UniCredit, whose core banking unit was founded in 1870 but who can also trace roots back to 1473 through subsequent banks that joined the group, is a Pan-European commercial bank with fully plugged in corporate and investment banking (CIB) that delivers a unique Western, Central, and Eastern European network to an extensive base of 25 million clients across 14 core markets and a total of 18 countries.
UniCredit’s European banking network includes Italy, Germany, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Serbia, and Türkiye, where the strategic position in Western, Central, and Eastern Europe enables it to command one of highest market shares in the region.
UniCredit took the decision to enter the Turkish banking sector in 2001, and accordingly formed a 50:50 joint venture with Koç Holding within Koç Financial Services (KFS). At the time, KFS owned Koçbank, the 8th largest bank in Türkiye. In 2005, KFS decided to reinforce its position in the sector by acquiring Yapı Kredi. Yapı Kredi and Koçbank merged in 2006 to form the new Yapı Kredi, which became the 4th largest private bank in Türkiye.
Yapı Kredi was founded in 1944 as Türkiye’s first private bank with a nationwide presence. Since its inception, Yapı Kredi has maintained a strong reputation in the banking sector through leveraging its customer centric approach, dedication to innovation, and contribution to the development of Türkiye’s finance sector. Yapı Kredi is consistently recognized as the best bank in Türkiye by various prestigious institutions, including The Banker and World Finance.
The bank provides high-quality products and services to its loyal and diversified customer base of more than 13 million through a widespread service network. As of September 2017, Yapı Kredi’s network consists of 925 branches covering all regions in Türkiye, supported by a young and dynamic employee base of more than 18,200 people. In addition, Yapı Kredi has advanced alternative delivery channels (ADCs), which handle 86 percent of total banking transactions. These ADCs are comprised of approximately 4,250 ATMs, innovative internet banking, leading mobile banking, and two award winning call centers. Yapı Kredi is a fully integrated financial services group, reinforced by domestic and international subsidiaries.
Yapı Kredi also incorporates a department of International & Multinational Banking (IMB), which is dedicated to the management of banking relations with companies of international and multinational ownership. IMB also supports Yapı Kredi’s Turkish clients with their investments abroad, through the extensive UniCredit network in Europe and CEE markets, which facilitates banking transactions and supports business development efforts in countries where UniCredit has presence.