Ziraat Bank’s corporate subsidiary strategy revolves around generating integrated solutions to meet the financial requirements of Ziraat customers as a whole.
Providing its customers with products and solutions in all areas of financial services within the framework of its subsidiary policy built on a foundation of efficiency, Ziraat Bank has an extensive domestic and foreign subsidiary portfolio.
The Bank aims to provide all services under the Ziraat Finance Group umbrella by increasing the share of its subsidiaries in the Ziraat Finance Group’s assets and profits in the medium term.
In this context, the Bank operates with the following objectives;
- to maximize synergies between domestic subsidiaries operating in different sectors and foreign subsidiaries spread over a wide geographical area,
- to contribute financially to its customers’ transaction flows all around the world and establish a global customer management principle,
- to introduce new/pioneering financial technologies to the regions which the Bank operates in.
Ziraat Bank regularly evaluates organic and inorganic growth alternatives in countries and sectors which it has identified as offering potential based on efficiency, in line with its strategy and goals.
During 2020 the Bank’s foreign service network reached 113 locations with the following 5 branch openings:
- Gldani and Varketli in Georgia,
- Semerkant (Samarkand) in Uzbekistan,
- Ahmed Recepli/Baku in Azerbaijan,
- Turkistan in Kazakhstan.
INTERNATIONAL SUBSIDIARIES
Germany
Ziraat Bank International AG is one of the important banks to be owned by 100% Turkish capital in Germany and the European Union.
Ziraat Bank International AG has been serving its corporate and retail customers in a wide range with its branches in Germany since 2001 and from the Istanbul Representative Office, which entered operation in April 2014. Ziraat Bank International AG currently has branches in Berlin, Duisburg, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Hannover, Cologne and Munich.
Bosnia
ZiraatBank BH d.d., which began its activities in 1997, was Bosnia and Herzegovina’s first bank to be owned by foreign capital. ZiraatBank BH d.d. provides services through 32 service units made up of 18 branches and 14 offices throughout the country.
The mobile banking application for our subsidiary’s individual customers has been renewed, ensuring compliance with the security and design requirements set as a standard for the Ziraat Finance Group. Again, during the year, our subsidiary’s bank card service was reviewed and Ziraat Bank’s BankKart product was offered to our customers in Bosnia.
Montenegro
After receiving a permit to engage in banking operations from the Montenegro authorities in April 2015, Ziraat Bank Montenegro AD began offering services in July 2015. The bank carries out its operations from its Bar and Budva branches, as well as the Head Office and the Podgoritsa Branch in the capital, Podgoritsa. The bank is a fully-owned subsidiary of Ziraat Bank.
Azerbaijan
Ziraat Bank Azerbaijan ASC was awarded its banking license on 30 December 2014 and continues its operations from its Headquarters in Baku and branches in Ganja, Sumqayit, the Old City and Ahmed Recepli. In addition to its wide product range for corporate and individual segments, the Bank continues to play an active role in the development of trade between the two countries.
With the Ahmed Recepli-Baku branch opened in 2020, our service network in the country continues to be expanded.
Russia
Established in 1993 as a joint venture between Turkey and Russia, Ziraat Bank (Moscow) JSC has been operating as a bank fully backed by Turkish capital since 2002, with a focus on corporate banking.
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan Ziraat International Bank (KZI Bank) was established in 1993 as the first bank with foreign capital in Kazakhstan with its head office in Almaty. The bank provides services to customers in the corporate and retail banking fields through its 8 branches in the cities of Almaty, Astana, Shymkent, Aktau, Atirau, Karaganda and Turkistan.
In 2020, the branch of our subsidiary in the Turkistan Region of the country started its operations.
Uzbekistan
UTBANK JSC, Uzbekistan’s first bank with foreign capital, was established in 1993 in Tashkent with a Category 1 banking license, with the equal participation of Ziraat Bank and Agrobank (Uzbekistan).
Following the opening of the Operu and Yunusabad branches, the Corporate Branch/Tashkent were opened in 2019 and the Semerkant (Samarkand) branches in 2020.
