Depósito NEMEA BANK al 4,35%

En este hilo ya postaron la cuenta de resultados del banco del año 2012:

http://api.livechatinc.com/attachments/4316881/PFL20/ddf40669c6148d2163169bdd1511cafa.pdf

Copia y pega la de 2013,para poder comentarla.

Lo siento pero no sé como se hace eso. Te paso el pdf y tu lo copias??

Abre el pdf, copia el link y pegalo aquí.

Lo siento no te entiendo, tengo un PDF que hago con él???

Nemea Bank sí dispone de banca electrónica. Mediterranean Bank tiene la misma cláusula e igual: permite operar a través de una página de Internet. Y en cuanto a que “son bancos, no ONGs”, con mayor razón: estamos hablando de dinero, donde la seguridad debe ser condición expresamente cuidada y necesaria. El correo electrónico NO es un medio seguro para intercambiar información sensible y tampoco permite corroborar la identidad de los interlocutores. Para mí, es un factor importante que definitivamente me ha hecho dar un paso atrás.

Aquí está el pdf con la cuenta de resultados de 2013 de NEMEA BANK. Podeis abrirlo con cualquier navegador web: Internet Explorer,Google Chrome,Torch....

F:\NB AR 2013_Digital Version.pdf

NEMEA BANK ANNUAL REPORT 2013

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NEMEA BANK IN A FEW WORDS
- Nemea’s planned spearhead product is the revolutionary nip – the Nemea Instant Payment, enabling transfer of money globally in real time and for free, providing private individuals, corporations and institutions with vast value added
- Nemea is a modern pan-European bank licensed to provide banking and investment services to the 31 EU and EEA countries with an aggregate home market of over 500 million people and a total GDP of EUR 13 trillion
- Nemea does not run a network of traditional physical branch offices but offers its products and services exclusively online
- The Bank focuses on serving internationally oriented individual clients of two core segments – the Gen X and Y young students and professionals, the global citizens of the future and the cosmopolitan entrepreneurs, executives and professionals, people leading international lives
- Nemea is strategically located in Malta, an EU member state that is the middle point between Europe, Africa and Middle East, forming the vast EMEA region of more than 1.5 billion people
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NEMEA REVOLUTIONISES GLOBAL PAYMENTS
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I CONTENTS I
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Nemea Bank in a Few Words .............................................................................................. 3
Period in Review .................................................................................................................. 8
Letter to stakeholders ......................................................................................................... 9
1 Strategy, Business, Performance and Responsibility ................................................ 15
Strategy and Structure ...................................................................................................... 16
The Creation of Nemea – from an Idea to an Institution .................................................. 25
Risk Factors ....................................................................................................................... 26
Measurement and Analysis of Performance .................................................................... 31
Financial Results ............................................................................................................... 32
Balance Sheet and Off-Balance Sheet ............................................................................. 34
Cash Flows ......................................................................................................................... 36
Employees .......................................................................................................................... 37
Corporate Responsibility ................................................................................................... 39
2 Risk, Treasury and Capital Management .................................................................. 43
Risk Management and Control ......................................................................................... 44
Risk Concentrations .......................................................................................................... 49
Credit Risk ......................................................................................................................... 50
Market Risk ........................................................................................................................ 59
Investment Positions ......................................................................................................... 66
Operational Risk ................................................................................................................ 68
Interest Rate and Currency Management ........................................................................ 70
Liquidity and Funding Management ................................................................................. 73
Capital Management ......................................................................................................... 77
Shares and Capital Instruments ....................................................................................... 80
3 Corporate Governance and Compensation ................................................................ 83
Group Structure and Shareholders .................................................................................. 84
Capital Structure ............................................................................................................... 85
Board of Directors ............................................................................................................. 87
Compensation .................................................................................................................... 92
Shareholders’ Participation Rights................................................................................... 97
Share Register Information .............................................................................................. 98
Auditors .............................................................................................................................. 99
Information Policy ........................................................................................................... 101
Regulation and Supervision ............................................................................................ 103
4 Financial Statements 2013 ...................................................................................... 107
Directors’ Report for the Year Ended 31 December 2013.............................................. 108
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Independent Auditor’s Report ......................................................................................... 110
Statement of Profit or Loss and Other Comprehensive Income for the
Year Ended 31 December 2013 ....................................................................................... 112
Statement of Financial Position as of 31 December 2013 ............................................. 113
Statement of Changes in Equity for the Year Ended 31 December 2013 ...................... 114
Statement of Cash Flows for the Year Ended 31 December 2013 ................................. 115
Notes to the Financial Statements ................................................................................. 116
The Bank’s Four Year Summary ..................................................................................... 144
Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements .................................. 147
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YEAR IN REVIEW
- The financial year from 1 January to 31 December 2013, the fifth financial period of the Bank, was a continued period of preparation and catch up - with no full business operations yet taking place due to the extensive delays in the core banking system development, with the Bank continuing to provide a limited offering of offline services to corporate and institutional clients.
2013
- Operations remained profitable despite the inability to run the planned business model for the fifth consecutive year
- A number of corporate and investment banking cases were successfully concluded, which were undertaken to respond to the demand from SME clients despite the initial focus on implementing the retail online offering
- The team was strengthened with both additional and replacement recruitment
- The Bank progressed significantly in the development of the core banking system in-house with a substantially improved development team in place
- The Bank acted as an investment manager of an alternative investment funds.
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LETTER TO STAKEHOLDERS
Nemea Bank plc has closed its fifth financial period. The Bank recorded a profit for the year 2013, even though the retail business growth projections made at the beginning of the year did not materialise. We aimed at launching the new online service for individual clients, but the challenges in finding sufficient in-house development resources to complete the online platform for launch caused further delays, materially affecting our business projections for the year. During the latter half of the year, we were successful in teambuilding efforts resulting in a new team that started to deliver, with some new online assets in place and the launch of the online banking service finally looming ahead.
In terms of the operating environment, there was little difference between the years 2012 and 2013, with the general economic environment remaining stagnant and Europe having firmly decided to shoot at its own feet by ever-increasing financial services regulation, with no visible end to the finger pointing to the bankers that has seemed to become a popular ‘sport’ by some people during recent times – one could wonder when will those, who so eagerly try to point fingers to the banks, look at the mirror with a more critical eye. Them not doing it, this regulatory overdrive is starting to cost Europe far too much, and it is high time that those stifling banks’ ability to fulfill their economic function start bearing their own responsibilities.
As we stated in our last year’s review, and with the situation continuing fully unchanged in this sense, we will have to state it again: In our opinion, banks, which are already under pressure as a result of the recessionary environment, have also to cope with the impediments being construed by politicians, regulators and central bankers, making the burden for banks rather excessive to bear. Isn’t it obvious that in difficult economic circumstances, any regulation should be loosened to a practical maximum rather than tightened to the very maximum, to help the banking sector to fulfill its economic function of maturity transformation i.e. transforming short-term customer deposits into long-term corporate and private household loans to finance investment rather than to suffocate all of it? As it has been seen so many times, trying to prevent any causes that led to the previous excesses in the economic cycle from re-emerging by extreme regulation never works: the causes for the next economic “bubble” never tend to be the same ones as those of the previous cycle, and almost always tend not to be seen or detected in time by most, as if they were, they could be prevented from boiling over in time through appropriate action. But as this is not the case, why spend so much time, energy and taxpayers’ money in trying to kill something of the past and at the same time strangle and stifle any future growth, by making the whole financial services sector like a handicapped duck along the way, rather than to show any sign of ‘enlightened guidance and supervision’, guiding the markets in a pragmatic manner to cut off excess but not by killing off the everyday business, which is what is happening right now? It is possibly naïve, to think that by regulating everything the world would become more ‘governable’ and any crises would suddenly be eliminated for good. It should not be for everyone to bear the burden of some other people’s intellectual limitations, who try to understand things by forcing laws and regulation that forces business and structures into shapes that are not natural, not normal and do not make any sense, like in some cases forcing banks to split essentially integrated parts of their
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Mika Lehto and Heikki Niemelä
businesses into separate “ring-fenced” entities. Just when the world was liberated from most of the “planned economies” more than 20 years ago, it seems that they are in fashion especially in Europe, which should be heading to a totally opposite direction rather than repeating certain despicable ideology of taxing, regulating, taxing, regulating to death everything and anything that moves. This can only lead from weakness to weakness, and there is absolutely nothing good about it.
Europe does have a lot of potential, but it seems that it has such decision makers that take it further and further away from the realisation of such potential. This is again deeply regrettable, given that an operator like us is very dependent on the underlying economic engine and its strength. Without incentive and reward for innovation, risk taking and success, no one will innovate, take risk or be able to succeed, and without those elements no economic machine will churn and pull the underlying societies from their depths and put them back on the track of growth.
Despite the general directionless drifting in Europe, we abide by our vision and see our future in bright colors, despite all challenges we have faced and will face. The ever-globalizing world, even where some nations may practice their quixotic fights against inevitable and unavoidable by various degrees of protectionist measures, makes the world more and more fascinating, combined with ever evolving technologies.
Progress in system development
Our experience with IT systems has so much proven that core banking systems really are a core competence of a bank, especially when everything in financial services is dematerialised, virtual, and digital: if one is not in full control of one’s own systems and the development they constantly require, not much can be done in this business.
Even if it is always a challenge to build strong platforms from scratch, it is essential for long-term success.
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During 2013, we had to significantly restructure our in-house development team with more advanced level of competences in order to be able to take the development further with a view of the launch of our new products and services.
The transition period was long. The new team starting to be formed in July 2013 with the new team head in place, and the team was beefed up from late August till December when the latest joiner for the year started. The IT team consists of 6 members as at the date of signing of these accounts.
The new team was able to significantly streamline and enhance the platform, building new features and functions on it, and starting to develop new front-end interfaces.
In late January 2013, a prototype for the first functions of the new online bank was presented, and a monoline online deposit product was launched in late May 2013 on the dedicated website www.nemeaone.com. It was the intention to keep promoting the Nemea One online deposit product until the client facing online banking facility is introduced. The online deposit product was running on top of the initially developed core platform. Given the need to streamline the platform, the new online deposit product was not materially promoted, but it was decided to focus on the enhancement of the main platform and the continuation of the work on the online banking facility to be able to launch it as soon as possible.
For the re-launch of the online product, a new graphic design for the website was created and implemented around the turn of the year 2014, and the online bank design was face-lifted to be able to provide the users with a consistent aesthetic experience.
With the new website in place, currently presented in English and French languages, and the new web bank and back office on the internal platform being currently tested for initial releases, the Bank finally seems to be in position to launch its online services during spring 2014.
Alternative investment fund management
During 2013, the Bank continued to manage Nemea Credit Opportunities Fund that produced a steady double-digit yield to its investors including the Bank. The fund is expected to continue growing at the same rate during 2014 through continued fundraising, increasing awareness and growing supply of new investment opportunities.
