On 24 September 2019, the Hellenic Bank Association (HBA) and the Athens Exchange Group hosted an international event entitled “The new era of the Greek Financial Sector”, which took place on the sidelines of Sibos 2019, the leading annual international financial services conference.

In a target audience of 120 participants from 40 international organizations, representatives of the Greek systemic banks, the Athens Exchange Group and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) presented the reasons regarding the transition of the Greek financial system and the Greek capital market towards a new, challenging albeit more optimistic era.

The positive macroeconomic outlook, the investment-friendly environment for both domestic and foreign investors, the systematic management of non-performing loans, the ability to finance large-scale investment projects from the domestic banking system and the capital market, the ambitious national privatization program, the rising prices and demand for housing and business loans, the digital transformation of the public state and enterprises, as well as the swift adoption of international responsible banking principles, were some of the key issues raised by 15 speakers in the 3 panels of the event moderated by Thomson Reuters journalists.

The Chairman of HBA Board of Directors, the Athens Exchange Group and Piraeus Bank Group, Mr. George Handjinicolaou, following his keynote speech, stated: “The Greek financial system has recovered and is moving steadily and rapidly towards a new era of transformation and stands ready to meet the growing needs of financing the domestic economy. In relation to future developments, investments are expected to be a key driver of growth for the coming years as a more business-friendly environment is gradually formed.”