Who we are

About CIB Bank

At CIB Bank, we work on products and services that make life and finances easier for our more than 420,000 customers. The support of our parent company Intesa Sanpaolo and our experience of four decades help us contribute to the implementation of our customers' plans. 

Our history

A long time has passed since the founding predecessor of CIB Bank, the Central European International Bank Ltd. (CIB) was founded on 9 November 1979 in Budapest as a dollar-based foreign exchange bank.  What hasn't changed since then is our forward looking and customer centric approach, as well as the enforcement of environmental factors in our strategy and the efficient operation of the organisation.

Banking made easy: #withCIB

Within the framework of the digital transition, we offer a number of innovative solutions that make it easier for our customers to manage their daily finances. The award-wining CIB Bank Mobile Application was expanded in 2018 with new features, including the management of insurances, investments, deposits, or SEPA transfers. With the #withPAY service, which is a pioneering solution on the Hungarian market, our customers can use their phone's contact list to initiate transfers between each other, without knowing the recipient's bank account number. Since autumn 2018, customers that have yet no relationship with the bank, no longer need to queue in a bank branch: they can open a bank account or apply for a personal loan on CIB Bank's website with the help of the camera and microphone of their mobile phone or laptop. 

Money Laundering Prevention and Fight against Terrorism >>

History

The founding predecessor of the present CIB Bank Ltd. was established in Budapest on November 9, 1979, under the same name as an offshore-like dollar based bank. It started its operation on January 1, 1980. Apart from the National Bank of Hungary, the shareholders of the bank included leading European and Japanese banks. CIB started its business with an authorized and paid-up capital of USD 20 million, and conducted it in a geographically neutral manner, influenced only by business considerations.

CIB was registered under the Hungarian Company Law of 1875, subsequently replaced by the Company Law of 1988. Until the end of 1995 the bank pursued its operation on the basis of a licence issued by the Ministry of Finance and then on December 21, 1995 the State Banking Supervision licensed CIB Bank to conduct a commercial banking business.

On the basis of the operating licence, the bank performed transactions in convertible currencies only. The customers of the bank gradually included more and more Hungarian companies and organisations making use of the services of the bank subject to the licences of the foreign exchange authorities.

Since the customers of the bank showed an ever increasing need for HUF transactions, CIB and its foreign shareholders decided to found an onshore bank. This became possible with the establishment of the two-tier banking system. This was how CIB Hungária Bank Rt. was founded in 1988 and thus the convertible currency services of CIB were completed with commercial banking services available in HUF.

CIBINTRA International Trading Co. Ltd. was established in 1989 by Central-European International Bank Ltd. and its domestic subsidiary, CIB Hungária Bank Rt. on the basis of Act VI. (Company Law) of 1988. Its legal successor, CIB Rent Leasing Co. Ltd. together with the newly founded CIB Leasing Co. Ltd., deal with financial and operating lease activities.

CIB Securities Ltd. is the investment company of CIB Bank. Its legal predecessor, CIB Broker Co. Ltd. was founded in December, 1992 as a fully-owned subsidiary of CIB Hungária Bank Rt. Following several capital increases, the initial capital of HUF 5 million grew to HUF 1.8 billion by December 1996 and on December 31, 1996 the company transformed into a joint stock company. The company meets the criteria of an investment company required in the Securities Act. As a result of the decisions of the shareholder aiming to increase capital, the registered and fully paid-up capital of the company grew to HUF 3.1 billion in January 1998 and to HUF 4.4 billion in March 1999.The company has been a member of the Budapest Stock Exchange since June 1993. It has been licensed for full securities trading and issuing activities since November 1994. In October 1995, its scope of activities was extended with fund management. CIB Securities Ltd. entered the futures market first as a broker and then on January 1, 1997 it became a primary dealer of government securities.

