Koper/Ljubljana, 13 June (STA) - The Slovenian branch of the Italian Intesa Sanpaolo banking group is moving its head office in Slovenia from Koper to Ljubljana in line with its 2018-2021 strategy. The new office in Ljubljana will employ 80 people.
The bank, whose headcount topped 750 at the end of last year and which has been holding more than a 70% market share in the Obalno-Kraška region in the south west, thus wants to expand its influence to central Slovenia.
"Our current business results and the flourishing Slovenian economy suggest it's time to take this step that will allow the bank to grow further," CEO Jozef Kausich said.
Intesa Sanpaolo, the Italian group operating in more than 40 countries, acquired the precursor of its Slovenian branch, the former Banka Koper, in 2002. The bank was renamed in January 2017.
Its leadership said at the time that it would focus on working with individuals and small companies, asset management, big companies, and structural financing and investment banking.
The bank posted a net profit of EUR 4.2m last year, up almost 80% from the year before. It is the sixth biggest commercial bank in the country with 52 branches across Slovenia.