The prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis met with the Group’s CEO of Unicredit Andrea Orcel and its chief executive Alpha Bank Vasilis Psaltis, at Maximus Mansion.
At the start of the meeting, the prime minister noted: “Welcome and congratulations. I am very pleased with your decision to significantly increase your share of Alpha Bank. I always believed that Europe needed stronger and more competitive banks. In this spirit, every cross -border cooperation should be for the benefit of not only the shareholders but also of all the banks involved.
I believe that you are obviously seeing the important opportunities in the Greek banking industry and you are also increasing your share at a time when both the Greek and the Italian economy seem to be much better than many have believed. This is an interesting collaboration between countries in the South, which may have surprised some of our friends, some of our friends in the north, in terms of our financial performance.
I am also very interested in discussing new opportunities, new products and how Alpha Bank can contribute more to funding the development of the Greek economy, utilizing your specialization and your balance sheet elements. I am sure there are many interesting things we can do together. I am very happy to say it again, for your decision and congratulate you. “
For his part, the Managing Director of the Unicredit Andrea Orcel Group said: “Thank you, Mr Prime Minister. I am very happy for the investment. We started together. The second step is proof that cooperation with Alpha works very well. I think the expectations we had when we started what we could do together were much lower than what we have achieved in less than a year. There is much more we are discussing now.
With Alpha leadership we discuss how to combine, for example, our social programs, with more business activities and supporting society in a wider way, now that banks are stronger. I think we are very much benefited from the connection to Greece and Greece is very benefiting from its connection to the 13 countries we are in. We are perfectly aligned, very happy and I am very happy to be in the environment of the development and opportunities of this country. “
Alpha Bank CEO Vasilis Psaltis said: “Alpha Bank – Unicredit, the first of its kind in Greece after the financial crisis, is a tangible expression of confidence in the future of our country and is steadily put Greece in the core of a stronger and more integrated European Banking Union. Expanding this collaboration not only creates new opportunities for Greek businesses, giving them access to the wider European market, but at the same time brings the citizens of our country closer to the valuable experience of Unicredit in shaping products that enhance innovation and support sustainable development. “
During the meeting, Alpha Bank’s chief executive presented initiatives taken by the bank, responding to the urging and policies of the government aimed at acquiring an affordable housing and stimulating the funding of the real economy.
Regarding the housing, it was noted that Alpha Bank is conducting a special study, which will be submitted to the government, with the aim of highlighting policy proposals to enhance offering and facilitating citizens in trying to acquire home.
It was also emphasized that Alpha Bank places particular emphasis on financial inclusion, with solutions that contribute to the best access to sub -served or remote areas of the country to financial services, a front where the bank’s cooperation with ELTA is expected to contribute.