Banks, FNCA, Credit Agricole SA and its subsidiaries concerning the future of the Group. After a period of development and collective discussion lasting more than eight months, the plan was released to 1,400 group managers and Regional Bank directors on 15 December and represents, “a major event in the life of Crdit Agricole,” the bank said.
Bank of Montreal buys Marshall & Ilsley to grow retail network in US
Bank of Montreal has announced that it will grow its retail banking presence in North America with the acquisition of Marshall & Ilsley (M&I), a Wisconsin-based bank, for $4.1bn its largest US acquisition to date. The president and chief executive of Bank of Montreal, Bill Downe, said that the acquisition was part of the banks strategy to strengthen its businesses in the Midwest states of North America.
Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank launches football credit card
Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank (ADIB) has a football themed credit card in partnership with the UAE Football League (UFL) as part of the banks affinity marketing campaign. Cardholders will receive a 1% cash-back on all purchases and be included in monthly football-related prize draws when they make monthly purchases of more than AED200 ($54.45). Global head of retail banking at ADIB, Sarvesh Sarup, said: The ADIB Football Fan Visa Card demonstrates our commitment to appeal to the aspirations of football fans in the UAE
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BBVA launches credit card business in India
Spanish-lender BBVA has formed a joint venture with Bank of Baroda, an Indian bank, to establish a credit card business in India. The venture is the latest in BBVA strategy to enter new and emerging markets through building relationships with regional institutions.
BNP Paribas to double presence in Poland by 2015
Frances largest lender, BNP Paribas (BNPP), wants to double its presence in Poland through its local subsidiary within the next five years. The head of BNPPs Polish unit, Frederic Amoudru, told French newspaper La Tribune that the banks focus will be to grow organically. BNPP currently has 240 branches in Poland and 400,000 clients in total and a retail banking market share of around 2%.
Lloyds TSB launches social media promo
Lloyds TSB has launched a new campaign asking customers to create a new animated character for its next television advertisement. Customers can log on to the banks website and create an animated figure, similar to the one featured on its previous ad campaign. The characters will have to be uploaded on the Lloyds TSB Facebook Gallery and visitors can then vote for their favourite character to be featured in the upcoming advertising campaign.
MasterCard, Gemalto, Garanti, Avea roll out first NFC-enabled mobile payment service in Turkey
MasterCard, Gemalto, Turkish lender Garanti and Turkish mobile phone operator Avea have rolled out an antenna-equipped SIM card mobile payment service that integrates wireless near field communication (NFC). The partners said that Turkey was the first country to offer NFC-compatible mobile phones that feature an N-flex SIM card and a flexible NFC antenna. The NFC mobile payment solution is supported by MasterCards PayPass technology and will be promoted by BonusluAvea, the reward scheme of the mobile operator, and Garanti.
SEB deploys Vasco’s Digipass 920 to protect customers’ online ID
Nordic bank SEB has announced that it will deploy Digipass 920, a digital signature and card protection device that guards transactions, by vendor Vasco data Security. Digipass 920 is a USB connected card reader that features What You See Is What You Sign, signature capability and smart card PIN protection Vasco said that the Digipass 920 meets the high-security demands of corporate banking and retail banking, as well as e-government transactions.