Anadi Bank hands over branch network and majority of SME business to GRAWE Banking Group

Anadi Bank has successfully completed the spin-off of its branch network. On September 14th, the bank handed over its ten Carinthian branches with around 42,000 retail customers, 250 SME customers and a customer business volume of almost EUR 1.7 billion to Bank Burgenland of the GRAWE Banking Group. Anadi CEO Christian Kubitschek: "We are transferring our branch network and the majority of our SME business into the experienced hands of the GRAWE Banking Group. We will invest the capital generated from the transaction in our digital strategy 4.0, with which we will also expand from Austria into other countries."

Klagenfurt, September 16th, 2024 - On September 14th, the spin-off of Anadi Bank's "Retail Banking Carinthia" operations to Bank Burgenland of the GRAWE Banking Group became legally effective ("closing"). This brings Anadi Bank's "Quadriga" project to a successful conclusion. The subject of the transaction are the ten Carinthian branches with around 42.000 retail customers, around 250 SME customers and a total customer business volume of almost EUR 1.7 billion. Around 70 employees will be taken over by the GRAWE Banking Group. The equity, the banking license, more than 20.000 customers, around 180 employees and total assets of around EUR 1.5 billion will remain with Anadi Bank. Christian Kubitschek, CEO of Anadi Bank, emphasizes: "Bank Burgenland of the GRAWE Banking Group is the ideal acquirer of our branch network and the majority of our SME business in Carinthia. Our customers will be in good hands with GRAWE Bankengruppe under the Bank Burgenland Kärnten brand. I would like to thank the GRAWE Banking Group for the smooth and always trusting negotiation and transfer process."

Christian Jauk, CEO of the GRAWE Banking Group: "The branch business in Carinthia fits very well with our own business model and the values of Bank Burgenland. With this takeover, we are making a clear commitment to upscale branch business. Personal contact between customers and advisors remains a key success factor for us. For this reason, we have decided not to close any of the acquired branches and to integrate all employees into our team. We are determined to gain the trust of our new customers and employees and to continue to guarantee the high quality of our advice. We would like to thank Anadi Bank for the professional cooperation during the intensive preparation period leading up to the takeover."

Banking services continue unchanged

The IT migration went according to plan and was carried out with the utmost professionalism by Accenture TiGital together with the teams from both banks. Continuity and a smooth handover of customers were particularly important to both contractual partners. Following the announcement of the transaction, Anadi Bank increased its customer service resources in order to respond to all customer questions. All customers were informed of the details: The banking services offered will continue unchanged. Bank Burgenland Kärnten will take over accounts and other banking products at the existing conditions. In addition, the new owner will continue to employ all customer advisors, which was of great importance for both sides in the transaction in order to ensure continuity in the customer relationship. Anadi Bank's customers will continue to be provided with modern banking services at the highest level.

Capital generated for investments as part of Strategy 4.0

The transaction will significantly increase Anadi Bank's total capital ratio. Anadi Bank's high capitalization will be used in the coming years for investments, primarily in digitalization initiatives, as part of Strategy 4.0, which includes product and process innovations as well as expansion into other countries. The earnings in the three business areas of Digital Banking, Corporate Banking and Public Finance will also contribute to further strengthening Anadi Bank's capital base over time. "This will enable us to finance our ambitious growth targets from our own resources. With the transfer of this business, we are reaching the final milestone in our Strategy 3.0, which opens the door to Strategy 4.0. Following the completion of the transaction, we will focus on the Digital Banking, Public Finance and Corporate Banking business areas as a highly capitalized and fast-growing bank," Kubitschek continued.

Anadi Bank continues to expand its digital strategy

Easily scalable tablet-based banking is a central component of the digital strategy. This solution can be rolled out quickly and cost-effectively in new markets with a wide range of partners. In Austria, for example, more than 150 tobacconists are already providing simple and low-threshold access to Anadi Bank products under the name "MARIE". More than 850 financial service providers in Austria can use "Anadi Connect" to offer their customers current accounts and consumer loans. The expansion of Anadi Connect to Germany has already started with a pilot project. In Germany, the bank is already active with digital loans for SMEs, among other things.

Anadi Bank offers many other digital products, such as online consumer loans, current accounts and online savings products with attractive interest rates thanks to favorable cost and process structures. The digital consumer loan scores with speed and first-class customer service. It is regularly at the top of industry rankings.

Strengthening the Carinthian location

Currently, more than 140 Anadi Bank employees are already working in digital banking jobs. In recent years, almost 100 digital jobs have been created in Carinthia, with Anadi Bank making a tangible contribution to strengthening Carinthia as a business and digital location. The strategic cooperation with the University of Klagenfurt launched last year to promote young talent is also driving forward promising topics such as digitalization and AI. Anadi Bank plans to create additional new jobs in Carinthia over the next few years. CEO Christian Kubitschek announces: "We are ideally equipped for our further expansion. With a customer-centric approach and the expansion of innovative banking solutions, we will continue our successful run in other EU countries from Carinthia."

About Anadi Bank

Anadi Bank is focusing on the Digital Banking, Public Finance and Corporate Banking business segments. The bank is consistently and vigorously expanding its digital offering. In Austria, Anadi Bank has already successfully placed digital consumer loans and tablet-based banking with the brands "MARIE" (cooperation with tobacco stores) and "Anadi Connect" (cooperation with financial service providers). The bank also offers digital SME working capital loans on the German market. Anadi Bank employs around 180 people in total.