CIB Securities Ltd. is one of the leading participants on the government securities market. Considering corporate bonds, CIB Securities Ltd. had the largest turnover among providers of investment services. CIB Securities Ltd. founded CIB Investment Fund Management Ltd. on April 1, 1997. The company first launched CIB-KINCSEM Open-Ended Investment Fund on June 5, 1997, which was followed by CIB Open-Ended Equity Fund on May 7, 1998. The third fund  the CIB International Securities Fund - was launched on the market on May 3, 1999. The fourth member of the CIB Fund Family – the CIB Money Market Fund – was launched in May 2000. The name and investment strategy of the CIB International Securities Fund was changed in May 2001. It now operates as the CIB European Equity Fund.

CIB Service Ltd. was founded on the basis of the resolution passed by the Board of Directors in September 1996. The objective of the company is property management and rendering services, primarily to cater for the physical needs of the Group's headquarters and branch network. At the end of 1997 the Bank's organization and ownership underwent a profound change. The change in the regulatory environment, requirements deriving from approaching European integration made it necessary for the National Bank of Hungary to sell its 34% stake. The other shareholders had pre-emptive rights for purchasing these shares. The rearrangement of the ownership structure took place in a way that one of the founding shareholders, the Banca Commerciale Italiana Group purchased not only the shares of NBH but also those of the other shareholders, except for 5% retained temporarily by the Long-Terms Credit Bank of Japan.

The change in the regulatory environment, particularly the liberalization of foreign exchange transactions caused the earlier authorizations of CIB to loose their practical value. Also, the simultaneous operation of two banks became a source of difficulties to an increasing extent. Maintaining the original status of CIB and the resulting operation of two separate banks made no sense any longer. Consequently, Central-European International Bank Ltd. and CIB Hungária Bank Rt. amalgamated as of January 1, 1998. This new bank continued operation under the name of the former parent bank with a full authorization to conduct both local currency and foreign exchange business, like any other domestic commercial bank. The unified bank offers its clientele all services offered by the two banks prior to the merger.

CIB Bank started to establish its branch network in 1992. The process accelerated during the last few years. At the beginning of 2006 the bank had 98 active branches, of which 44 were located and served the customers in Budapest and 54 in the countryside.

In early 1999, another change occurred in the ownership structure. The Long-Term Credit Bank of Japan decided to part with its 5% equity participation. The Italian banking group, already the majority shareholder, acquired the shares and became the sole and exclusive shareholder of CIB Bank.

Following these changes, Banca Intesa acquired influential participation in the parent company, the Banca Commerciale Italiana, seated in Milan, so the Group changed its name to Gruppo Banca Intesa, effective January 1, 2003.

In January 2007, by way of the fusion of the parent bank of CIB, Banca Intesa and Sanpaolo IMI, the third-largest Italian Bank, the biggest bank group of Italy came about under the name Intesa Sanpaolo S.p.A. The group plays a definitive role in the European financial market.

Following the example of the mother institutions, CIB Bank and Inter-Europa Bank have also joined their forces, mixing the ancestors best knowledge and tradition,  from January 1, 2008 will continue it's activity unther the name CIB Bank Ltd. With the merger, Hungary's second largest bank started to operate, which was resulted in a branch network of almost 140 units, multiple prize-winner electronic channels, and many renewed products and services. 

Awards

2024

• Green Leaders ESG Award – best performing Hungarian bank, 3rd best perfoming Hungarian company
• Business Superbrands 2024
• The charity campaign of the year (animal adoption program) – Influ 2024, silver
• „Skill master” HR solution of the year (Learning is cool! program) – HR Best, gold
• 10th most succesfull corporate PR team of the year – PR Toplist

2023

• Effie Awards – ECO ForYou student account TikTok effect – in branded content category - bronze
• Effie Awards -  ECO ForYou student account – in integrated campaign, financial services (bank, insurance) category - silver
• VISA Award: mobile payments category – first place
• The Family Friendly Company of the Year 2023
• Euromoney Magazine - Hungary’s Best bank for Diversity and Inclusion
• IPRA Golden World Award - CIB baby lullaby Playlist - Financial services - Gold
• Content Marketing Award - CIB Eco ForYou campaign and TikTok effect - Financial services - Gold
• Content Marketing Award - CIB Eco ForYou campaign and TikTok effect - Other branded content on social media - Bronze
• HR Best - CIB Bank - hybrid working supporting HR solutions - Silver
• Business Superbrands 2023
• 5th most succesfull corporate PR team of the year - PR Toplist
• Family Friendly Workplace certification mark 2022-2023

