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Best Bank: Banco de Crédito de Bolivia |
Latin American regional awards
Against a difficult political background Banco de Crédito de Bolivia continues to perform impressively. It is easily the most profitable bank in the country, with net income growing by 57.2% in the 12 months from March 2006. Return on assets and return on equity have also improved over the past year and costs have come down marginally. Banco de Crédito has undertaken a number of initiatives recently, including the creation of a retail division following the merger of certain business units. The new division helps to serve higher-margin customers, such as SMEs, more efficiently than before. The bank has also strengthened its cash management services, adding sales executives and product managers. In addition, the firm is at the forefront of electronic banking in Bolivia. It offers a series of services via the internet and has even created mobile branches that can be accessed on the web. Corporate customers are also encouraged to take advantage of the bank’s technology platform. About half of the 40 biggest exporters in Bolivia use Banco de Crédito’s office banking platform.