INTERVIEW
Milan , November 30, 2015 – 11:26
A savings plan very intense with almost 18,000 staff cuts, made disposals, reorganizations beginning with Bank Austria .. .
“I want to say right away. The assessments have focused a lot, maybe too much, reducing costs. But ours is above all a plan of growth and transformation of the bank. For example, we aim to have one million customers in more than a year, objective already reached in 2015. consolidate our leadership in the European market of corporate and investment banking where we serve over 6,000 corporations and more than 300,000 small and medium. I think the private banking or the Central-Eastern Europe, where we want to continue to be number one. And then there’s the digital revolution is an endless race, and we, investing more than $ 1.2 billion, we want to finish in the top. “
Now the counter the files are a thing of the past.
” 85% of the work is done through internet banking, mobile phones, tablet. We want to get to 90%. Meanwhile, we are completely redesigning the way of banking. Through the use of big data and analysis of information on our customers, we aim by 2017 to instant loan for 40% of credit to households. “
“It will be possible to assess the reliability of customers in a super-fast and provides the loan in a few minutes. The same could happen in the corporate world starting from small businesses. In this case count, as always, management’s assessment and the history of the company, however, will be supplemented by information received and processed in real time on everything surrounding the company, from customers and suppliers. This will increase the supply of credit and its quality. This for us is the digital revolution. “
We will require fewer and fewer people at the counter.
“This is partly true, but there will also be a shift from support areas to business activity real. Over the next two years, for example, only Italian will be at least a thousand colleagues who will make this step. “
But credit to businesses is still in slow motion …
“I would not say. In the three years we hope to provide from 170 to 180 billion of new credit. 100 billion in Italy, 60 businesses and 40 families. Only for mortgages we think that about 250,000 Italian families decide to buy a house with Unicredit. “
You do not seem to be too optimistic …
“The climate, albeit slowly, is changing. The companies, after years of blockade, have resumed investments. Difficulties remain, but the positive signals are strengthened. One year ago on 100 euro loan requested, 90 were used to refinance old debt. Now 30-40 percent serves to growth plans. A turning point. “
But for banks to live with zero interest rates is a competitive scenario ever seen before.
“Until 2018 we think that rates will remain so. But thanks in particular to our presence in Central and Eastern Europe, where net interest income is almost double compared to the other countries of the continent and the demand for credit is more sustained, the group will also grow in the generation of net interest income. ”
About the foreign network, Unicredit bank is perhaps the most international of Italian institutions. Which in a period of turbulence as this, from Turkey to Russia to Ukraine, it is not proving a strength. But …
“The international presence as extensive offers benefits in terms of economies of scale and diversification. Today the economies of Central and Eastern Europe are growing almost twice the euro. There are times when the geographical diversification can create problems, but on a longer time the benefits are much higher than just a domestic presence. A number? Two thousand today from the Central and Eastern Europe has given about 15 billion of profit to the group. Even more so if we include Poland. “
The plan provides for the thing and businesses?
“In Europe we are the first bank in terms of total corporate credit disbursed and by number of customers; We are among the European leaders in trade finance and capital market now we go into all the investment banking major. We want to grow again. But we do not limit our ambitions to businesses. Even in private banking, where only Italy we manage over 100 billion euro of which approximately 30 in the higher-end customers, and that is by 5 million of assets in, we have great growth potential. Going back to the group in three years we aim to grow the total financial assets of our customers from 870 to around 1.1 trillion. “
“With Santander’s all agreed. We expect only the green light from the authorities. Together we will be in Santander in the top ten groups in Europe, with a worldwide network of over 20,000 branches. The new size will allow us to grow even faster in the segment of institutional investors that is more consistent and less cyclical than retail. “
Meanwhile in Italy in the system there is a mountain of sufferings to manage …
“A few have been noticed, but in the next 3 years we reduce our problem loans of 31 billion. In recent years we have made significant accruals and today we have the highest loan coverage in Italy. A major effort to address the problem. Maybe more than they did others. “
And the project for the bad bank system?
“At this point it is a confrontation between the government and Brussels. Or you find a solution within the year or is it better to think of anything else. Discuss, discuss. I do not understand the behavior of the EU legalistic. “
But something has been done with the rescue of Bank brands, Banca Etruria, CariChieti, CariFerrara?
“We wanted to make an intervention system for avoid a disorderly bankruptcy and a disorderly reaction of customers. All of it was interest. From January 1 will enter into force the new rules. “
is hard to resist with Pay- pal who steals the job.
“Now for payments There are app, start-up, money transfers directly with mobile phones. An open field where we have to play a very important paper: security. In uncertain times like these the bank still has a crucial role: it can ensure quality and simplicity along with the security of the service. Unicredit for the payments business is extremely important. Payment is itself a question, tells you who is the customer, his needs. Used very little information so far but indispensable in digital optical “.
How’s your investment in Mediobanca?
“We are satisfied. The development work abroad and also in retail the results are good. “
” We are waiting plan. We asked him stand still and we granted. Expect to see the industrial project that will arrive in December. “
You went through days with the complicated ‘ investigation on the loans and the involvement of the Vice President Fabrizio Palenzona …
“they have been said and heard much things. But now it is clear that the governance of the bank held, I have no doubt to say that again. The opening of the internal I signed myself with the president Giuseppe Vita and the board has been kept constantly informed. Personally, I was ready to make all the decisions of my competence. Then everything is clear both internally and judicial. “
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November 30, 2015 (modified November 30, 2015 | 24:47)
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