Bank Handlowy w Warszawie (BHW), the listed bank, has only recently become interested in the retail market, including mortgage loans. Slawomir Sikora, the bank’s CEO, does not worry for the delay in comparison to rivals.
„Our analyses show that retail credits of the Poles amount to 15 percent of the annual GDP. Only Lithuania and Slovakia are worse than Poland. In old EU countries the average debt amounts to 63 percent of the GDP”, Slawomir Sikora explained.
An average Pole has EUR 1,000 of credit while in 15 EU countries it amounts to EUR 16,700.
“We have a lot to make up. The Poles will take credits and BHW will be present with its offer”, the CEO believed.
BHW wants to take advantage of the fact that it is number one in the corporate banking.
“17,000 of companies operating in Poland are our clients. We want their owners, managers or employees to find everything they need in BHW”, Slawomir Sikora explained.
The bank no longer divides its clients into corporate and retail ones. BHW sales are supposed to be supported by CitiFinancial, the company which till last year focused on consumption credits only. Today, it sells mortgage loans and credit cards as well.