OREANDA-NEWS. February 29, 2012. PrivatBank is going to open 227 new branches in 2012.

This fact was announced by Yuri Pikush, PrivatBank's General Deputy Chairman. According to him, despite the average trend on reducing number of banking offices in Ukraine, PrivatBank does not intend to decelerate its network development. Bank's new offices will be focused primarily on creating comfortable conditions for customers.

If in January 2011 almost 1.5 million customers visited us every day, by December the bank has been already serving 2 million customers per day, - says Yuri Pikush. - This customer number growth requires the adequate expansion of our network, not only in quantity but in quality as well.

First of all, PrivatBank‘s new offices will be opened on thoroughfares and major streets of cities. Besides, the Bank will continue the developing its branch network in small towns and villages, whose residents would not have to go to large cities to receive money transfer, pay bills or buy a train ticket. Today, in every PrivatBank office, in addition to traditional banking services you can buy railway and air tickets, connect to the mobile Internet or purchase fuel cards.

In addition to the expanding its networks the Bank has significantly increased the number of payment offices - in 2012 our customers can make payments not only at cash-desks, but also at any desk of an office’s employee in case of sums up to UAH1,000. Bankers, however, remind that clients can pay for utilities and other services without even visiting the bank, but distantly: by means of calling to free short number 3700 via mobile phones.

The largest networks among Ukrainian commercial banks – 3’394 - belongs to PrivatBank. The Bank increased it by 206 branches in 2011. Every day more than 1 million people are served at PrivatBank offices. The number of people who use PrivatBank office services increased by 57% during 2011. Overally, the Bank serves 1.5 million to 2 million of customers per day.

PrivatBank is the largest Ukrainian bank and the leader of Ukrainian retail banking. At the end of 2011 the bank's assets reached UAH145.1 billion, equity capital - UAH16.7 billion. PrivatBank attracted UAH70.3 billion of individual deposits, its retail loan portfolio totals UAH26.2 billion by the end of 2011. 3’394 branches and offices, 7’504 ATMs, 3’937self-service terminals and 54’486 POS-terminals are now working in the Bank's networks.