Handelsbanken (commercial bank) continues to grow in the UK. Over 70 offices are now established and the business volumes are increasing all the time.
- We also see continued strong growth ahead. Our decentralized model - where virtually all major business decisions are taken close to the customer, at our offices - requires a short, efficient and speedy way to the central support functions. To maintain and strengthen this approach, we will now open a second regional bank, while establishing a separate headquarter for Great Britain, says the Group CEO, Pär Boman.
Each office of Handelsbanken is linked to a regional bank. There are common administrative resources, regional expertise and specialists to support the agency's business. In Sweden there are six regional banks - Norway, Denmark and Finland have one each.
Handelsbanken in the UK now receive its third regional bank.
- We already have a region bank in the south and one in northern Britain. Now, we have a business big enough to organize the office network of three regional banks, northern, central and southern Britain, says Pär Boman.
Handelsbanken is a global universal bank. Therefore, there are also central units which ensure a broad and competitive range of products and services. For business with institutions and large corporations, Handelsbanken has also gathered specific, highly specialized skills in an investment bank and asset management. These units are centrally located at Handelsbanken's head office in Stockholm. The task of the head office is to give agencies access to a large banks´ balance of skills and strength.
- We have now reached a point where it is good reason to do a similar mobilization of resources and capabilities, but perhaps a bit more tailored for Britain.
Therefore, Handelsbanken is now beginning the process of building up a special headquarter for Britain in London, with some of the skills that have so far been gathered in Stockholm.
- The alternative, to simply let the head office in Stockholm grow in order to meet the increased needs in the UK is considered to be given lower power, to cost more, and simply act in the opposite direction to our idea of being a bank where all the business decisions are made as close to the customer as possible.
Anders Bouvin was appointed to be the manager of Handelsbanken in Great Britian today. He is already Vice President of Handelsbanken and is part of the Bank Group. Anders Bouvin will start on March 1st. His most recent work was bank region manager of Handelsbanken in northern Britain. The bank has temporarily appointed Simon Lodge, currently operation manager at Regions Bank.
On March 1st, the regional bank manager for southern Britain, Magnus Uggla, leaves his post to become head of Handelsbanken International (see separate press release).Tracy Davidson, currently operating officer, becomes the acting head of regional banking in southern Britain. No head of the regional bank for middle Britain has yet been appointed.
- We are now implementing this change at the pace that suits our offices - nothing can disturb their business. Our decentralized business model is appreciated - and noted - a lot here in the UK, especially now, when many of our competitors are moving towards more central control and make decisions far away from the customer. Our new organization will allow us to turn something really good into something even better, says Anders Bouvin.
Cecilia Helland