2022

• Hypnosis - CIB Baby lullaby playlist - Music/audio streaming ads - silver
• Content Marketing Award - CIB Baby lullaby playlist - Financial services - gold
• Content Marketing Award - CIB Baby lullaby playlist - Other branded content on social media - bronze
• Golden Blade - CIB Baby lullaby playlist - Social ads - gold
• Golden Blade - CIB Baby lullaby playlist - Audio solutions - bronze
• Business Superbrand 2022 - CIB Bank's business and brand activities        
• VISA Award - Online payments - gold
• Effekt 2030 - Humanitarian response to the war in Ukraine - Exemplary employer - first place
• HRKOMM - Chief Hybrid Officer, a virtual member of the Board of Directors - Internal communication print design solution of the year
• Family Friendly Company 2022 
• Lovable workplace Award 2022
• Family Friendly Workplace certification mark 2022-2023
• Prizma PR Award - CIB Baby Lullaby playlist - Community Solutions - Gold
• Prizma PR Award - TikTok Effect - Community Solutions - Silver
• Prizma PR Award - CIB Baby Lullaby playlist - Financial Services - Silver
• Prizma PR Award - This is not the Matrix: NEO project - Internal Communications – Silver

2021

• Content marketing in the category of financial services: Elderly people online - Content+Marketing Awards, best solution in the category
• Social affairs – Equal opportunities, responsibility, donation, helping disadvantaged groups – CIB Uncrowned heroes – Doing Good: CSR Award, special mention
• The 6^th most successful corporate communication team – PR Toplis
• Business Superbrands 2021
• Communications or PR Campaign of the Year in the category of Financial Services & Investor Relations: Petfluencers to the rescue campaign – Stevie Awards, silver prize
• Communications or PR Campaign of the Year in the category of Influencer Management: Petfluencers to the rescue campaign – Stevie Awards, bronze prize
• Branded video content category: Seniors Online docuseries – Online Video Audio Award (OVA), gold prize
• In the Retail Offer of the Year category CIB Bank's ECO product line  I. place - Mastercard - Bank of the Year
• In the category UX Solution of the Year CIB Selfe Account Opening Process II. place - Mastercard - Bank of the Year

2020

• PR communication solutions related to COVID-19 virus: CIB Uncrowned heroes - Prizma PR Award, bronze prize
• Bank of the Year 2. place – Mastercard – Bank of the Year
• Sustainable Bank of the Year 3. place – Mastercard – Bank of the Year
• The most innovative bank of the year 3. place – Mastercard –  Bank of the Year
• Family Friendly Company 2020 title
• Facebook-centric content marketing category: Petfluencers to the rescue - Content+Marketing Awards, gold
• Content marketing in the category of financial services: Petfluencers to the rescue - Content+Marketing Awards, silver
• Other social media content created by the brand category: Petfluencers to the rescue - Content+Marketing Awards, silver
• The 9. most successful communication team – PR Toplist
• The change management activity of the year: Support for the branch network during the first wave of the pandemic – HRKOMM Award, Gold prize
• The most authentic HR event of the year: Celebration between the pandemic waves - HRKOMM Award, Gold prize
• HR Fair Play – HRKOMM Award, Special prize
• HR communication response to the pandemic situation: We Help Hungary: #togetherwewillsucceed – HRKOMM Award, Special prize
• Environmentally conscious workplace of the year: Earth Hour activities – HRKOMM Award, shortlist