Results
While the Bank has not been able to operate in line with its originally intended business plan including online consumer banking, it was able to grow Corporate and Investment Banking business that is generally less dependent on such system platforms compared to Consumer Banking. The revenues grew supported by such Corporate and Investment Banking activity providing financing and investments to SME corporate and institutional clients, which enabled the year to be closed at a net profit after tax of EUR 33 thousand despite of slight growth in the cost base.
For the financial year 2013, the Bank generated a profit before tax of EUR 64 thousand, an increase of EUR 21 thousand over 2012 figure of EUR 43 thousand, out of net operating income of EUR 1,126 thousand (2012: EUR 972 thousand), an increase of 16% on the previous year. These results form of course a less than satisfactory achievement when compared to our expectations for the year. The goals for 2013 were expected to be much further in terms of our online banking platform and to be able to
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launch such businesses and generate additional significant revenue streams therefrom. The net result, after tax expense, amounted to a positive EUR 33 thousand, resulting in a ROE of 0.6%, an increase of 49.4% over the previous year’s ROE of 0.4%.
The Bank always aims at technically distributing the net profit to its parent company in line with the Maltese practice between parent company and its operating subsidiary.
Over the year, total assets grew by 2% to EUR 8,536 thousand (2012: EUR 8,347 thousand) due to a small increase in loans and deposits. No significant amount of new deposits to fund the Bank’s operations was processed during 2013 due to the unavailability of the fully functional banking systems. Loans to customers grew to EUR 4,933 thousand (2012: EUR 4,416 thousand), or 12%, and the deposits from clients grew to EUR 2,858 thousand (2012: EUR 2,708 thousand), or 6% when compared to 2012. The Bank practically funded majority of its operations from its own funds, and continued to be largely unlevered. While we expected the balance sheet to grow materially during 2013 and the CAD ratios to fall proportionally down to more “normal” levels generally seen at commercial banks, this did not yet happen to the extent expected due to the aforementioned reasons. While it might be satisfying to some, in the middle of the continued crisis, to say that in terms of CAD ratios, the Bank was probably one of the proportionally better capitalised banks in an environment, where strong Tier 1 and total capital ratios are highly appreciated, for us, it correspondingly reflected a dissatisfactory situation, where we could not be where we expected to be and leverage our resources in a more efficient manner. The year 2014 will be the starting point to catch up with that.
Human resources
Over the course of the year under review, further recruitment was undertaken, mainly focusing on the systems development team.
At the end of the year, there were 11 employees at the Bank, in addition to the Board of Directors actively contributing to the setup of the Bank’s operations, similar to the end of 2012. The Bank did not further recruit as the capacity of such additional employees could not have been leveraged to a satisfactory extent at that stage, while there has been a continued effort to try identify skilled individuals in the areas of Risk Management, Treasury/Capital Markets and further for systems development. Given the gradual introduction of the online services, both Marketing/Communications and Client Service areas are expected to continue growing, with a gradual introduction of multi-lingual teams serving client segments across Europe.
We have seen that finding skilled and competent employees is one of the greater challenges. We will continue to look for the kind of talent we need for our operation both locally and beyond the shores of Malta.
An encouraging outlook for 2014
The year 2014 has commenced encouragingly, with the new business in Corporate & Investment Banking looking promising and growing inflow of new client deposits from the beginning of the year. The progress in our proprietary operating system development and the staggered launch of our online banking service also provide us with an encouraging and inspiring starting point for the year to build our business further and towards the levels targeted in our business plan.
This year, we expect several important things to take place. First, we expect to be able to complete a fully functional basic proprietary platform for our core and online
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banking system, given the advanced internal testing stage where we already are now. Secondly, given the operating platform, we expect to increase active consumer deposit taking and lending activity, thus finally leading to the formation and growth of a properly leveraged bank balance sheet. Finally, we expect to more effectively utilise certain ecosystems for the generation of SME corporate and institutional business, leading to a better leveraging of our integrated business model and the synergies it can fundamentally enable. This all is expected to eventually lead to significant growth and profitability, turning our course around altogether.
Since the beginning of our project to establish this Bank, we have always had ambitious goals and objectives. Despite all the challenges faced, we never give up and always achieve our long-term objectives, and that means hard work for decades to come. Our unwavering determination, persistent hard work and patience never to give up before achieving our goals will take us there. We have the right vision, the right objectives, the right tools and skills and increasingly better team to get there. As in any enterprise, success never comes without hardships and challenges, and one is never worthy of any success without mastering and enduring any such hardships, but our true entrepreneurial work will take us there. That is something we have never doubted, even if the challenges experienced have temporarily taken a lot of our energy, time and effort without reward or immediate compensation. At the same time, the incredible opportunity ahead gives us inspiration, strength and stamina to continue on our path towards unchanged objectives.
And while we expect our businesses, people and presence to grow and diversify, we will also increasingly pay attention to the nurturing, application of and respect for our values and culture, expecting every Nemean to live and breathe them, as culture and values will be the key glue in holding everything together, guiding our people to behave, act and represent themselves in the Nemea way, up to our standards of excellence in everything they do and towards everyone they meet. Innovation, intelligence, incentive and integrity must show in all aspects of our work and activity, maintaining our innovative approach, being incentivised to act and take initiatives forward, developing, evolving things, having the intelligence to think through things, listen, use common sense and be of high integrity in everything we do. Abiding by these things will be a source of pride for all of us.
We thank our colleagues and our team for their commitment, dedication and contribution as well as the support and positive collaboration we have experienced with our other key stakeholders, and we are looking forward to a successful 2014 both with the new members of the team and those who are loyal and trustworthy ones since earlier phases of the journey. When our proprietary platform is in place, and the general economy has cleared its way towards a new trajectory of recovery and growth, the Bank will be perfectly positioned to capture the growth opportunity ahead, and produce such fruitful results that are in the interests of all of its stakeholders.
Heikki Niemelä Mika Lehto
Co-Chairman Co-Chairman
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1 STRATEGY, BUSINESS, PERFORMANCE AND RESPONSIBILITY
This section presents the Bank’s strategy and business, and discusses its performance. The Bank’s role vis-à-vis its employees and the society at large as part of its corporate responsibility are also explored.
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STRATEGY AND STRUCTURE
Nemea Bank is a modern pan-European provider of banking and investment services, serving a discerning, international client base of individuals based in the countries of the EU/EEA area. Nemea Bank does not operate a traditional network of physical branches but distributes its services exclusively online providing superior accessibility, efficiency and convenience to its clients. The NIP, Nemea Instant Payment, a free real-time online global money transfer is the planned spearhead service of the Bank.
What we do
Our planned strategy is simple:
- We will offer the NIP, the Nemea Instant Payment, a free global online money transfer as core service;
- This service is complemented with a growing number of premium quality banking, investment and later insurance services that are offered with style, substance, speed, security and good value for money; and
- Our operations generate funds, which we invest for additional return, and we earn interest, fee, commission and premium income from our products and services to generate income and profits.
The strategy remains unchanged and shall be executed in phases. The service is currently offered in English and will be increased to provide different products and facilities. Information and services are to be provided in other languages including French, Spanish and Finnish. The deposit product will be expanded to an internet banking facility, enabling internal transfers between clients as well as transfers to and from third party banks through the SWIFT and SEPA networks.
Who are our clients
Initially, we will offer our retail banking services mainly to private individuals, and the most likely early adaptor segment therein that are “global citizens”, internationally oriented people, both Generation X, Y and Z young students and professionals, and international executives, professionals, entrepreneurs and other high net worth individuals, forming a “smile curve”. In later phases, we will focus more on merchants, corporations and institutions as our clients.
Expansion of our client segments
Phase 1: Private Individuals. Our initial target market consists of private individuals who often are frustrated with the risks, delays and costs of international money transfers. Initially, we will facilitate mainly international money transfers between individual clients e.g. friends and family members, and between consumers, who have entered into a direct transaction with each either online or offline.
Requests to open accounts are being made online, and are opened further to the completion of the full due diligence process. Eventually, a client pack will be introduced that will include, a card being debit, credit or otherwise, and optional features, if the client has selected a premium pack,.
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Phase 2: Small and Medium-Sized Businesses. The growing client base, requests from consumers, active communications, and the economic benefits will attract online merchants, consumer services companies, and public entities like municipalities and government agencies to open accounts with us, and start receiving payments securely, in real-time and for free.
Phase 3: Corporations. Finally, multinational industrial, financial, and service companies will also want to benefit from the time and cost savings made possible with secure, real-time, and free money transfers, and will join the party.
Service examples: global cash pooling, dynamic limit and risk management, real-time reporting, automated collecting, budgeting and planning tools.
Our products for retail clients
The description below reflects the planned products and services for retail banking started in 2012, continued in 2013 and are ongoing in a phased manner:
Payments and Money Transfers. The key service is the secure, real-time, and free global money transfer nip, the Nemea Instant Payment. The clients can deal with their payment and money transfer needs free of charge.
Accounts. A new account is opened online. Money can be transferred to our bank from a bank account held at a third party bank. Cash can be deposited to the Bank from most branches of third-party banks worldwide. Upon the issue of a bank card cash can be withdrawn from a million ATMs with Visa acceptance worldwide. We offer different types of accounts, including current and term deposit accounts, respectively, for daily transactions and savings purposes..
Credits and Loans. We are focusing on individual loans, commercial loans and especially on the provision of smaller consumer credits that are relatively short-term. Consumer credit is non-collateralized and based on the creditworthiness of the client i.e. sufficient income and/or financial assets, clean credit record etc. We will later on extend our offering to other consumer loan products such as mortgages and car loans, while the consumer loan segment is deemed highly attractive with sound risk-reward ratios.
Payment Cards. We will gradually offer globally recognised debit and credit card products to our clients while acting as the card issuer under the Visa brand.
Mutual Funds. We will subsequently offer, initially, third-party mutual fund products in money market instruments, bonds, equities, and mixed funds through our website. They will be best of breed products provided by leading fund managers.
Securities. We will subsequently offer the facility to buy, sell and trade equities, fixed income, derivatives, currency, and commodity products through best-of-breed online brokerage facility as part of our service.
Distribution
Our products and services are offered exclusively online, as online distribution of financial services maximises user convenience, security, speed, confidentiality, 24/7 availability, and cost efficiency. During 2013, we launched a refurbished website and expanded on the online banking facility.
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Geography
We are a pan-European bank planning to serve clients based in the European Union/the European Economic Area. In the future, we will expand our offering into a global one in gradual steps.
Client benefits
Immediate benefits for all clients will be obvious: savings in time and money and increased ease and convenience.
For organisations, the opportunity to globally consolidate cash positions in real-time and receive and make payments for free lowers transaction costs, increases interest and investment income, reduces working capital requirements and the cost of capital, and thus improves profitability.
In addition, the added convenience and ease offered to clients leads to an enhanced client experience, enhanced risk management, decrease in errors, lower credit losses, and a sophisticated image. This, in return, results in greater client satisfaction and thus creates stakeholder value.