Georgia
JSC Ziraat Bank Georgia, previously operating as a foreign branch, was transformed into the status of a 100% owned subsidiary on 2 May 2017 with the aim of strengthening its implementation of banking operations. The Batumi, Marneuli, Tbilisi, Tsereteli and Kutaisi branches were the first to open, followed by the Gldani and Varketli branches in June 2020, bringing the total number of branches to seven.
Turkmenistan
Turkmen Turkish JSC Bank, Turkmenistan’s first bank to be established with foreign capital, was established in 1993 with the equal participation of Ziraat Bank and Dayhan Bank, each with a 50% participation. The bank operates with one Head Office Service Building and six offices in Toptancı Pazarı, Turkmenabad, Mary, Daşoguz, Kerki and Bereketli in Turkmenistan.
DOMESTIC SUBSIDIARIES
Ziraat Katılım Bankası A.Ş. (Ziraat Participation Bank)
Established in 2015 as the first public participation bank to be backed by public capital, Ziraat Katılım Bankası (Ziraat Participation Bank) was providing services from its 104 branches in 46 provinces as of the end of 2020.
Having launched its first international branch in Sudan in September 2020, the Bank provides banking services in accordance with the participation banking principles.
Ziraat Participation Bank renewed its website in 2020 and continued its investments related to internet branches, mobile banking and IT technologies.
Ziraat Portföy Yönetimi A.Ş. (Ziraat Asset Management)
Founded in 2002, Ziraat Asset Management obtained authorization to be a fund founder in 2015 and is now the founding manager of 30 investment funds and the manager of 77 pension investment funds jointly with interest-free funds.
Within the framework of the restructuring of the financial system under the New Economic Program, Vakıf Portföy and Halk Portföy were merged under the umbrella of Ziraat Portföy Yönetimi.
Ziraat Yatırım Menkul Değerler A.Ş. (Ziraat Securities)
Established in 1997, Ziraat Securities continues to strengthen its operations to create value in the corporate finance area.
In 2020, the Company realized transactions in Borsa İstanbul’s Stock Market, Derivatives Market (VIOP) and Repo-Reverse Repo and Bond and Bills Markets.
Within the scope of corporate finance services, Ziraat Yatırım maintained its effective position by intermediating in private sector bonds and the issuance of bills targeting qualified investors in 2020.
Ziraat Gayrimenkul Yatırım Ortaklığı A.Ş. (Ziraat REIT)
Ziraat REIT commenced operations on 1 November 2016. Ziraat Bank fully owns the Company’s shares.
The Company’s 2020 operations were realized within the framework of identifying, acquiring and designing real estate investments which will provide a maximum rate of return and an optimal level of risk. With its projects and a portfolio of land and buildings to carry out numerous real estate projects, Ziraat REIT continues its activities and feasibility work.
On one hand, Ziraat REIT has diversified its investment portfolio in accordance with the main fields of activity of real estate investment trusts, while on the other hand aims to contribute to the balance sheet of Ziraat Finance Group and the Turkish nation through the “Ziraat Towers Project” in the İstanbul Finance Center, one of our country’s most significant projects.
Ziraat Girişim Sermayesi Yatırım Ortaklığı A.Ş. (Ziraat Venture Capital)
Established on 14 November 2018, the Company is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ziraat Bank.
Ziraat Venture Capital acquires equity stakes in ventures which offer growth potential, provides the leverage and growth which they need, and works to help them achieve sector-based strengthening within the framework of a corporate and strategic plan.
Ziraat Teknoloji A.Ş. (Ziraat Technology)
Since its establishment in 2001, Ziraat Teknoloji has been providing IT services to Ziraat Bank and its domestic/foreign partnerships in the fields of application development, systems management, project management and technology consultancy.
Ziraat Teknoloji continues its activities in the Technology Development Zone (Teknopark) located in the Yıldız Technical University campus. It plays an important role in the projects carried out by the Ziraat Finance Group thanks to its competence in the field of technology with the software and applications which it has developed in line with the requirements of ISO 9001, 22301 and 27001 standards.
Offering a host of competitive advantages, the main goals of the Company include providing services which are in line with international standards and modern norms in meeting its customers’ needs for technology and constantly developing itself and its products through its R&D activities.
The subsidiaries’ annual reports may be reached from their own web sites.
