Garanti Group is formed of Garanti Bank, which has been present on the local banking market for more than 12 years. At the end of 2010, Garanti Bank expanded its operations in leasing and financial areas through the integration of three financial institutions: Garanti Leasing (the brand under which the company Motoractive Leasing IFN SA operates), Garanti Credite de Consum (the brand under which Ralfi IFN SA operates) and Garanti Credite Ipotecare (the brand under which Domenia Credit IFN SA operates).
Garanti Bank is an universal bank with a complete range of qualitative products and innovative services for all business segments. Garanti Bank benefits of the mother bank’s support, Garanti Turkey, the second largest private bank in Turkey that registered assets exceeding EUR 66 billion and a consolidated net profit of EUR 1.65 billion at the end of 2010, having more than 10 million customers, 863 branches, a network of more than 3,000 ATMs and 405,000 POS terminals. In Turkey, Garanti products and services were acknowledged by many international publications and institutions. Thus, in 2010, Euromoney Magazine, one of the most important international financial publications, designated Garanti as "The best local bank in Turkey" and "The Best Managed Company in Central and Eastern Europe", both distinctions being awarded for the second time in a row. The two project finance transactions developed throughout 2009 were awarded by the Project Finance magazine, a leading publication of Euromoney, as Europe’s Financing Agreement of the Year in 2009 in their relative sectors.
Garanti Bank is present in Romania since 1998 and until 2007 offered banking services for Romanian and international companies. Since 2007, Garanti Bank developed products and services for individuals and SMEs, extending at the same time its network of agencies, ATMs and POS terminals.
Garanti Bank launched innovative products and services among which Bonus Card - the first multi-branded chip card in Romania, contactless payment tools that use MasterCard PayPass technology, Garanti Bank24 - the debit card that offers bonus for purchases made at merchants, Bonus Card with mirror - a credit card offering to ladies a mirror as a beauty accesory, WWF Bonus Card - the first eco-affinity credit card on the banking market in Romania, multifunctional ATMs allowing the invoice payment with cash, without using the card.
In 2010, Garanti Bank significantly increased its assets that exceeded EUR 1.4 billion, ranking 14th in the Top of Romanian banks, by 3 places higher than in 2009. At the same time, the loans increased by more than 45% as compared to year-end 2009, up to EUR 750 million.
Garanti Bank currently operates a network of 75 agencies, 162 ATMs and more than 7,000 POSs. At the end of 2010, the number of Garanti Bank customers reached 200,000.
Garanti Bank was designated "The best consumer internet banking in Romania" in 2008 and 2009, within the annual award ceremony organized by the renown magazine Global Finance. The internet banking service was also awarded by e-Finance magazine in 2010 for "The highest growth rate of users’ number in 2009 as compared to 2008". In addition, Garanti Bank was awarded in October 2010, within Cards Forum, the distinction "The most active bank on the cards market in Romania" for the excellent results of its cards activity registered in the first semester of 2010. The excellent results obtained by Bonus Card, the credit card issued by Garanti Bank, were awarded twice, within e-Finance and No-Cash Awards Galas, organized in March 2010.