Economics
Despite offering free global money transfers, the objective of the Bank is to create superior shareholder value. It earns money on the invested funds and generates income by offering value added products and services. Combined with low cost structure and prudent risk management, it results in healthy profitability. Profitability with sustainable and controlled growth creates a valuable franchise.
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Our vision
Our long-term vision is to become recognised as a leading global provider of banking, investment and insurance services.
Our mission
Our mission is to make banking faster, cheaper, easier, more convenient and accessible.
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Paradigm change in banking
There are no “free real-time global money transfer services” offered by any party. Global money transfer services are either delayed, not free or not available online. We will be the first international bank to offer this service.
Online equals real-time. We integrate the terms of “real-time” and “online” into one and make it reality – this really is not the case in most online financial services. There is an enormous variety of online financial services, but, in fact, very few of them are actually real-time, offering the users of such services to have the transaction executed at the same time as a transaction is confirmed or an order given. Delays are largely caused by traditional banking systems running on batch processing, being in technical conflict with the requirements for real-time transaction processing.
Global retail banking. We break the paradigm of retail banking traditionally being inherently local. This we do by extending centrally manufactured products and services as a global offering available everywhere online, with gradually introduced language and feature adjustments to facilitate the local needs and requirements of our clients. This will lead to genuinely global retail banking, rendering the physical location of a bank or a need for that meaningless. We do not believe in the need for local retail banking other than the Bank’s ability to serve the client with his/her own language, which can also be facilitated online, but see retail banking as a global business.
Commoditisation and globalisation
We believe that the majority of financial products are globally homogeneous and commodity-like. Thus, cost control is as elementary as quality in financial services. Winning banks will be lowest cost/highest quality producers with a strong brand.
Local “bricks and mortar” banks and insurance branches have served consumers and small businesses since modern banking and insurance started to evolve. The future of finance lies, however, in the internet. Financial products and services are mostly in digital form. They represent value without the presence of a physical commodity. We believe that, in the future, most digital products and services will be globally delivered over the internet.
Competitive positioning
We will be a global payment network, and a modern pan-European bank.
Given this definition for positioning, in comparison with other industry players, we will be positioned to compete with traditional global banks and eventually with bancassurance groups (broad service scope/cost disadvantage plus other current challenges) and e-money institutions (limited service scope/similar cost structure).
Besides direct competition in bancassurance, competition is expected from a wide variety of retail goods and services providers in related or overlapping fields. Companies with traditional business processes suffer from the cost disadvantage, while pure online businesses often lack the knowhow, processes, systems and skills to run a fully fledged bank and/or global bancassurance operation.
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Operational structure
In 2013, the Bank has operated as a single business unit. In 2013, the business operations of the Bank have still been very limited, serving a low number of clients in selected areas. Due to the lack of substantial operating history, the following description is forward-looking rather than descriptive of the actual operations during the past financial period.
While the initial focus of the Bank will be on the Retail Bank serving individual clients, the operations of the Bank will be allocated between three ‘banks within the Bank’, starting with the setup of the retail bank:
- Retail Bank serving individual retail clients,
- Private Bank serving individual high net worth clients, and
- Corporate & Investment Bank serving corporate, institutional and government clients.
The Bank’s offering and client segmentation is consistent and in line with its integrated business model.
Retail Bank
The Retail Bank is at the core of the Bank’s offering, being built around the NIP to serve internationally oriented individual clients in their daily banking needs: payments and accounts. Cards and certain loan products will be introduced towards the 4th quarter of 2014, while being delayed by several years vis-à-vis the original plans. The banking service will be gradually complemented with premium investment products.
Private Bank
The Private Bank’s services will be designed for modern high net worth and affluent individuals leading international lives, who often are entrepreneurs or entrepreneurial families benefiting from the integrated service Nemea Bank can offer, combining value-adding services both to the business and its owners at a personal level.
Certain private banking products and services will be offered in 2014 to a limited extent.
Corporate & Investment Bank
The corporate and investment banking business will focus on serving entrepreneurially driven companies with international operations or ambitions within the European SME segment, serving them through the integrated approach combining financing, advice and investment to help realize their ambitions. The services provided by the Private Bank to the entrepreneur, business owner and his or her family complement the services of the CIB proposed to the company, forming an integrated setting for both the company and the people behind it.
The operations of the CIB will be gradually initiated and their development driven by client demand. The CIB will also serve institutional investor clients and public bodies.
In this area, as a new development for catering both for the Bank’s Asset Management business, serving both Private Banking and Institutional Clients, Nemea Group licensed its first umbrella structure of Maltese Professional Investor Funds, or PIFs. The license was obtained during Q4 of 2012, and initial investors have placed funds into the first sub-fund of the umbrella structure.
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The integrated approach
The synergies potentially resulting from both cross-selling potential of the integrated business model (e.g. retail distribution of investment products manufactured by the CIB, or serving company financing needs owned by Private Bank clients) as well as infrastructural scale benefits (unified product and service manufacturing platform) between the Bank's businesses create additional sustainable future earnings opportunities, on top of their individual growth rates. To the Bank, the integrated approach means meeting client needs without expecting clients to worry about its internal organizational structures.
Another advantage of the integrated approach is that it helps the Bank to create synergies on cost and funding. The Bank shares infrastructure and services between parts of its business, eliminating redundant structures, management and control functions. All the businesses will operate under one brand, increasing the efficiency of brand building efforts.
Growth through sustainable, client-driven revenue streams
The composition and structure of the Bank's businesses is defined by the client-driven needs. The optimal basis for building a high quality, sustainable earnings stream is a business mix that reflects these needs and responds to them, starting from the setup of the Retail Bank. Since the Bank takes this carefully planned approach, the Bank can grow without needing to change its strategic positioning or competitive profile.
While the Bank’s focus will be on organic growth, possible future acquisitions should accelerate and complement growth, and they must have an obvious strategic and cultural fit, while being financially attractive to shareholders.
Managing Nemea Bank's business
Focus on profitable growth
The Bank’s shareholders expect the Bank to achieve profitable growth. As described in this section, fulfilling this expectation requires Nemea Bank to establish a set of earning streams that are based on true client benefits, build a strong and growing client base and maintain its unique assets and capabilities that are hard for competitors to copy.
Efficiency in managing financial resources and risks is a prerequisite for all three of these requirements. By making continuous efficiency improvement – achieving the same or a better result or service with fewer resources - a permanent task, the Bank enforces significant discipline in the way it manages costs. This helps to optimise spending across different economic and business cycles in such a way that it creates value for both clients and shareholders.
Balance sheet management and funding framework
The Bank will increase its balance sheet gradually. The Bank’s retail businesses are mainly intended to be funded by client deposits. The Corporate & Investment Bank's (CIB) businesses are planned to be partly term-funded, based on an assessment of the quality and liquidity of their assets by the Bank’s treasury function.
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Board and management structure
The management and oversight structure of Nemea Bank is the responsibility of the Board of Directors (BoD).
Board of Directors
The BoD is the more senior body, with ultimate responsibility for the strategy and management of the Bank, as well as the supervision of operative management. The BoD also defines the Bank's risk framework, principles and overall risk-taking capacity. It also comprises a member that is fully independent.
Chairman’s Office
The Chairman's Office of the BoD (which consists of the two Co-Chairmen of the BoD) has an active oversight and control over the operational management team of the Bank, the implementation of strategy and the Bank's business results.
The following chart illustrates the Bank’s current operational and management structure.
Management Committee
As the Bank grows, the management team will be expanded, giving effect step-by-step to the full-blown Management Committee.
Board of DirectorsManagement CommitteeChairman’s OfficeBankingInvestment ServicesOperationsFinanceRisk ManagementTreasuryLegal & Compliance
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THE CREATION OF NEMEA – FROM AN IDEA TO AN INSTITUTION
“Despite the advances in modern technology, the transfer of money has been slow, expensive and inconvenient.” It was the summer of 2006 and we discussed one of our favourite topics – the future of finance. We drilled down to the very basics of banking and finance, considering the very basic elements of the infrastructure of global finance. At the core, banks do basically three things: they take deposits and extend loans, and to facilitate this, they make and receive payments. Looking into the international framework for payments, be they domestic or international cross-border payments, we could see vast inefficiencies both in terms of time and money, causing generation of negative value and waste to the users of such payment services. Our experience could certainly be shared by many: basically everybody having ever made payments has been frustrated by the cost of making payments or the time required for the funds to reach the beneficiary, or both. Payments form the backbone of finance, and are a core element of the international financial infrastructure. How could they be so inefficient? We could immediately see that there is a vast opportunity to create value for everybody making payments – in concrete terms of time, money and convenience.
As money has in many ways been and will be ever more virtual instead of being a physical good, we felt that transferring money should not be slow, it should not cause any delay – it should basically take no time at all. It should be real-time. Why should it take any time at all to transfer a virtual good around the world, if it practically does not take any time to send an email or talk or chat with another person physically being half the world apart? We felt that here, the world must have a service similar to email and those offering free global online calls and chats. Money must be transferable instantly, without delay, around the globe, and for free. It is just like electricity instantly available in the network, by just plugging in the plug, or water flowing in the pipes, accessible by just turning the tap: a basic commodity, costing little or nothing per unit.
Nemea Instant Payment, the nip, was born. Transfer money globally in real time and for free. Simple as that. At the same time very simple and a complete paradigm change. But why has nobody done that before? Many could, but incumbent banks had and have vast amounts of revenue from payment services at stake directly and indirectly in terms of free float of funds, something they have not been willing to cannibalize. We, without any such legacies and with the inevitable development taking towards our chosen direction, did not have any such loss at stake but only the opportunity to be the pioneer and make this happen: a fantastic opportunity to create value for everybody moving money.
How could we do that, given the geographic borders, regulatory differences, different payment systems and so on? Well, how can an email reach its recipient, or how can an internet protocol-based call or chat message reach its recipient? The answer is already in the question, and it is intrinsically very simple, even if it may involve some sophisticated technology to make it happen. We run our proprietary, fully secured payments network on the internet, and any payments are processed within our system
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in the same way international internet protocol calls or messages are processed within their providers’ systems. It is at the same time secure and global, instant and always accessible, regardless of the time and geographic location of the originator or the beneficiary. It is the new era of payments, where there are no longer delays and no longer costs in making payments. Simply put, it is the revolution of payments. The network is always there and the payment is always here – it is always instant.
Immediate benefits of the nip
The nip forms a very clear and strong value proposition, benefiting everyone using it, including private individuals, institutions and companies. One could immediately see a number of benefits in using this product, for example:
- Immediate benefits for all clients will be obvious: savings in time and money and increased ease and convenience.
- For organizations, the opportunity to globally consolidate cash positions in real-time and receive and make payments for free lowers transaction costs, increases interest and investment income, reduces working capital requirements and the cost of capital, and thus improves profitability.
In addition, the added convenience and ease offered to clients leads to an enhanced client experience, enhanced risk management, decrease in errors, lower credit losses, and a sophisticated image. This, in return, results in greater client satisfaction and thus creates stakeholder value.
