corporate finance 33


Handelsbanken races ahead with new branches in Ascot and Newbury


Handelsbanken is taking another major step forward in the Thames Valley region with the opening of new branches in Ascot and Newbury, and a new appointment to lead the team at Reading


Graham Beith, who is already well-known to the local business community, has taken over the reins at the bank’s smart Apex Plaza offices in Reading town centre, while Richard Payton heads a new winning line-up in Ascot, and Geoff Dann launches the Newbury team.


Both offices are due to open early in the new year, with Ascot being UK office number 106 and Newbury number 107. Reading opened in 2001 as number six.


It’s a remarkable success story for the Swedish bank, which has built a solid reputation among both individuals and corporate customers alike. It counts the UK as one of its ‘home’ markets and for the past three years, has been ranked number one for customer satisfaction and loyalty in an independent survey of UK bank customers.


The bank’s successful policy of decentralisation has seen a network of smaller, local branches open up in towns and cities nationwide. Each of its offices is led by a branch manager, backed by a team which includes corporate managers and individual banking managers, together with documentation managers providing essential support.


Beith, whose previous roles at major international banks have seen him play a leading role in the Thames Valley banking community for more than 20 years, believes it is the bank’s very personal approach and ability to take decisions at a local level which has set the scene for success.


“We specialise in traditional values, it’s everything we do,” said Beith. “It’s about knowing our customers as individuals, having face-to-face


Graham Beith


opening and managing the new town centre branch, which will also cover the surrounding west Berkshire areas, including Hungerford and Pangbourne.


“It’s about local people providing local banking for local customers,” he said. “Handlesbanken’s way is to find a branch manager, such as myself, and then it is my responsibility to identify the right location and hand-pick the team to work with me, which is very exciting. Each branch is completely individual because it is a product of the people that work there and the skills that they bring.


“Most of our customers come through word of mouth referral and we are seen as being very different


Richard Payton


past seven years. His area will cover Ascot, Wokingham, Bracknell and the surrounding areas.


“With so many banks looking to close or sell branches it is refreshingly different that Handelsbanken continues to expand. Our local knowledge and ability to structure bespoke solutions continues to support strong growth in our residential mortgage book in particular, something which the bank is keen for us to continue,” commented Payton.


All three are keen to stress that Handelsbanken’s guiding philosophy is to always deliver what is best for the long term interests of the customer, rather than focusing on


Relationship banking - just as you remember it


Ascot Branch Richard Payton - Tel: 07788 428391 Email: ripa01@handelsbanken.co.uk


www.handelsbanken.co.uk THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE – THAMES VALLEY – DECEMBER 11/JANUARY 12 www.businessmag.co.uk


Newbury Branch Geoff Dann - Tel: 07788 566495 Email: geda01@handelsbanken.co.uk


Reading Branch Graham Beith - Tel: 07794 691606 Email: grbe02@handelsbanken.co.uk


Geoff Dann


2011, Handelsbanken was acclaimed as one of the strongest banks in the world by Bloomberg, based on factors including financial strength, the ability to manage risk and cost- effectiveness.


Details: Graham Beith 0118-9595477/07794-691606 grbe02@handelsbanken.co.uk www.handelsbanken.co.uk/reading


Geoff Dann 07788-566495 geda01@ handelsbanken.co.uk www.handelsbanken.co.uk/newbury


Richard Payton 07788-428391 ripa01@handelsbanken.co.uk www.handelsbanken.co.uk/ascot


meetings and making decisions rather than having to refer people to a call centre. Being autonomous enables us to sort out any problems or issues straight away and make sure our customers are always satisfied.”


Dann, who has worked for Handelsbanken in Reading for the past nine years, lives near Newbury and is relishing the chance of


to the usual High Street banks. We don’t have a range of products to promote because each customer is treated on a bespoke basis. We find individual solutions for them, whether for individual banking or on a corporate basis.”


Like Dann, Payton comes out of the Reading office, where he has worked for Handelsbanken for the


achieving short term gain for the bank.


For individual banking customers, services range from tailored mortgages and personal loans to current and savings accounts. On the corporate side, its team can provide advice and guidance to SMEs on anything from foreign exchange deals and asset finance, to credit lending or finding a safe haven for any surplus deposits.


The bank also prides itself on keeping its own house ‘in order’ and in May


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