The merger process of SKB Bank and Nova KBM has been going on since last February, when the OTP Group bought Nova KBM. Before that, it entered the Slovenian market at the end of 2019 with the purchase of SKB banka. The goal of their integration is to create a leading financial institution in the country, which will provide high-quality banking services and products with even greater added value, both in the retail and in the corporate segment.
After the merger, the unified bank will be renamed OTP banka d. d. You will recognize it by the new logo, which will be gradually introduced at the bank's contact points. The replacement of the banks' logo with the new one will happen gradually, so for a certain period after the merger, the existing bank logos will still be in use in some places.
The merger brings important changes especially for SKB banka’s clients, who will be migrated to Nova KBM's information system a few days later, expectedly on 1 September 2024, and will start using new or customized banking products. Both banks have already started informing clients, and in the coming period they are planning many additional notifications and instructions, all with the aim of making the transition to the combined bank as simple and smooth as possible for clients. Thus, all clients have already received a comprehensive notification with described advantages, changes and instructions. Both banks have also established a special location on their websites where all information about the changes is published, with key questions and answers, and colleagues in the contact centres are also available to help clients at info@nkbm.si and at info@skb.si. Clients can also receive additional information in branches or from their advisors.
By combining the best of both banks, OTP banka brings an excellent banking experience, as it wishes to realize the vision of being the best bank in Slovenia. The merger of two successful banks in the Slovenian banking environment is an important historical turning point. The real winners of this merger will be the clients, as they will gain access to a combined bank with the most banking points in the country, the best products and services, as well as the best-rated digital banking channels.
Competitive advantage in Slovenia and significant added value and benefits for clients also come from benefits within the OTP Group, which is a successful international banking group that provides services for around 17 million clients across 12 markets in Central and Eastern Europe, and one in Central Asia. The strengthening of cross-border cooperation already enables clients of Nova KBM and SKB banka, members of the OTP Group, to benefit from transactions at ATMs abroad. With a personal Visa debit card, you can withdraw cash completely free of charge at the ATMs of most members of the OTP Group. In addition to Slovenia, this is now also possible in Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Montenegro, Bulgaria, Albania, Ukraine and Moldova.
Please, visit also:
www.skb.si/zdruzitev
www.nkbm.si/zdruzitev
www.otpgroup.info
About the OTP Group
The OTP Group is one of the fastest growing and one of the leading banking groups in Central and Eastern Europe with exceptional profitability and a stable capital and liquidity position. The Group ranks among the 30 largest banks in Europe both in terms of market capitalization and profitability*, and its balance sheet total exceeds 100 billion EUR. It is the 4th most stress-resilient banking group in Europe, according to the CET1 rate decrease under three years stress scenario based on the European Banking Authority’s European banking stress test 2023.
With more than 41,000 employees in now 12 countries of the CEE and Central Asian region, the Group provides universal financial services to 17 million customers. As the most active consolidator in the banking sector of the Central and Eastern European region, the Group has successfully acquired and integrated 23 banks since the early 2000s. Currently, the Bank is a market leader in Hungary, Bulgaria, Serbia, Montenegro, and in Slovenia**. OTP Group is headquartered in Hungary and has a diversified and transparent ownership structure. The Banking Group has been listed on the Budapest Stock Exchange since 1995.
*Net income of 2023, market capitalization as of 24/06/2024, S&P Capital IQ, Europe excluding Turkey
**In terms of total assets: Hungary (31/12/2023), Montenegro (31/03/2024), in terms of total loans: Bulgaria (31/03/2024), Serbia (31/03/2024), and Slovenia (31/12/2023)
An important milestone has been reached in the merger process of Nova KBM and SKB banka. In recent days, the European Central Bank and the Bank of Slovenia have issued approvals for the merger of banks into one legal entity. The legal merger of the banks is scheduled for 22 August 2024, and the following day the merged bank will be renamed OTP banka d. d.