Expansion of client segments
Nemea was created around the nip concept, planning to gradually expanding across products and services and across client segments, starting with the payment and other basic retail banking products for individual clients, expanding into investment services and insurance in the future in terms of business areas, and into corporate and institutional business in terms of additional client segments.
Vast potential realised through systematic execution of logical and consistent strategy
In brief, the opportunity presented by the nip is enormous, potentially cutting billions of euros of waste in terms of lost time and money in international payments. After the nip, payments finally are as they should have been a long time ago: free and real time.
Long-term execution of strategy leads to gradual fulfilment of vision and mission
Our logical, consistent and pragmatic strategy will help us to work step-by-step towards realizing our vision of becoming a leading international financial services provider and our mission of making global financial services faster, cheaper, easier, more convenient and accessible, creating vast value to all stakeholders in the process, primarily our clients.
It is a long and fascinating journey ahead, and we have only just started it. By the way, Nemea was named after the first of the 12 labours of the mythical hero Hercules. There are many more fascinating challenges ahead.
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RISK FACTORS
Certain risks, including those described below, can impact Nemea Bank's ability to carry out its business strategies and directly affect its earnings. As a consequence, the revenues and operating profit of the Bank vary from period-to-period and revenues and operating profit for any particular period will not be indicative of future results.
Risk factors related to Nemea Bank's business activity
Performance in the financial services industry depends on the economic climate – negative developments can adversely affect Nemea Bank's business activities.
The financial services industry prospers in conditions of economic growth, stable geopolitical conditions, capital markets that are transparent, liquid and buoyant and positive investor sentiment. An economic downturn, inflation or a severe financial crisis in various forms such as the European sovereign bond crisis that emerged in 2010, may negatively affect Nemea Bank's revenues and it may be unable to immediately adjust all its costs to the resulting deterioration in market or business conditions.
A market downturn can be precipitated by geopolitical events, changes in monetary or fiscal policy, trade imbalances, natural disasters, pandemics, civil unrest, war or terrorism. Because financial markets are global and highly interconnected, even local and regional events can have widespread impact well beyond the countries in which they occur. A crisis could develop, regionally or globally, as a result of disruption in emerging markets, which are particularly susceptible to macro-economic and geopolitical developments, or as a result of the failure of a major market participant. If Nemea Bank's presence and business in emerging economies increases, it becomes more exposed to these risks.
Adverse and extreme developments of this kind may affect Nemea Bank's businesses in a number of ways, and may have further adverse effect on the Bank's businesses, current or future:
- a general reduction in business activity and market volumes affects fees, commissions and margins from market-making and client-driven transactions and activities;
- a market downturn is likely to reduce the volume and valuations of assets Nemea Bank manages on behalf of clients, reducing its asset and performance-based fees;
- reduced market liquidity limits trading and arbitrage opportunities and impedes Nemea Bank's ability to manage risks, impacting both trading income and performance-based fees;
- assets Nemea Bank holds for its own account as investments or trading positions could continue to fall in value;
- impairments and defaults on credit exposures and on trading and investment positions could increase, and losses may be exacerbated by falling collateral values; and
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- if individual countries impose restrictions on cross-border payments or other exchange or capital controls, Nemea Bank could suffer losses from enforced default by counterparties, be unable to access its own assets, or be impeded in – or prevented from – managing its risks.
Given the prospective trading inventory, trading activities and the counterparty credit risks in its businesses, the Bank is expected to be dependent upon its risk management and control processes to avoid or limit potential losses.
Risk-taking is a major part of the business of a financial services provider. Nemea Bank is likely to earn a part of its revenues from market-making and proprietary trading in cash and derivatives markets. Credit is an integral part of many of Nemea Bank's activities. This will include lending, underwriting and derivatives businesses and positions.
Interest rates, equity prices, foreign exchange levels and other market fluctuations can adversely affect its earnings. Some losses from risk-taking activities are inevitable but, to be successful over time, Nemea Bank must balance the risks it takes with the returns it generates. It must therefore diligently identify, assess, manage and control its risks, not only in normal market conditions but also as they might develop under more extreme ("stressed") conditions, when concentrations of exposure can lead to severe losses. Nemea Bank's approach to risk management and control and its tools and processes for market and credit risk control, including country risk, are described in Risk, Treasury and Capital Management section of this annual report.
The Bank may not always be able to prevent losses arising from extreme and sudden market dislocations that are not anticipated by its risk measures and systems and affect inventory positions and therefore lead to serious losses. Value at Risk (VaR), a statistical measure for market risk, is derived from historical market data, and thus, by definition, cannot reliably predict losses. Stress loss and concentration controls, and the dimensions in which Nemea Bank aggregates risk to identify potentially highly correlated exposures, help to make potential loss estimates.
Nemea Bank aims at constantly strengthening its risk management and risk control frameworks, but the Bank could suffer losses in future if:
- it does not fully identify the risks in its portfolio, in particular risk concentrations and correlated risks;
- its assessment of the risks identified, or its response to negative trends, proves to be inadequate or incorrect;
- markets move in ways that are unexpected – in terms of their speed, direction, severity or correlation – and Nemea Bank's ability to manage risks in the resultant environment is therefore restricted;
- third parties to whom Nemea Bank has or will have credit exposure or whose securities it holds for its own account are severely affected by events not anticipated by Nemea Bank's models and the Bank accordingly suffers defaults and impairments beyond the level implied by its risk assessment; and
- collateral or other security that may be provided by its counterparties proves inadequate to cover their obligations at the time of their default.
Nemea Bank will also manage risk on behalf of its clients in its asset and wealth management businesses. Its performance in these activities could be harmed by the same factors. If clients suffer losses or the performance of their assets held with the Bank is not in line with relevant benchmarks against which clients assess investment
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performance, Nemea Bank may suffer reduced fee income and a decline in assets under management or withdrawal of mandates.
Investment positions – such as equity holdings that may be made as a part of strategic or operational investment initiatives, for revenue generation, held in support of the Bank's business activities, and seed investments made at the inception of funds managed by Nemea Bank – may also be affected by market risk factors. These investments, however, are often not liquid and are generally intended or required to be held beyond a normal trading horizon. They are subject to a distinct control framework (described in Risk, Treasury and Capital Management section of this annual report). Deteriorations in the fair value of these positions would have a negative impact on Nemea Bank's earnings.
Liquidity and funding management are critical to Nemea Bank's ongoing performance
A substantial part of Nemea Bank's funding requirement is expected to be met using short-term unsecured funding sources, including wholesale and retail deposits and the issuance of other short-term instruments. If this situation were to change, Nemea Bank could be forced to liquidate assets, in particular from its trading portfolio, to meet maturing liabilities or deposit withdrawals. Nemea Bank might be forced to sell them at discounts that could adversely affect its profitability and its business franchises.
Nemea Bank's capital strength is important to support its client franchise
Nemea Bank's capital position measured by the BIS capital ratios is strong, while at the same time the balance sheet has been unleveraged during the preparatory phase. Capital ratios are determined by risk-weighted assets – balance sheet, off-balance sheet and market positions, measured and risk-weighted according to regulatory criteria – and eligible capital. Nemea Bank's capital ratios could come under pressure due to financial losses, or due to an increase in risk-weighted assets. For instance, substantial market volatility, a widening of credit spreads (the major driver of Nemea Bank's VaR) or a change in regulatory treatment of positions in various assets could result in a rise in risk-weighted assets and thereby reduce Nemea Bank's capital ratios.
Operational risks may affect Nemea Bank's business
Nemea Bank's businesses are dependent on the Bank's ability to process a substantial number of transactions across diverse markets and possibly in different currencies, in addition to being subject to the many different legal and regulatory regimes of these countries. Nemea Bank's operational risk management and control systems and processes, which are described in the operational risk section of Risk, Treasury and Capital Management of this annual report, are designed to ensure that the risks associated with the Bank's activities including those arising from process error, failed execution, unauthorized trading, fraud, systems failure and failure of security and physical protection are appropriately controlled. If these internal controls fail or prove ineffective in identifying and remedying such risks, Nemea Bank could suffer operational failures that might result in losses.
Legal claims and regulatory risks arise in the conduct of Nemea Bank's business
In the ordinary course of its business, Nemea Bank is subject to regulatory oversight and liability risk. It may be involved in claims, disputes and legal proceedings and regulatory investigations where Nemea Bank is active, including Malta, the EU at large, and other jurisdictions. Such proceedings may expose Nemea Bank to substantial
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monetary damages and legal defense costs, injunctive relief, criminal and civil penalties and the potential for regulatory restrictions on Nemea Bank's businesses. The outcome of such matters, if any, cannot be predicted, and they could adversely affect Nemea Bank's future business.
Nemea Bank might be unable to identify or capture revenue or competitive opportunities, or retain and attract qualified employees
The financial services industry is characterized by intense competition, continuous innovation, detailed (and sometimes fragmented) regulation and ongoing consolidation. Nemea Bank faces competition at the level of local markets and individual business lines, and from international financial institutions. Barriers to entry in individual markets are being eroded by new technology. Nemea Bank expects these trends to continue and competition to increase in the future.
The competitive strength and position of Nemea Bank could be eroded if the Bank is unable to identify market trends and developments, does not respond to them by devising and implementing adequate business strategies or is unable to attract or retain the qualified people needed to carry them out.
Nemea Bank seeks to reward its employees appropriately based on competitive compensation schemes. Given the competitiveness of the financial industry, however, the possibility cannot be excluded that key employees will be attracted by competitors and decide to leave Nemea Bank, or that Nemea Bank may be less successful in attracting qualified employees.
Nemea Bank's reputation is key to its business
Nemea Bank's reputation is critical in maintaining its relationships with clients, shareholders, regulators and the general public. The reputation of the Bank can be damaged, for instance, by misconduct by its employees, by activities of business partners over which Nemea Bank has limited or no control, by severe or prolonged financial losses or by uncertainty about its financial soundness and its reliability. This could result in client attrition in different parts of Nemea Bank's business and could negatively impact its financial performance. The Bank's reputation is therefore a key factor in its risk management efforts.
Risk factors and internet security
Financial and internet services both call for effective risk management. Combining the two makes security issues a key factor in determining the success of the Bank. The Bank has a non-compromising approach to security and uses industry leading, state-of-the-art security processes and systems. Security systems include intrusion prevention system (IPS), physical firewalls, secure sites, strong authentication, cryptography, clustering and mirroring, disaster recovery, and real-time backups.
One critical risk relating to internet security is phishing and other forms of identity theft, where a commonplace means to practice phishing for the criminals is to present themselves as a bank or a representative of a bank, phishing for personal identification codes and other private and confidential information to access a bank’s services and use somebody else’s, whose access codes have been phished, accounts to steal the funds on them. The Bank informs all of its clients that it never asks for such information given to it neither by email, phone or similar unsecured manner.
