Jelena Galić, President of the AIK Bank Executive Board, speaks about the future of Gorenjska Bank, the digitalization that has become imperative for every serious company, strategic goals, and the corporate sector.
In the new constellation of forces on the Slovenian banking market, where do you see the Gorenjska Bank?
As a reliable, profitable, locally recognized bank with a good capital base, Gorenjska Bank was our logical choice. It provides an excellent basis for further development in the region. Our goal is to make Gorenjska Bank a strong national bank, and together with AIK Bank, also an international one. Positioning Gorenjska Bank as a prominent institution in the Slovenian market will, of course, include the introduction of up-to-date business practices and further work on improving the market presence in Slovenia.
You recently said that AIK Bank’s goals in Slovenia were regional development and expansion. Can you share more details about your strategy?
Expanding the business outside the Serbian market and building a stable and strong regional banking institution is one of the key strategic goals of AIK Bank. In today’s business banking, the achievement of such goals implies the successful realization of plans in very different business segments, careful consideration of the opportunities for new acquisitions, introduction of the latest digital products in the banking market, expansion of the base of satisfied clients and further development of investment banking within the existing operations. We aim to achieve strong market recognition, built on excellent financial decisions and an exceptional offer of banking products and services.
Abanka, which you were interested in, was recently sold to NKBM. Are there any other banks in the Slovenian market that you might be interested in, or was Gorenjska Bank the last one of the interesting acquisitions in this market?
At this moment, I can say that we are analyzing and considering all the opportunities for further acquisitions in the entire region. We are ready for further consolidations both in domestic and regional banking markets. I believe that the successful takeover of the Gorenjska Bank has clearly demonstrated our readiness and determination to respond to all the challenges that our strategy and our region present.
What is Gorenjska Bank preparing for the corporate sector?
The Gorenjska Bank aims to continue strengthening its operations and to expand the existing base of corporate clients. In this regard, we are paying special attention to the quality of our services in this important segment. We want to be recognized as a reliable and responsible financial partner in our clients’ business projects, with an extensive selection of products and services we offer. It is also important to emphasize special services we can provide to clients with business activities both in Slovenia and Serbia, as we operate in these markets. In addition to real-time transactions under more favorable conditions between the clients of our banks in these two markets, this also includes an advisory role where, according to the “one-stop-shop” concept, we can provide all the information about companies and business opportunities both in Serbia and Slovenia. Through the development of our business and expansion of the regional presence, we plan to further develop the possibilities of such a platform and thus significantly contribute to the improvement of the quality of the banking services at the regional level.
Digital innovations in the pipeline
Digitalization is one of the most important topics, especially in banking. In which direction is Gorenjska Bank developing in this area?
Digitalization saves time and provides 24/7 access to banking services, and if you plan to stay in the market game, it is inevitable. In this respect, the domestic banking sector is following the trends in Europe, and AIK Bank is one of the leading banks in Serbia in terms of implementing online services. The use of the best business practices in the field of digitalization, as well as the application of new technologies and innovations we are planning, will undoubtedly contribute to the development and acceleration of further growth of the Gorenjska Bank, and enhance its appeal to clients who are increasingly using this type of service.