Ulster Bank Wins Business Bank Of The Year Award
22nd May 2008
For an unprecedented four years running, Ulster Bank has been crowned Business Bank of the Year at the KPMG Financial Services Excellence Awards. The award was presented to the bank last night and cements Ulster Bank's achievements in introducing market leading products and initiatives for businesses across the island of Ireland in the last year.
The Financial Services Excellence Awards are designed to recognise excellence in the financial services industry, with judges giving consideration to market performance, innovation, customer service, being an employer of choice, and corporate social responsibility.
Commenting after the awards ceremony, Robert Gallagher, Chief Executive, Ulster Bank Corporate Markets, said Ulster Bank was delighted to receive the award in recognition of a record performing year for the bank.
"In 2007, Ulster Bank achieved a number of record performances in the area of business banking, including a 27% increase in lending and continued share growth in all of our key markets. Ulster Bank continues to invest in providing practical and competitive solutions to meet our customers banking needs, from the best business banking deal for start-ups to OneCard, Ireland's first all-in-one expenses and purchasing card."
"In 2007, we continued to move toward our aim of being the number one business bank on the island of Ireland, hiring an additional 350 staff to expand our business banking teams across all regions. Our mix of excellent staff and market leading products has led us to have both the highest growth and retention rates in the market."
Ulster Bank financed the €3bn development of the historical Titanic Quarter in Belfast, winning an award for the deal. Renewable energy continued to be a major growth area, with projects including €15m funding for Green Biofuels, the first large-scale biodiesel production plant in Ireland and funding for Airsoshin Windfarm and SWS, two renewable energy power plants.
Retail Sector deals included the funding of Northern Ireland's Commercial Development of the Year, the discount retail shopping centre, 'The Outlet', for £50m and funding for Alchemy Partners leveraged acquisition of A-Wear from Brown Thomas Group.
Ulster Bank is the only bank represented in the Top 50 Great Places to Work Institute Ireland List. In 2007, the bank won 8 awards for excellence, deal innovation and services to the entrepreneurial community, including the KPMG Business Banking Excellence Award 2007, the Meteor Cork Business Bank of the Year 2007; the Best in Ireland Structured Products Annual European Awards and Finance Magazine Deal of the Year 2007 for Best Bank Funding Deal.