Another critical risk is the increase of identity theft, where criminals present themselves as some other persons, dead or alive, whose identities they have stolen, and modified details e.g. by using forged or digitally altered documents, or scanned copies thereof, to open accounts, and use financial products and services, e.g. applying
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for a loan with a false identity, and never repaying such loans. Managing such risk is a common challenge to all banks, especially when larger and larger part of business is conducted online, only being based on a non face-to-face identification, where more and more secure identification tools are being developed and employed.
Nemea Bank's international online presence will expose the Bank to other risks
Nemea Bank technically provides its products and services to 30 EU/EEA countries, and will earn income and hold assets and liabilities in different currencies and may thus be subject to different legal, tax and regulatory regimes.
Nemea Bank's ability to execute its international strategy depends on obtaining and maintaining local regulatory approvals where required in addition to the Bank having been passported its banking and investment services in the 30 EU and EEA countries. This includes the approval of acquisitions or other transactions and the ability to obtain the necessary licenses to operate in a local market. Changes in local tax laws or regulations may affect the ability or the willingness of Nemea Bank's clients to do business with the Bank, or the viability of the Bank's strategies and business model.
Because Nemea Bank prepares its accounts in euros, while a part of its assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses may in the course of its business be denominated in other currencies, changes in foreign exchange rates may have an effect on its reported income. Nemea Bank's approach to management of this currency risk is explained in the corporate currency management system in Risk, Treasury and Capital Management section of this annual report.
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MEASUREMENT AND ANALYSIS OF PERFORMANCE
Nemea Bank's performance is measured and reported in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards as adopted by the European Union (IFRS), the Companies Act (1995) and the Banking Act (1994) of Malta. The following discussion and analysis of Nemea Bank’s results provide a commentary on the underlying operational performance of the business, with a focus on continuing operations.
Factors affecting Nemea Bank's financial position and results of operations in 2013
The key factor affecting the business and results of the Bank during 2013 was the continued delay in the delivery of the banking system, thus preventing the Bank from properly executing its business plan, causing a loss of revenues and a mismatch between income and cost bases, but through prudent management of costs and successful results of certain client businesses, the year resulted in a profit.
Performance measures
Nemea Bank assesses its performance against a set of four measures that have been designed to measure the delivery of continuously improving returns to its shareholders.
On average, through periods of varying market conditions, Nemea Bank, when fully operational vis-à-vis its business plan, will:
- seek to increase the value of its firm by achieving a sustainable, after-tax return on equity of a minimum of 15%;
- manage business group and business unit cost / income ratios at levels that compare well with competitors. The cost / income ratio target is limited to the banking & investment services businesses.
- target a double-digit percentage growth for (diluted) earnings per share (EPS); and
- aim to achieve a clear growth trend in net new money for all banking and investment services businesses (deposits and client assets under management).
On this basis, performance indicators 2013 show:
- return on equity for year 2013 at 0.68% (2012 at 0.42%);
- earnings per share of EUR 0.007 (2012 EUR 0.004 per share); and
- a cost / income ratio for the financial businesses of 94.2% (95.6% in 2012).
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FINANCIAL RESULTS
During the year under review the Bank continued collecting deposits from both local and foreign clients while it continued to increase its client base in Corporate and Investment Banking, which has still been the Bank’s main source of income. 2013 was also the year when the Bank continued to capitalize on the developing of its core and internet banking system as well as the continued setting up of the basic operational infrastructure in anticipation of the launch of the business model.
Operating income
Total operating income was EUR 1,125,583 in 2013 (2012: EUR 972,115). Net interest income was EUR 213,995 (2012: EUR 262,246). Net fee and commission income reached EUR 686,596 (2012: EUR 616,761). Trading income amounted to EUR 96,317 (2012: EUR 47,038). Other income amounted to EUR 128,675 (2012: EUR 46,070).
Operating expenses
Total operating expenses were EUR 1,060,908 in 2013 (2012: EUR 929,717).
Personnel expenses amounted to EUR 468,560 in 2013 (2012: EUR 419,663) of which national insurance contributions amounted to EUR 20,157 (2012: EUR 19,212). Other personnel expenses reached EUR 20,313 (2012: EUR 18,367). Personnel-related expenses were 44.2% of total costs (2012: 45.1%).
General and administrative expenses were EUR 458,192 in 2013 (2012: EUR 426,399). Professional fees normally include legal fees and IT and other outsourcing expenses. General and administrative expenses were 43.2% of total costs (2012: 45.9%).
The share of license and regulatory license fees including depositors’ compensation scheme was EUR 44,120 in 2013 (2012: EUR 62,335). The share was 4.2% of total costs (2012: 6.7%).
Depreciation and amortisation was EUR 134,156 in 2013 (2012: EUR 63,873), representing 12.6% of total costs (2012: 6.9%).
Tax
The current year tax charge of EUR 26,902 (2012: EUR 19,105) is resulting from current tax payable of EUR 48,940 and a movement in deferred tax of (EUR 22,038) which is mainly being driven by unrealised trading income and differences between the net book value of the tangible assists and their respective tax written down values.
Net result
Net profit after tax and amortisation for the financial year ended 31 December 2013 was EUR 37,773 (2012: EUR 23,293).
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Dividend
The Board of Directors proposes that no dividend shall be paid to the shareholders for the financial year ended 31 December 2013 (none for the year ended 31 December 2012).
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BALANCE SHEET AND OFF-BALANCE SHEET
Nemea Bank's total assets stood at EUR 8,535,627 as at 31 December 2013 (2012: EUR 8,346,554).
Lending and borrowing
Lending
Loans and advances to banks were EUR 1,335,983 as at 31 December 2013 (2012: EUR 436,466). Loans and advances to customers stood at EUR 4,933,375 as at 31 December 2013 (2012: EUR 4,416,422).
Borrowings
There were no borrowings as at 31 December 2013 (none as at 31 December 2012).
The Bank has taken deposits amounting to EUR 2,857,507 as at 31 December 2013 (2012: EUR 2,708,046).
Repurchase agreements and securities borrowing / lending
There were neither any repurchase agreements nor any securities borrowed/lent as at 31 December 2013 (none as at 31 December 2012).
Trading portfolio
As at 31 December 2013, trading assets amounted to EUR 797,160 (2012: EUR 955,218). There were no investments in debt instruments as at 31 December 2013 (2012: EUR 240,028, which is included in the above total for trading assets).
Replacement values
In 2013, the Bank did not hold any derivative instruments (none in 2012).
Other assets / liabilities
Property, plant and equipment was EUR 123,754 as at 31 December 2013 (2012: EUR 176,025), mainly driven by office infrastructure and data center investments. Intangible assets, mainly office software and banking system were EUR 136,026 as at 31 December 2013 (2012: EUR 120,106).
Equity
As at 31 December 2013, the equity attributable to Nemea Bank shareholders stood at EUR 5,563,244 (2012: EUR 5,525,471). The increase from the end of 2012 reflects the attributable profit of EUR 37,773 for 2013 (2012: EUR 23,293).
Capital adequacy
The Bank’s Capital Adequacy Ratio stood at 63% as at 31 December 2013 (81% as at 31 December 2012), with both total CAD and Tier 1 ratio being the same due to the lack of any other capital instruments employed other than equity capital.
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Risk concentrations
Nemea Bank's main concentrations of risk are disclosed in detail in the note 26 of the financial statements "Concentrations of Risk".
The importance and the potential impact of such risk concentrations to Nemea Bank (with respect to liquidity, capital resources or market and credit risk support), including off-balance sheet structures, is also described in Risk, Treasury and Capital Management section of this report.
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CASH FLOWS
As at 31 December 2013, the level of cash and cash equivalents was EUR 1,633,292 (2012: EUR 2,423,117).
Operating activities
Net cash flows used in operating activities were EUR 1,026,397 in 2013 (EUR 950,497 net cash flows generated from operating activities in 2012). Cash flow from operating activities (before changes in operating assets and liabilities and income taxes paid) totalled a negative EUR 656,343 in 2013 (EUR 297,407 positive cash flow from operating activities in 2012).
Investing activities
Investing activities generated a net cash inflow of EUR 236,571 in 2013 (EUR 209,078 in 2012). This was mainly made up of the net funds received from sale of investments and the purchases of property, plant and equipment and intangible assets.
Financing activities
In 2013 and 2012, no cash flows were generated from financing activities.
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EMPLOYEES
Nemea Bank relies on the expertise and commitment of its employees to deliver the solutions and the quality of service demanded by its clients. The Bank invests in developing and motivating its employees, whether they are new hires, seasoned employees, key talent or senior managers.
Staffing
The Nemea Bank workforce
The number of people employed was twelve as at 31 December 2013, three of which worked in management-level positions.
In 2013, all of Nemea Bank personnel were based in Malta.
Recruiting staff
Recruiting efforts aim at hiring highly qualified people in order to lay solid foundation to reach the Bank’s ambitious objectives.
Developing and sustaining a diverse workforce
Nemea Bank considers diversity to include the recognition and appreciation of multiple backgrounds, cultures and perspectives. Nemea Bank promotes diversity in its operations. Diversity will be integrated into Nemea Bank's working practices, such as recruiting, performance management and talent development. Diversity is an important part of Nemea Bank's culture.
Employee retention
A number of factors influence employee retention. These include compensation, and incentives, performance management and learning and development opportunities. Nemea Bank manages these elements at all levels. The retention of key staff is also tracked.
Performance management
The skills, expertise and ambition of Nemea Bank employees, together with a business culture that values meritocracy, are essential to achieving results for both clients and Nemea Bank alike. Performance management processes aimed to be conducted throughout the year support staff development, reinforce the Bank's core values and help ensure employees have the skills necessary to implement the long-term strategy of taking advantage of the global trends underlying our business strategies.
As Nemea Bank believes employee-manager dialog underpins good performance management and demonstrable performance is the basis for meritocracy. All employees are intended to participate in a performance management process that assesses individual achievements against specific objectives. The performance measurement and management (PMM) process specifies expectations for behavior and actions according to (and increasing with) experience and rank. As an example of this, evaluations for all employees include a "client focus" element, although the specific requirements to successfully fulfill this vary significantly according to their function or role.
The PMM assessment is one element defining individual incentive awards, with top performers receiving proportionately higher rewards. The total amount of money
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granted in incentive awards is determined by the financial performance of the Bank and its individual businesses.
Compensation and incentives
To support its integrated business strategy, Nemea Bank endeavors to foster an entrepreneurial and performance-oriented culture. Compensation is linked to performance.
Learning and development
Leadership development
Nemea Bank invests in the career and skill development of its people. Leadership development activities target high potential employees across the Bank. Senior people at Nemea Bank play a direct role in teaching and mentoring key talent.
Business training
Employees have access to professional and personal skill development opportunities. As business or regulatory needs require, additional educational initiatives are developed to meet the training need. The promotion of cross-business collaboration is one example.
Commitment
Nemea Bank's corporate values form the foundation of what the Bank does and how it does it. These values are integrated into the commercial decision-making process, management techniques and ways in which people interact with one another during the daily course of business. The implementation of this vision is underpinned by Nemea Bank's ethical beliefs of diversity, integrity and privacy, and corporate responsibility. Entrepreneurial leadership, partnership and meritocracy are the core competencies that help Nemea Bank succeed. And client focus is Nemea Bank's ultimate purpose.
