VKF_FRAE_2018_uyg11

VakıfBank Annual Report 2018 27 In the coming year, we will continue to be the “strength on their side” of our customers by placing digitalization at the center of our transformation process, and offering innovative solutions in line with our forward-looking banking philosophy. Turkey’s most successful volleyball team internationally. Additionally, the VakıfBank Women’s Volleyball Team won the European Champions League and gained its third World Championship Cup unbeaten, while winning the Turkish Championship for the 10 th time. In 2018, we also made an ambitious entry into the field of cultural publishing. We established VakıfBank Culture Publications (VBKY) with the aim of delivering unparalleled books to a discerning readership. With commenting the word of “vb” stands for Discerning Bank, committed to publishing works not found elsewhere, we have printed nearly 20 sophisticated volumes, included some 100 works in our publications list and submitted these to the editorial board. In the coming year, VakıfBank Culture Publications will offer readers invaluable works in history, philosophy, humanities and social sciences. Having adopted the vision being the “Leading Bank of Strong Turkey” and the corporate strategy of “Profitable, Productive and High Quality Growth,” VakıfBank plans to remain the “strength on the side” of the Turkish economy and all its stakeholders in 2019. On this occasion, I extend my gratitude to our customers as well as our devoted employees, shareholders, investors and other stakeholders for their many contributions to our ongoing success. Yours sincerely, Mehmet Emin Özcan General Manager 2018 was a year when VakıfBank ramped up its digital transformation efforts. We closely monitored changing trends and continued our technology investments. We offered practical solutions to customers and employees in their daily lives with new initiatives designed and implemented to boost operational efficiency, enhance sales performance, improve customer and user experience. During this period, VakıfBank upgraded its mobile banking application – which has nearly 3.5 million users – with a customer-focused approach and innovative solutions. We also decided to establish an R&D Center in order to better keep pace with digital change and transformation. Accordingly, we established the R&D and Digital Transformation Department at the Bank. In 2019, we will continue to be the “strength on the side” of our customers by placing digitalization at the center of our transformation process. VakıfBank is committed to delivering innovative solutions in accordance with our forward-looking banking philosophy. This year as well, VakıfBank received awards from various international organizations. In 2018, we garnered the Best Banking Brand Award from Global Brands Magazine, one of the UK’s most prestigious publications; Europe’s Best Sponsorship Award for our 32-year support to VakıfBank Sports Club, which represents Turkey abroad with great success; the Excellence Award at the Communicator Awards for our Mobile Fields Sales Application; and eight awards in total in different categories from the International Business Awards (Stevie Awards). A part of the VakıfBank family, our sports club continued to achieve tremendous success in 2018. For the second time in a row and for the third time in total, VakıfBank Women’s Volleyball Team, which we have supported for 32 years, brought home the world’s most important volleyball cup. Having won the World Championship three times in the last six years, our team has become the most successful Turkish sports team. With this most recent impressive championship win, VakıfBank Women’s Volleyball team has bolstered its status as