VKF_FRAE_2017

49 VakıfBank Annual Report 2017 »» INTERNATIONAL AWARDS TO VAKIFBANK At organizations held by international institutions during the year, VakıfBank was awarded in different fields ranging from mobile applications to credit cards, international bond issuances to in-house practices, thus once again demonstrating its innovative stance in banking products and services. The Bank’s Covered Bond issuance received Global Capital’s “Best financial institution issuance in developing markets” award, Milplus credit card received “Most innovative visa credit card award” at Vizyonist 2017, 720° Customer Management product received “Best marketing campaign of the year” at Stevie New Products and Services, OGM card product received “Best Marketing Campaign of the Year” award in Stevie Financial Card category, Overdraft Account and Trend Calculation for General Purpose Installment Loans product received “Customer Experience” award at the IDC IOT organization, and Mobil Field Sales App received “Internet of the Things” award at the IDC IOT organization. »» INTERNATIONAL MARKETS’ CONFIDENCE IN VAKIFBANK CONFIRMED VakıfBank, Turkey’s leading bank in the international markets, continued to raise non- deposit funding sources from abroad at convenient maturity terms and interest rates for Turkey in 2017 and thus continued its support to the real economy. The Bank increased the diversity of funding sources by securing loans of more than USD 5.1 billion, including syndication loans, bond issuances and loans from international financial institutions. The syndicated loans of over USD 1.8 billion secured in April and September were extended at a rate of above 100%. VakıfBank is the first issuer of mortgage-backed securities in Turkey; with its operations in this field during the year, the Bank raised funds worth approximately TL 2.7 billion and the resulting maturity terms and interest rates confirmed international markets’ confidence in our country and in VakıfBank. »» VAKIFBANK ANATOLIA SUMMITS VakıfBank’s top management visited Erzurum, Diyarbakır and Adana under the Anatolian Summits scheme in 2017, and had the opportunity to visits investments on-site and to meet with business leaders as well as local administrators in these regions. VakıfBank’s senior management also held meetings with the Bank’s managers active in the regions, communicating their expectations and strategies, discussing branch performances and situations one-on-one, and making various recommendations. At the summits, VakıfBank executives listened directly to the needs and demands of customers in these regions, and held very fruitful meetings, offering special solutions and developing new business partnerships. The routine meetings of the Board of Directors were held in these cities during the said visits. »» VAKIFBANK, CHAMPION OF EUROPE AND THE WORLD The VakıfBank Women’s Volleyball team went down in history, closing the year 2017 as the champions of both Europe and the world. VakıfBank won all of its matches at the 2017 CEV Champions League, and beat the home team Imoco Volley Conegliano at the finals of the organization held in the Italian city of Treviso in April, thereby winning the European Champions League undefeated, for the third time in its history. At the 2017 FIVB Clubs World Championship held in May in the Japanese city of Kobe, VakıfBank became the World Championship undefeated, for the second time in its history. As such, the team increased the number of international trophies in its museum up to seven, maintaining its leadership in this field. VakıfBank also won the Turkish Super Cup and Turkish Cup in 2017, thereby ending the year with a total of four trophies.