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CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY
As an international financial services provider, one of Nemea Bank's main purposes is to create long-term value. Nemea Bank believes this can be best achieved by providing clients with value-added products and services and by promoting a corporate culture that adheres to high ethical standards. The Bank also firmly believes that, for any business, long-term value creation is also dependent on what it does above and beyond what laws and regulations require. It is why Nemea Bank dedicates itself to creating a working environment based on the values of equal opportunity, diversity and meritocracy.
Environment
Nemea Bank acknowledges that climate change represents one of the most significant environmental challenges of current times. It will have wide-ranging effects on ecosystems, societies and economies worldwide.
Corporate responsibility governance
The Board of Directors (BoD) assesses how to meet the evolving expectations of Nemea Bank's stakeholders in relation to the Bank's corporate conduct. If the BoD concludes that there is a gap between what stakeholders expect and what Nemea Bank practices – and that this gap represents either a risk or an opportunity to the Bank – it suggests appropriate actions to be taken by the Bank.
Corporate responsibility: training and raising awareness
It is important that employees are aware of Nemea Bank's corporate responsibility efforts and processes. The Bank provides general information published and on its website.
Training is also integral to the more specialized areas of environmental management and anti-money laundering (AML).
Contributing to society – preventing money laundering, corruption and terrorist financing
Extensive and constant efforts to prevent money laundering, corruption and terrorist financing are important contributions to society. The integrity of the financial system is the responsibility of all those involved in it. Nemea Bank takes its duties extremely seriously.
Nemea Bank's Anti-Money Laundering Officer leads its efforts to fight money laundering, corruption and the financing of terrorism. Its key task is to help employees to recognize and then manage and report suspicious activities – in a way that neither treats all clients as criminals nor unduly hinders normal business. While doing so, the Bank also remains completely committed to the respect and protection of its clients' privacy, a cornerstone of the Bank's philosophy.
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The best way to achieve such goals is through a spirit of partnership across the Bank – between those who manage client relationships and the risk managers and controllers who support them. Employees will be focused on really getting to know clients, understanding their needs and their business – and then asking questions when things do not make sense. To assist employees in their "customer due diligence" (CDD) skills, the effective ongoing monitoring and the identification of new trends in suspicious behavior, employees will be undertaking training courses, both in the form of on-line training and seminars.
To prevent money laundering and terrorist financing, Nemea Bank takes a risk-oriented approach that is tailored to its different business lines and their particular risks and exposures. This includes establishing consistent criteria by which a business relationship should be judged "higher-risk" from an AML perspective. Nemea Bank will also be utilizing advanced technology to assist the Bank in the identification of transaction patterns or unusual dealings.
Nemea Bank and the environment
The Bank remains committed to integrating environmental considerations into all its business activities. It has an environmental policy in place to e.g. emphasize the importance of paperless office to save natural resources as well as to limit any unnecessary energy consumption and business travel.
Corporate responsibility in Nemea Bank guidelines and policies
The importance Nemea Bank attaches to responsible corporate behavior is reflected in the various documents and policies defining the rules and principles the Bank applies to the behavior of its employees. These guidelines define the way Nemea Bank does business and the Bank regularly monitors compliance.
The Bank and its employees should conduct themselves in a manner that is above reproach, as preserving Nemea Bank's integrity is vital to its most valuable asset – its reputation.
The Bank has a code of conduct and ethics, which sets forth the policies and practices that it expects all of its employees to follow. The code outlines the required standards of fairness, honesty and integrity in a general manner. It is the basis for all Nemea Bank policies.
Conflicts of interest
Nemea Bank is committed to ensuring fair treatment of all its stakeholders, while recognizing that conflicts of interest cannot always be avoided. The Bank has therefore established guiding principles outlining its approach to properly identifying and managing conflicts of interest.
Information security
Nemea Bank adheres to the highest standards of information security. It meets legal and regulatory requirements related to information security, satisfying the obligations it has to clients, employees and shareholders.
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2 RISK, TREASURY AND CAPITAL MANAGEMENT
This report outlines principles by which we manage and control risk, run our Treasury and manage capital and liquidity.
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RISK MANAGEMENT AND CONTROL
Risk management and control principles
Taking, managing and controlling risk is core to Nemea Bank's business. The aim is not, therefore, to eliminate all risks but to achieve an appropriate balance between risk and return. When in full operation, Nemea Bank's approach to risk management and control is based on five principles:
- business management throughout the Bank is accountable for all the risks assumed or incurred by their business operations and is responsible for the continuous and active management of risk exposures to ensure that risk and return are balanced;
- an independent control process is an integral part of the Bank's structure – its goal is to provide an objective check on risk-taking activities and to support senior management in achieving appropriate alignment of the interests of all stakeholders including shareholders, clients and employees;
- comprehensive, transparent and objective risk disclosure to senior management, the Board of Directors (BoD), shareholders, regulators, rating agencies and other stakeholders is an essential component of the risk control process;
- earnings protection is based on limiting the scope for adverse variations in earnings and exposure to stress events – controls are applied at the level of individual exposures and portfolios in each business and to risk in aggregate, across all businesses and major risk types, relative to the Bank's risk capacity (the level of risk Nemea Bank is capable of absorbing, based on its anticipated earnings power); and
- protection of Nemea Bank's reputation ultimately depends on the effective management and control of the risks incurred in the course of business.
The principles are the foundation upon which the more detailed risk management and control frameworks are built. These frameworks comprise both qualitative elements, including policies and authorities, and quantitative components including limits. They are continually adapted and enhanced as Nemea Bank's business and the market environment evolve.
Risk management and control responsibilities
The BoD has a strategic and supervisory function. It is responsible for the Bank's fundamental approach to risk, for approving the risk principles and for determining risk capacity and risk appetite.
The Chairman's Office acts as the Risk Council of the BoD. In this capacity, it oversees the risk profile of the Bank on behalf of the BoD and oversees implementation of the risk management and control principles.
The Risk Officer (RO) has overall responsibility for the development, implementation and enforcement of Nemea Bank's risk principles. This includes establishing risk control frameworks, formulating risk policies and determining methodologies for measurement and assessment of risk.
The Finance department is responsible for transparency in the financial performance of Nemea Bank and its business groups, including high quality and timely reporting
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and disclosure in line with regulatory requirements, corporate governance standards and global best practice. The Finance department is responsible for implementation of the risk principles in the areas of capital management, liquidity, funding and tax.
The Head of Legal and Compliance is responsible for implementing the risk principles in the areas of legal and compliance.
The Head of each business area will have overall responsibility for the business group and its management, and is accountable for its results and risks.
All employees, but in particular those involved in risk decisions, must make Nemea Bank's reputation an overriding concern. Responsibility for Nemea Bank's reputation cannot be delegated or syndicated.
The risk control process
There are five key elements in the independent risk control process that is planned to be run when the Bank is in full operation, while appropriate risk controls have been effected at all stages of development:
- risk policies to implement the risk principles, reflecting Nemea Bank's risk capacity and risk appetite, and consistent with evolving business requirements and international best practice. Nemea Bank's risk policies are principle-based, specifying minimum requirements, high-level controls and standards, and broad authorities and responsibilities – they are never a substitute for the exercise of sound business judgment but, rather a guide and determine actions and decisions;
- risk identification through continuous monitoring of portfolios, assessment of risks in new businesses and complex or unusual transactions, and ongoing review of the risk profile in the light of market developments and external events;
- risk measurement using methodologies and models which are independently verified and approved;
- risk control by monitoring and enforcing compliance with risk principles, policies and limits, and with regulatory requirements; and
- transparent risk reporting to stakeholders, and to management at all levels, on all relevant aspects of the approved risk control framework, including limits.
The Bank is developing control processes around the establishment of new businesses, and the execution of complex or unusual transactions. These processes involve the business, and potentially all the control functions – risk control, legal, compliance, treasury, finance, tax and logistics, as necessary. The objective is to ensure that all critical elements are addressed across disciplines. A key aspect is whether transactions can be booked in a way that will permit appropriate ongoing risk management, measurement, control and reporting.
Risk categories
Business risks are the risks associated with a chosen business strategy – it is business management's responsibility to respond to fundamental changes in the economic environment and the competitive landscape. Business risks are not subject to independent risk control but will be factored into the Bank's planning and budgeting process and the assessment of Nemea Bank's risk capacity and overall risk exposure.
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The primary and operational risks inherent in business activities are subject to independent risk control.
Primary risks are:
- credit risk – the risk of loss resulting from the failure of a client or counterparty to meet its contractual obligations. It arises on traditional banking products, such as loans and commitments, and on derivatives and similar transactions. A form of credit risk also arises on securities and other obligations in tradable form. Their fair values are affected by changing expectations about the probability of failure to meet obligations as well as actual failures. Where these instruments are held in connection with a trading activity, Nemea Bank controls the risk as market risk;
- market risk – the risk of loss resulting from changes in market variables of two broad types: general market risk factors and idiosyncratic components. General market risk factors include interest rates, exchange rates, equity market indices, commodity prices and general credit spreads. Idiosyncratic components are specific to individual names and affect the values of their securities and other obligations in tradable form, and derivatives referenced to those names. Investment positions may also be affected by market risk factors but they are often not liquid and are generally intended or required to be held beyond a normal trading horizon. For these reasons they are subject to a different control framework; and
- liquidity and funding risk – the risk that Nemea Bank might be unable to meet its payment obligations when due, or to borrow funds in the market on an unsecured or secured basis at an acceptable price to fund actual or proposed commitments.
Operational risk is the risk of loss resulting from inadequate or failed internal processes, people and systems, or from external causes, whether deliberate, accidental or natural. Operational risks must be monitored, and are controlled and mitigated to the extent possible and desirable.
Quantitative controls
In principle, for risks that are quantifiable, Nemea Bank will be measuring potential loss at three levels – expected loss, statistical loss and stress loss.
Expected loss is the loss that is expected to arise on average over time in connection with an activity. It is an inherent cost of such activity, and must be factored into business plans. For financial instruments carried at fair value, expected loss is reflected in valuations and deducted directly from revenues.
Statistical loss measures, such as Value at Risk ("VaR"), estimate the amount by which actual loss in a portfolio can exceed expected loss over a specified time horizon, measured to a specified level of confidence (probability).
Stress loss is the loss that could arise from extreme events, typically beyond the confidence level of the statistical loss estimate, and is normally a scenario-based measure.
Concentration controls complement portfolio risk measures. Controls are generally applied where the Bank identifies that positions in different financial instruments or different portfolios are affected by changes in the same risk factor or group of correlated factors and there is the potential for significant loss in the event of extreme but plausible adverse developments. Nemea Bank's concentration controls include
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credit limits for individual clients, counterparties and counterparty groups, ceilings on exposure to all but the best-rated countries, limits on potential loss from changes in general market risk factors, and thresholds on single name exposures in the trading portfolio.
