HSBC to center its CEE operations in Poland

The bank, which so far had only one office in Poland in Warsaw, plans to open its branches in several cities within 18 months. "We intend to open eight new banking centers," declared Alan Keir, the head of commercial banking at HSBC. The possible locations for the branches include Wroclaw, Katowice and Poznan. This is the first step in the announced strategy of increasing the bank's share on the Polish commercial banking market. "Poland will be in the center of the bank's expansion in Central and Eastern Europe," stated Alan Keir. The bank's offer includes loans, fund management and other products for enterprises. HSBC also plans to prepare a special offer for Polish emigrants working in Great Britain. (Puls Biznesu, p. 10)