2019

• The best internal communication campaign of the year: Digital Galaxy, storytelling and gamification supporting internal digital transformation - Prizma PR Award, gold prize
• The best other event design solution: Waves-Water-Venice - RGB Kreatív Design Award, shortlist
• HR Best, UX – HR Technology category: Digital Galaxy in CIB Bank – HR Best 2019, silver medal
• HR Best, Trendsetter HR category: Womentoring – HR Best, shortlist
• Family Friendly Company 2019
• The best retail account package of the year: CIB ECO Account – Mastercard The Bank of the Year, 3. place
• The 5th most successful communication team of the year: PR Toplist 2018
• The best low budget PR/communication campaign: Children’s talk, short branded video – Stevie Award, bronze
• The best HR communication project of the year: CIB Spirit 2.0, digital transformation and user experience based change management– HRKOMM Award, grand prix
• The best change management communication project of the year: CIB Spirit 2.0, digital transformation and user experience based change management – HRKOMM Award, gold
• The best digital HR communication solution of the year: Digital Galaxy, online knowledge platform supporting the digital transformation– HRKOMM Award, silver
• The best innovative digital HR communication solution of the year: Digital Galaxy, online knowledge platform supporting the digital transformation– HRKOMM Award, shortlist

2018

• The best retail credit product of the year: Step forward personal loan – Mastercard The Bank of the Year, 1. place
• The best retail account product of the year, ECO account – Mastercard The Bank of the Year, 1. place
• The best mobile and online banking product of the year, CIB Mobile application – Mastercard The Bank of the Year, 3. place
• The most innovative bank of the year – Mastercard The Bank of the Year, 3. place
• Credit institution partner granting the most SME deals – Eximbank
• The best employer branding PR solution of the year: CIB Children – Prizma PR Award
• The most efficient campaign of financial service providers: Step forward personal loan – Effie Award
• The best branded influencer video of the year: The saving of Fifi: István Kovács goes after CIB Bank's 7-minute-loan – Online Video Award, silver
• The best low budget communications or PR campaign of the year: 7-minute-loan – Stevie Award, bronze
• The best internal corporate event of the year: CIB Idea Campus employee hackathon – HRKOMM Award 
• The best internal PR/employee program of the year: CIB Idea Campus employee hackathon – B2B Award
• Zoltán Urbán memorial award to Attila Tóth, Lead Trade Finance Advisor – Eximbank
• The best commercial mobile media product of the year, gold: CIB Bank Mobile Application – Mediadesign Award
• The best commercial mobile media product of the year, bronze: CIB website renewal – Mediadesign Award
• Special prize: CIB Bank Mobile Application – Mediadesign Award

2017

• The best retail credit product of the year, 1. place – Mastercard The Bank of the Year
• The best retail savings product of the year, 2. place – Mastercard The Bank of the Year
• The best retail account product of the year, 3. place – Mastercard The Bank of the Year
• The best change management campaign of the year, gold – HRKOMM Award
• The best commercial mobile media product of the year, silver – Mediadesign Award
• The best internal PR solution of the year, bronze – Kreatív B2B Award
• The credit institution partner of the year dealing with the most EXIM-refinanced new deals – EXIM Bank award
• The credit institution of the year financing the most SME customers – EXIM Bank award
• Best premium home loan – Bankmonitor
• Best home equity loan – Bankmonitor
• Best bank account – Bankmonitor

2016

• The mobil and online banking tool of the year, 1. place – Mastercard „The Bank of the Year” Award
• The retail account package of the year, 2. place – Mastercard „The Bank of the Year” Award
• The most sympathetic bank of the year, 3. place – Mastercard „The Bank of the Year” Award
• The best secure credit scheme of the year, 1. place – Bankmonitor Award
• The best personal loan of the year, 1. place – Bankmonitor Award
• Novathon, the 24-hour innovation marathon – Other category, 1. place – Kreatív B2B Award
• Novathon, the 24-hour innovation marathon – Event solutions category, 3. place – Lollipop Award
• Antique ATM on the Budapest 100 event – Self-bradning solutions category, 3. place – PRIZMA Kreatív PR Award 2016

2015

• The retail credit scheme of the year, 3. place – Mastercard „The Bank of the Year” Award 
• The retail savings product of the year, 3. place – Mastercard „The Bank of the Year” Award 
• The best communicating bank of the year, 3. place – Mastercard „The Bank of the Year” Award 
• The young banker of the year – Mr. László Sziráki (CIB Bank), 3. place - Mastercard „The Bank of the Year” Award 
• Service / Financial communication campaign, 3.place – Effie Award
• Private Banking Hungary / Service model development category, 3. place  – Blochamps Award
• Special BTL-solutions category, 1. place – Lollipop Award