The primary day-to-day quantitative controls are intended to govern normal periodic adverse results and prevent severe losses as a result of stress events. The identification of stress events and scenarios to which Nemea Bank will be vulnerable and an assessment of their potential impact – in particular the danger of aggregated losses from a single event through concentrated exposures – is a critical component of the risk control process. Risk measures and controls rely on a combination of past experience, available external data, and judgments about likely future developments. Each new stress event is in some way unique, and thus no risk measure can provide complete protection against every possible scenario. Equally, each stress event offers new insights into ways of enhancing risk measures and controls, whether specific to an individual portfolio or risk type or a more generic extension from a particular experience.
"Earnings-at-risk" and "Capital-at-risk"
To complement the day-to-day operating controls, Nemea Bank has developed and will be implementing two concepts – "Earnings-at-risk" and "Capital-at-risk" – to assess aggregate risk exposure across risk types and businesses against its financial resources. These measures assess Nemea Bank's ability to absorb the potential loss inherent in its business in the current economic cycle, across all business lines, and from all major sources, including primary risks, operational risks and business risks.
Earnings-at-risk focuses on Nemea Bank's ability to absorb losses from current earnings, while capital-at-risk considers more extreme losses and their potential to lead to a breach of minimum regulatory capital requirements or, ultimately, to insolvency. Capital-at-risk is an input to the capital management process.
Earnings-at-risk is planned to be an integral part of the risk control and is monitored by the senior management and the Chairman's Office as part of the regular risk reporting cycle. The concept reflects Nemea Bank's view that the first and primary resource to absorb losses is a firm's earnings stream. Earnings-at-risk has three elements – risk capacity, risk exposure and risk appetite.
Risk capacity is the level of risk Nemea Bank considers itself capable of absorbing, based on its earnings power, without damage to its dividend paying ability, its strategic plans and, ultimately, its reputation and ongoing business viability. It is based on a combination of budgeted / forecast and historical revenues and costs, adjusted for performance-related compensation, and dividends and related taxes.
Risk exposure is an estimate of potential loss based on current and prospective risk limits and risk positions across major risk categories – primary risks, operational risk and business risk. It is assessed against a severe but plausible constellation of events over a one-year time horizon to a 95% confidence level – in effect to assess the impact of a "once in 20 years" event. The measure builds on the statistical loss measures used in the day-to-day operating controls as far as possible, extending their time horizons where necessary, with adjustments and supplements determined by management to reflect known coverage gaps, measurement weaknesses and potential events. The results are combined to reflect potential correlations between the various risk categories under the severe scenarios envisaged.
A comparison of risk exposure with risk capacity serves as a basis for determining the appropriateness of current or proposed risk limits, and Nemea Bank's ability to pay a
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cash dividend out of its earnings. It is also one of the tools available to management to guide decisions on adjustments to the risk profile.
Risk appetite is established by the BoD, who set an upper bound on aggregate risk exposure in the form of a "risk exposure ceiling". It is appropriate that risk exposure should be less than risk capacity.
As with any model, Earnings-at-risk is heavily dependent on the many assumptions (including the chosen confidence level) and estimates that are necessarily entailed in determining the inputs and generating the output, not least because risk exposure includes a combination of statistical and more judgmental elements. Measured risk exposure must be understood in this context. Risk capacity and risk exposure are, furthermore, dynamic measures, affected significantly by the external environment which will impact, for example, correlations between risk categories, the liquidity of Nemea Bank's positions, the potential to reduce or hedge them at reasonable prices, and Nemea Bank's funding costs.
Capital-at-risk builds off the Earnings-at-risk concept but assesses the potential for losses to exceed earnings capacity and erode capital. For Capital-at-risk, the analysis of risk exposure is essentially the same as for Earnings-at-risk but measured at two higher confidence levels – the first in relation to Nemea Bank's minimum regulatory capital requirement, and the second in terms of solvency.
The Capital-at-risk measure of aggregate risk exposure is an important consideration in the assessment of capital adequacy.
Like Earnings-at-risk, Capital-at-risk relies on the day-to-day risk control measures and will potentially underestimate aggregate exposure if these measures do not fully capture the risks.
Qualitative controls
Although measurement of risk is clearly important, quantification does not always tell the whole story, and not all risks are quantifiable. Due diligence, sound judgment, common sense and an appreciation of a wide range of potential outcomes – including a willingness to challenge assumptions – are key components of a strong risk culture for both risk management and risk control.
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RISK CONCENTRATIONS
A concentration of risk exists where positions in financial instruments are affected by changes in the same risk factor or group of correlated factors, and the exposure could, in the event of extreme but plausible adverse developments, result in significant losses. The identification of risk concentrations necessarily entails judgment about potential future developments, which cannot be predicted with certainty. In determining whether a concentration of risk exists, risk controllers consider a number of elements, both individually and in combination. They include the shared characteristics of the instruments; the size of the position; the sensitivity of the position to changes in risk factors and the volatility of those factors; the liquidity of the markets in which the instruments are traded and the availability and effectiveness of hedges or other potential risk mitigants; and the risk reward profile of the positions. If a risk concentration is identified, it is assessed to determine whether it should be reduced or the risk should be mitigated, and the available means to do so. Identified concentrations are subject to increased monitoring.
There is clearly a possibility that losses could arise on asset classes and positions other than those considered, if the correlations that emerge in a stressed environment differ markedly from those envisaged by the Bank. The Bank has exposures to a number of securities in its portfolios. It is exposed to credit spread and default risk of fixed income instruments, to idiosyncratic risk on both equities (while no equity exposure currently held) and fixed income assets, and to country risk. Nemea Bank does not currently foresee the likelihood of material losses on such positions but the possibility cannot be ruled out.
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CREDIT RISK
Credit risk is the risk of financial loss resulting from failure by a client or counterparty to meet its contractual obligations to Nemea Bank. This can be caused by factors directly related to the counterparty, such as business or management problems, or from failures in the settlement process, for example on a foreign exchange transaction, where the Bank honors its obligation but the counterparty fails to deliver the counter-value (settlement risk). Alternatively, it can be triggered by economic or political difficulties in the country in which the counterparty is based or where it has substantial assets (country risk).
Sources of credit risk
Credit risk is inherent in traditional banking products – loans, commitments to lend and contingent liabilities, such as letters of credit – and in "traded products" – derivative contracts such as forwards, swaps and options, repurchase agreements (repos and reverse repos), and securities borrowing and lending transactions. The risk control processes applied to these products are fundamentally the same, although the accounting treatment varies – they can be carried at amortized cost or fair value, depending on the type of instrument and, in some cases, the nature of the exposure.
Many of the business activities of the Bank will be creating credit risk. It offers individual and business clients a variety of credit products, although the majority of credit risks are well secured against financial collateral or other assets. The Bank will be giving high net worth individuals (HNWI), corporate, institutional, intermediary and alternative asset management clients access to the full range of credit and capital markets instruments across all product classes, and engaging with other professional counterparties in its trading and risk management activities.
Credit risk control organization and governance
Effective credit risk control is critical to Nemea Bank's safety and soundness. The credit risk control framework is based on the risk management and control principles, supported by credit policies. It has both qualitative and quantitative elements. When entering a fully operational phase, Nemea Bank is establishing processes to ensure that risks are identified, assessed, pre-approved where necessary, and continuously monitored and reported. Measures and limits are applied to the credit risk of individual counterparties and counterparty groups, and the quality and diversification of portfolios and sub-portfolios are assessed, a key objective being to control risk concentrations.
The Risk Committee assesses the creditworthiness of individual counterparties and the adequacy and effectiveness of any security or credit hedges, and evaluating credit risk in portfolios, sub-portfolios and other aggregations, including country risk.
The Chairman's Office will delegate appropriate authority to the senior management. Further delegations will be made to credit officers in the business groups. The level of credit authority delegated to holders depends on their seniority and experience and varies according to the quality of the counterparty and any associated security. These
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authorities will encompass all aspects of the approval of credit risk, including settlement risk, and the determination of allowances, provisions and credit valuation adjustments for any impaired claims.
Credit risk control
Limits and controls
The primary objective of quantitative controls is to avoid, as far as possible, undue credit risk concentrations. Concentrations of credit risk exist if clients are engaged in similar activities, or are located in the same geographical region or have comparable economic characteristics such that their ability to meet contractual obligations would be similarly affected by changes in economic, political or other conditions. The Bank will be establishing limits to constrain exposure to individual counterparties and counterparty groups and at portfolio and sub-portfolio levels, wherever risk concentrations are identified, including exposure to specific industries and countries, where appropriate.
At the level of the individual counterparty and counterparty group, risk officers will establish limits for all types of banking and traded products exposure, which cover not only the current outstanding amount and replacement values of contractual obligations but also contingent commitments and the potential future development of exposure on traded products. Credit engagements may not be entered into without the appropriate approvals and limits.
Limits will be applied in a variety of forms to portfolios or sectors, where necessary, to restrict risk concentrations or areas of higher risk, or to control the rate of portfolio growth. In particular for higher risk engagements, the impact of variations in default rates and asset values is assessed using stress scenarios, taking into account risk concentrations. Stress loss limits will be applied to portfolios where considered necessary, including limits on exposures to all but the best-rated countries.
In establishing these controls, including the related authorities and approval processes, a distinction is made between those exposures which are to be held to maturity ("take and hold" exposures) and those which will be held only in the short term, pending distribution or risk transfer ("temporary exposures"). An example of temporary exposure is syndicated lending where the bulk of the original commitment will be distributed to other financial institutions or investors. For all exposures, the credit quality and cash flow generation capacity of the counterparty over the full term of the obligation are at the heart of the credit assessment. For temporary exposures, market liquidity and Nemea Bank's distribution capabilities will be also key considerations in the approval process.
Risk mitigation
Nemea Bank employs risk mitigation techniques for most of its credit portfolios, typically by taking security in the form of financial collateral (cash or marketable securities) or other assets, or through risk transfers or the purchase of credit protection.
Taking security is the most common form of risk mitigation. Valuation standards are applied in assessing the mitigating effect of security. In lending to affluent private clients (Lombard lending) the pledge of securities or cash is required. The Bank will also be taking financial collateral in the form of marketable securities in much of its over-the-counter (OTC) derivatives activity and in its securities financing (securities lending / borrowing and repurchase / reverse repurchase) business. Where financial collateral is taken, haircuts are generally applied to the market value, reflecting the
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quality, liquidity, volatility – and in some cases complexity – of the individual instruments. Exposures and collateral positions are continuously monitored, and margin calls and closeout procedures are enforced when the market value of collateral falls below predefined levels relative to the exposure. Collateral concentrations within individual client portfolios and across clients are also monitored where relevant and may affect the discount applied to specific collateral. For property financing, a mortgage over the relevant property is taken to secure the claim, considering the ability of the borrower to service the debt from income, and in accordance with Nemea Bank's policy on loan to value ratios.
