The Nova KBM Supervisory Board was yesterday informed of the results of operations of Nova KBM and the Nova KBM Group for the first two months of the year. According to unaudited data, Nova KBM managed to generate a net profit from continuing operations in this period, and registered an increase in deposits and corporate loans. The supervisors unanimously appointed Robert Senica as a new Management Board member, with the start of his term of office being subject to the approval of the Bank of Slovenia. Robert Senica, who has recently acted as the President of the Management Board of Poštna banka Slovenije (PBS), will join Aleš Hauc and Igor Žibrik on the Nova KBM Management Board. His main responsibility will be to develop the commercial operations of the Bank.
For the period from January through February 2014, Nova KBM reported a net profit from continuing operations and an increase in customer deposits. A total of over 1,300 corporate loans were discussed by various credit committees of the Bank in the first two months of the year. In addition to approving 150 new loans, the credit committees decided to restructure a significant number of existing loans. Most of the new loans were given to small and medium-sized companies, i.e. the segment that is at the centre of the Bank´s new corporate banking strategy. During the first two months of the year, the Bank also managed to improve its profitability and cost efficiency. Further details regarding the operations of the Bank in the first quarter of the year are expected to be published at the end of April.
Robert Senica, the newly appointed member of the Nova KBM Management Board, has over 13 years of experience in banking, finance, and commercial activities. He started his career in 2000 at Banka Celje. Between 2007 and 2013, he worked at Hypo Leasing, where he held various management positions, including Manager of the Celje Business Area, Director of Sales, and Legal Representative of the company. Since January 2013, he has been acting as the President of the PBS Management Board, with his responsibility being crisis management and market reposition of the bank. Despite the difficult conditions in the banking market, he managed to run PBS, a Nova KBM subsidiary with 242 employees, successfully and efficiently. A decision regarding the appointment of a new President of the PBS Management Board will be reached soon by the PBS Supervisory Board. In accordance with the commitments set out in the restructuring programme, Nova KBM will soon start to gradually integrate the operations of PBS, which has been 99.1% owned by Nova KBM since last December, into its own operations.
»The main goal of the restructuring programme is to restore the profitability of the Bank. We believe that the experience of the newly appointed third member of the Management Board, Robert Senica, may greatly contribute to the accomplishment of this goal« said Peter Kukovica, Chairman of the Nova KBM Supervisory Board, following the Supervisory Board meeting.
»The positive results of the first two months of the year suggest that we are on the right track to meet our profit projection for 2014. Moreover, these results prove that we have taken the right steps and decisions to improve the performance of the Bank, while at the same time encouraging us to continue implementing the necessary changes«, added Aleš Hauc, President of the Nova KBM Management Board.
The Supervisory Board was also informed that the implementation of the restructuring programme was being carried out in line with the commitments set out in the restructuring programme, of which some of the most important are as follows: a reduction in NPLs in the total loan portfolio; gradual downsizing of total assets; a reduction in operating costs and a streamlining of business processes, including the optimisation of the branch network; improvements in the corporate governance system as well as the risk management and the loan origination models; focus of the Nova KBM Group on traditional banking services; and divestment, i.e. the sale of non-strategic assets. The procedures related to the liquidation of KBM Fineko are continuing according to the plan, while the procedures for the sale of the Group´s leasing companies have started recently. A decision with respect to future operations of Adria Bank will be reached by the Adria Bank Shareholders´ Meeting, presumably in April.
In accordance with the applicable legislation and good business practice Nova KBM d.d. hereby gives the following notice:
