Volatility, war and weakness in the global economy have characterised the financial environment during the past year or more. Nevertheless, a number of institutions have risen to the challenges posed by the tough market conditions and have produced exceptional performances. The Banker Awards – sponsored by software solutions provider Oracle, along with IP and data services provider Equant – reflect the success and overall achievements of these institutions.Our 27 Bracken and 124 country award winners represent the cream of the global banking community and the top achievers in the industry.
The Banker has been a trusted source of global financial intelligence since 1926 and this month’s Bank of the Year Awards issue, like our Top 1000 World Banks listing in July, has become not only essential reading but also a key indicator of financial performance. This year, our awards cover 124 countries, 14 investment banking categories and four technology functions and represent the best banking performances across the globe.
The criteria for the assessment of the Bank of the Year Awards vary depending on the type of award. For our country assessments our global editorial team reflect not only on the latest results and banking data but also on technological and strategic developments. The award is for the best overall performance incorporating both results and qualitative achievements.
Questionnaires are an important part of the process and this year questionnaires were sent to a record 941 banks worldwide and a record 407 were received back from banks in 133 countries. Awards were not given for nine countries due to insufficient information.
In the 14 investment banking awards, a slightly different process was introduced this year involving an independent panel of judges and a detailed entry application. There were 140 entries over the 14 categories.
This year The Banker is giving 124 country awards and 27 Bracken awards, which go to winners in the eight major regions, including Global Bank of the Year, the 14 investment banking categories and the four special technology areas.
Bracken winners
Winners in the major Bank of the Year Awards will receive a prestigious ‘Bracken’ award, named after Brendan Bracken, the founding editor of The Banker in 1926 and the chairman of the modern-day Financial Times from 1945 to 1958. Brendan Bracken epitomises the global spirit, vision and integrity of The Banker and the FT Group, and the winning of a ‘Bracken’ represents a fitting accolade for the world’s top financial institutions.
