7/1/2008

IBI Bank AG rebranded as J&T Bank Switzerland Ltd.

Swiss Tradition meets Central & Eastern European Entrepreneurial Success

Swiss based IBI Bank AG, with headquarters in Zurich and an office in Lugano is launching a new corporate identity and changing its name to J&T Bank Switzerland Ltd. effective July 1, 2008. These changes, which include strengthening its management team, signify the Bank’s new business strategy of closer cooperation with sister institutions in Prague, Bratislava and Moscow– all united under the J&T Private Banking brand. Strong cooperation is also envisaged with Bayshore Bank & Trust of Barbados, recently acquired by J&T (http://www.jtpb.com/).

J&T Bank Switzerland Ltd. is an independent Swiss Private Bank that will act as the nerve centre for Private Client Asset Management and International Investment Services for the entire J&T Group. The Zurich team will support J&T’s other banks and their clients concerning investments on global capital and financial markets (www.jtbank.ch). The countries of Central & Eastern Europe are the strategically defined core markets of J&T Private Banking. In alignment with the new strategy, the Swiss Bank’s Lugano Branch will further develop a systematic and focused approach towards its Southern European client base.

Alongside the new identity, major changes in the management of the bank will come into effect. Robert Boukal (45) will lead the Management Committee, taking over from Dr. Peter Ruckstuhl. „Mr. Boukal’s long-standing private banking experience of nearly 18 years in Central- and Eastern Europe gives us assurance that he will effectively implement the new growth and service-oriented strategy for our Swiss operation“ said Mr. Alexander C. Notter, Chairman of the Board of Directors. Another new member of the Management Committee is Mr. Emir Abdalla (32), Chief Investment Officer, who will provide the bank with tailored, state-of-the-art investment solutions. Roland Hess (50), Chief Financial Officer and Head of Compliance and Riccardo Moriani (45), Director of the Lugano Branch, will continue to contribute to the Bank’s success as members of the Management Committee. The new head of Private Banking in Zürich, Mr. Tomas Martinec (37), who is also a Partner of J&T Group, will assume the responsibility of coordinating the organizational interface between J&T Group and J&T Bank Switzerland.

J&T Private Banking, the integrated brand name for the unified platform of Banks, stands for a perfect symbiosis of Swiss tradition and know-how and Central and Eastern European entrepreneurial success. J&T Private Banking has a strong history in the markets in which it operates, significant expertise in the various activities and services of private banking, and is able to draw upon the best of each to create innovative and effective solutions for a holistic, modern and integrated approach to Wealth Management.

J&T is one of the largest and fastest growing privately owned financial and industrial groups in the Czech and Slovak Republics. Total assets are EUR 3,7 billion.  The key pillars of its business are private and investment banking, industrial and real estate development and management. For further information, please visit the Web Site http://www.jtfg.com/

***For more information about this topic, or to schedule an interview with Robert Boukal,
please call +41 44 215 50 60 or e-mail at info@jtbank.ch