OREANDA-NEWS. April 09, 2010. For the second time, Halyk Bank wins the prestigious Best Retail Bank in Kazakhstan, Award 2010, having maintained its market leadership in a difficult year.

Over 120 banks and financial institutions from 23 countries across the Asia Pacific, Gulf and Central Asian regions were evaluated as part of the Excellence in Retail Financial Services Programme.

Halyk Bank has been named Best Retail Bank in Kazakhstan for the year 2009, in the ninth Asian Banker Excellence in Retail Financial Services Awards Programme 2010. The bank received the award at The Asian Banker Excellence in Retail Financial Services Awards 2010 ceremony, held in conjunction with the region’s foremost retail banking event, the Excellence in Retail Financial Services Convention. The ceremony was held at the JW Marriot in Shanghai on the evening of March 18th, 2010.

About 120 senior bankers from award winning banks in 22 countries across the Asia Pacific, the Gulf and Central Asian regions attended the formal gala dinner, the industry’s celebration of the region’s best retail bankers that recognizes their efforts in bringing superior products and services to their customers.

The awards programme, administered by The Asian Banker and refereed by prominent global bankers, consultants and academics, is the most prestigious of its kind.

A stringent three month-long evaluation process, based on a balanced and transparent scorecard, determined the winners and the position of the different retail banks in the region.

For the second time, Halyk Bank wins the prestigious Best Retail Bank in Kazakhstan, Award 2010, having maintained its market leadership in a difficult year Halyk Bank won the Best Retail Bank in Kazakhstan for its strong performance in 2009, based on solid revenue growth in particular from fee income.

During 2009, the bank benefited from its position of a reliable and trustworthy financial institution. In practice, this resulted in an increase of retail term deposits by 22.8% and retail current accounts by 14.1% for the twelve months of 2009.  During the same period the number of payment cards holders of the bank increased by 11.1% resulting in a 39.6% market share. The number of mobile phone banking clients grew by 16.3%.

The bank optimised its operating performance by continuously improving and streamlining business process. As a result of the automation of retail business processes, lending and plastic card issuance procedures have become more effective and less time consuming.

"Halyk Bank’s growing number of mobile services, such as visa-to-visa money transfer, receipt of information on current status and recent activities with card transactions, helped to raise the popularity of the bank’s mobile banking proposition", said Mr. Chris Kapfer, head of Excellence in Retail Financial Services Awards Programme at The Asian Banker.

Over 120 banks and financial institutions from 23 countries across the Asia Pacific, Gulf and Central Asian regions were evaluated as part of the Excellence in Retail Financial Services Programme.

“This year over 120 banks and financial institutions in 23 countries across the region were evaluated as part of the Excellence in Retail Financial Services Programme. It has become the single most prestigious, comprehensive and anticipated awards programme that recognises the pursuit of excellence amongst retail financial institutions available almost anywhere in the world today,” said Philippe Paillart, Chairman of The Asian Banker Excellence in Retail Financial Services Programme.

The transparent award evaluation process uses a balanced scorecard approach and a comprehensive methodology to evaluate the strength of individual banks’ retail banking businesses that involves extensive research and probing interviews, and taps on the combined experience of a team of experienced researchers.

Strause, Paillart, formerly vice chairman and CEO of DBS Bank and a pioneer in the retail banking industry in the Asia Pacific region, added: “The Asian Banker Excellence Programme was instituted in 2001 on the premise that an outstanding player in the retail financial services industry should build business franchises that are sustainable, competitive and profitable over a period of time.”