Postbank

Postbank, part of the international Eurobank Group, has successfully completed the deal for the acquisition of the commercial enterprise and the activity of BNP Paribas Personal Finance, the Bulgarian branch of BNP Paribas Personal Finance S.A., France. As of Thursday, 1 June 2023, the branch's activities are transferred to the Postbank family and it continues to work on the Bulgarian market under the brand PB Personal Finance by Postbank, maintaining its business model.  The deal was finalised in accordance with Bulgarian legislation and after receiving the necessary approvals from the competent authorities. It is another step forward for Postbank in its position as a systemic bank for the market, but also of key importance for the Eurobank Group as part of its strategy to expand its activities with a focus on significant regional markets in which it is a leader.

As a result of the deal, Postbank strengthens its leadership position in retail banking and now occupies second place in the consumer lending market, adding a new client base to its portfolio and acquiring a portfolio of over BGN 960 million in consumer loans. It generates significant opportunities for cross-selling as well as implementing innovative digital solutions for client convenience. With the successful finalisation of the deal, a team of exceptional professionals with a proven level of expertise and strategic vision in banking joins the Postbank team.

After the transfer of the business, Postbank will continue to provide the full range of BNP Paribas Personal Finance services through the product line PB Personal Finance by Postbank to its current and new clients at the same high standard of service. Pursuant to the signed agreement, Postbank will include in its portfolio of financial services for individuals also the Deposits with Future platform – opening and management of deposits entirely online.

"For more than 30 years, Postbank has been working with a clear strategic vision for the future and for the sustainable growth of our business. With the acquisition of the activities of BNP Paribas Personal Finance S.A., branch Bulgaria, we once again confirm our ambitions as a key leader in the financial services market and our desire to be the bank that provides its clients with innovative concepts and solutions combined with flexibility and efficiency. We join our extensive experience in the Bulgarian market, the resources and the professional competence of both teams to continue to offer a perfect experience and personalised financial products and services to our current and future clients. The combined talent of the team also comes with the ambition to change banking, combining the most modern technologies with traditional methods, individual approaches and professional advice. Under the new brand PB Personal Finance by Postbank, clients will continue to receive a variety of attractive products and fast services in order to fully meet their expectations and high demands. The creative approach and innovative ideas are deeply embedded in the values of both companies and this is the key to a new understanding of banking that we share and will integrate into a new Beyond Banking concept providing more value and benefits to clients", commented Petia Dimitrova, CEO of Postbank.

For many years, BNP Paribas Personal Finance has maintained a serious presence in consumer lending in Bulgaria by offering quality services, and its business has achieved high profitability in recent years. The profit after taxes of the branch for the first quarter of 2023 exceeds BGN 10 million. In this regard, the transfer of its activities to Postbank brings additional retail benefits for the institution, including total assets in the amount of nearly BGN 990 million, gross loans in the amount of over BGN 960 million and deposits of BGN 180 million. As a result of the merger, 44 new locations will expand the capabilities of Postbank's modern branch network, offering only the products and services of PB Personal Finance by Postbank.

The acquisition of BNP Paribas Personal Finance’s business is the third for Postbank, after two successful acquisition deals in a record short time – first, of the branch of Alpha Bank in Bulgaria, and then of Piraeus Bank Bulgaria, with which the company started the wave of bank consolidations on the Bulgarian market.