Estonia
Best domestic bank: Eesti Uhispank
Best foreign bank: Hansapank
Best domestic securities house: Tallinvest Suprema
Sweden's Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken. now owns 50.15% of Eesti Uhispank in Estonia [its Baltic operations now account for around 30% of the total market; hansabank's for around 23%.] . Technically Eesti Uhispank therefore is now a subsidiary of SEB, however the stake was smaller until October 1999 and so for this year's award the bank is deemed domestic.
Eesti Ühispank, Estonia Eesti Ühispank is the second-largest bank in Estonia, with total assets of EEK15 billion at the end of 1999.
Ühispank is a universal bank, with 82 branch offices and approximately 1,700 employees.
During 1999, the bank has reduced its balance sheet through several sales, for example that of its Latvian subsidiary bank Saules Bankas.
In 1999 the bank's profits were EEK100.2 million, after tax. The bank's capital ratio o was 13.4 per cent at year-end.
The bank has a sophisticated internet offering, the most comprehensive retail network in the country and has in June signalled its intention to offer more sophisticated wholesale financial services with a syndicated loan executed jointly with Hansapank.