Under chief executive Hakan Binbasgil, Akbank demonstrated an innovative and proactive approach to small and medium-sized enterprise banking during the awards period, despite the difficult operating environment in its home market of Turkey.
Building on a SME coverage network that extends across the country, deploying more than 1,000 SME specialists, Akbank saw a strong increase in Turkish SME market share in 2022, from 10.5% to 12%. The range of initiatives that Akbank boasts in SME banking, particularly in the digital area, makes it easy to understand why the bank has seen this growth.
One particularly successful initiative was a new cash-back programme for new and returning customers, based on their usage of Akbank’s mobile app, commercial debit and credit cards, automatic invoicing and other services. The campaign resulted in a sharp increase in customer acquisitions and cross-selling, giving the bank a strong revenue boost.
The bank’s mobile-based ‘beyond banking’ projects are also noteworthy.