OTC derivatives business will be conducted almost without exception under bilateral master agreements, which generally allow for the close out and netting of all transactions in the event of default by the other party. Nemea Bank may also enter into two-way collateral agreements with market participants, under which either party can be required to provide collateral in the form of cash or marketable securities when exposure exceeds a pre-defined level. The OTC derivatives business with lower-rated counterparties is generally conducted under one-way collateral agreements where the counterparty provides collateral to Nemea Bank. Under these kinds of agreements, only cash or very liquid collateral will be accepted. The Bank will maintain standards for netting and collateral agreements, including assurance that contracts are legally enforceable in insolvency in the relevant jurisdictions.
Nemea Bank will also make use of credit hedging, in the form of risk transfers, securitizations and purchase of credit protection, as part of its active management of credit risk to reduce concentrated exposures to individual names or sectors or in specific portfolios. Most of this credit hedging will be achieved by transferring underlying credit risk to high-grade market counterparties using single name credit default swaps, executed under bilateral netting agreements and generally also under collateral agreements. Credit-pooling vehicles will also be used to transfer risk to outside investors via credit-linked notes. In the internal risk reporting processes, the gross exposure before hedging as well as net exposure will be tracked. The benefit of credit hedges is only recognized in credit risk measures if they cover future exposure increases to a high level of confidence, and offer protection against a wide range of credit events, including failure to pay, bankruptcy and insolvency, restructuring and repudiation, and moratorium. Proxy hedges (credit protection on a different but correlated name) and index or macro hedges are not recognized.
The effectiveness of credit protection bought from a counterparty depends on the ability of the counterparty to meet any claim. Exposure to credit protection providers is monitored as part of overall credit exposure. Where there is significant correlation between the counterparty and the hedge provider (so-called "wrong-way risk") Nemea Bank's policy will be to not recognize any benefit in credit risk measures.
Reporting
An essential element of the credit risk control process is transparent and objective risk reporting.
The credit risk control will be responsible for risk reporting covering both exposure to individual counterparties from all products and activities, and portfolio risks. It will also supply information to a central unit providing consolidated reports of counterparty and portfolio risk and country risk to senior management, the Chairman's Office, the Board of Directors (BoD) and regulators where applicable.
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Credit risk measurement
Credit risk measurement is an essential component of the credit risk control framework. The measurement of credit exposure from a loan which is fully drawn is straightforward. By contrast, the estimation of credit exposure on a traded product, the value of which varies with changes in market variables, interim cash flows and the passage of time, is more complex and requires the use of models. The assessment of portfolio risk also entails estimations of the likelihood of defaults occurring, of the associated loss ratios if they do, and of default correlations between counterparties.
Nemea Bank has developed tools to support the quantification of credit risk of individual counterparties, applying the three generally accepted parameters: probability of default, loss given default and exposure at default. Models will also be used to derive portfolio risk measures – expected loss, statistical loss and stress loss.
In line with Nemea Bank's internal governance standards and the requirements of the new regulatory capital framework (Basel II), the development and maintenance of models will conform to global standards, and the models and their components will be subject to independent verification before implementation. Models must comply with established measurement standards to ensure consistency and allow meaningful aggregation of credit risk across all businesses, and will be reviewed and updated on an ongoing basis
Credit risk parameters
Three parameters are used to measure and control individual counterparty credit risk:
- the "probability of default", which is an estimate of the likelihood of the client or counterparty defaulting on its contractual obligations. This probability is assessed using rating tools tailored to the various categories of counterparties. Besides their use for credit risk measurement, ratings will be an important element in setting credit risk authorities;
- the likely recovery ratio on the defaulted claims, which is a function of the type of counterparty and any credit mitigation or support (such as security or guarantee), from which the "loss given default" is determined;
- the current exposure to the counterparty and its possible future development, from which potential "exposure at default" is derived. For traded products such as OTC derivatives, the exposure at default is not a definitive number – it must be derived by modeling the range of possible outcomes. In measuring individual counterparty exposure against credit limits, the Bank considers the "maximum likely exposure" measured to a high confidence level over the full life of all outstanding obligations, whereas in aggregating exposures to different counterparties for portfolio risk measurement, the expected exposure to each counterparty at a given time horizon (usually one year) generated by the same model is used.
These parameters are the basis for most internal measures of credit risk. The Bank is proceeding to commence the implementation of the Basel III regime.
Expected loss
Credit losses must be expected as an inherent cost of doing business. But the occurrence of credit losses is erratic in both timing and amount, and those that arise usually relate to transactions entered into in previous accounting periods. In order to reflect the fact that future credit losses are implicit in today's portfolio, Nemea Bank uses the concept of "expected loss".
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Expected credit loss is a statistically based concept which is used to estimate the annual costs that are expected to arise, on average, from positions in the current portfolio that become impaired. The expected loss for a given credit facility is a function of the three components described above – probability of default, loss given default and exposure at default. The expected loss figures for individual counterparties are aggregated to derive the expected credit loss for the whole portfolio.
Expected loss is the foundation of credit risk quantification in all portfolios. It is an input to the valuation or pricing of some products, and the determinant of credit risk costs charged to the business in the management accounts, which differs from the credit loss expense reported under International Financial Reporting Standards as adopted by the European Union (IFRS). Expected loss is also the starting point for the measurement of portfolio statistical loss and stress loss.
Statistical loss
Nemea Bank uses a statistical model – Credit Value at Risk ("Credit VaR") – to estimate the largest potential loss on the portfolio over one year measured to a specified level of confidence. The shape of the modeled loss distribution is driven by systematic default relationships amongst counterparties within and between segments. The results of this analysis provide an indication of the level of risk in the portfolio, and the way it develops over time. It is also an important input to the overall risk measures Earnings-at-risk and Capital-at-risk.
Stress loss
Stress loss is a scenario-based measure, which complements the statistical model. It is used to assess potential loss in various extreme but plausible scenarios in which it is assumed that one or more of the three key credit risk parameters deteriorates substantially according to a pattern that is typical for the chosen scenario. Stress tests will be run regularly, and on an ad hoc basis as necessary, in order to identify adverse portfolio situations, particularly risk concentrations. All scenario results are monitored, and for certain portfolios and segments, stress loss is subject to limits.
Composition of credit risk
The measures of credit risk differ, depending on the purpose for which exposures are aggregated – financial accounting under IFRS, determination of regulatory capital, or Nemea Bank's own internal management view, i.e. the way credit portfolio risk is managed.
As explained in the Credit risk measurement section, Nemea Bank will also be measuring, and generally applying limits to, credit exposure to individual counterparties and counterparty groups and measuring risk across counterparties at various portfolio and sub-portfolio levels. In these calculations the Bank will also be considering the potential development of replacement values of traded products over time as market risk factors change, interim payments are made and transactions mature, all of which can significantly alter the risk exposure profile over time. These potential developments are not reflected in the tables opposite and below, which reflect only the current exposures.
Total gross credit exposure amounted to EUR 7,334,667 as at 31 December 2013 (2012: EUR 6,951,560) inclusive of loans and advances to customers, loans and advances to banks, and other assets (Note 26 to Financial Statements).
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Settlement risk
Settlement risk arises in transactions involving exchange of value when the Bank must honor its obligation to deliver without first being able to determine that the counter-value has been received.
Country risk
The Bank will be assigning ratings to all countries to which it has exposure. Sovereign ratings express the probability of occurrence of a country risk event that would lead to impairment of Nemea Bank's claims. The default probabilities and the mapping to the ratings of the major rating agencies will be the same as for counterparty rating classes (as described under "Probability of default").
Country risk exposure
There was no exposure to emerging market countries during both 2013 and 2012.
Impairment and default – distressed claims
Nemea Bank has classifications for distressed claims.
A loan carried at amortized cost is considered to be "past due" when a significant payment has been missed. It is classified as "non-performing" where payment of interest, principal or fees is overdue by more than 90 days and there is no firm evidence that the claim will be settled by later payments or the liquidation of collateral; or when insolvency proceedings have commenced against the borrower; or when obligations have been restructured on concessionary terms.
Any claim, regardless of accounting treatment, is classified as "impaired" if Nemea Bank considers it probable that it will suffer a loss on that claim as a result of the obligor's inability to meet its obligations according to the contractual terms, and after realization of any available collateral. "Obligations" in this context include interest payments, principal repayments or other payments due, for example under an OTC derivative contract or a guarantee.
The recognition of impairment in the financial statements depends on the accounting treatment of the claim. For products carried at amortized cost, impairment is recognized through the creation of an allowance or provision, which is charged to the statement of comprehensive income as credit loss expense. For products recorded at fair value, impairment is recognized through a credit valuation adjustment, which is charged to the income statement through the net trading income line.
The Bank has policies and processes to ensure that the carrying values of impaired claims are determined in compliance with IFRS on a consistent and fair basis, especially for those impaired claims for which no market estimate or benchmark for the likely recovery value is available. The credit controls applied to valuation and workout are the same for both amortized cost and fair-valued credit products. Each case is assessed on its merits, and the workout strategy and estimation of cash flows considered recoverable are independently approved by the credit risk control organization.
Portfolios of claims carried at amortized cost with similar credit risk characteristics are also assessed for collective impairment. A portfolio is considered impaired on a collective basis if there is objective evidence to suggest that it contains impaired obligations but the individual impaired items cannot yet be identified.
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The assessment of collective impairment differs depending on the nature of the underlying obligations. In Nemea Bank's retail businesses, where delayed payments are likely to be routinely seen, Nemea Bank will be reviewing individual positions for impairment only after they have been in arrears for a certain time. To cover the time lag between the occurrence of an impairment event and its identification, collective loan loss allowances are established, based on the expected loss measured for the portfolio over the average period between trigger events and their identification for individual impairments. Collective loan loss allowances of this kind are not required for corporate and investment banking businesses because individual counterparties and exposures are continuously monitored and impairment events are identified at an early stage.
Additionally, for all portfolios, Nemea Bank will assess each quarter – or on an ad hoc basis if necessary – whether there has been any previously unforeseen development, which might result in impairments, which cannot be immediately identified individually. Such events could be stress situations such as a natural disaster or a country crisis, or they could result from structural changes in, for example, the legal or regulatory environment. To determine whether an event-driven collective impairment exists, a set of global economic drivers will be regularly assessed for the most vulnerable countries and, on a case-by-case basis, the impact of specific potential impairment events since the last assessment is reviewed. Again, the expected loss parameters of the affected sub-portfolios are the starting point for determining the collective impairment, adjusted as necessary to reflect the severity of the event in question.
Past due but not impaired loans
Past due but not impaired loans have suffered missed payments but are not considered impaired because Nemea Bank expects ultimately to collect all amounts due under the contractual terms of the loans or with equivalent value.
Impaired loans, allowances and provisions
There was only one impaired loan as at 31 December 2013 and 31 December 2012 amounting to EUR 19,782.
Nemea Bank will seek to liquidate collateral in the form of financial assets in the most expeditious manner, at prices considered fair. This may require that it purchases assets for its own account, where permitted by law, pending orderly liquidation.
Credit loss expense
Nemea Bank's financial statements are prepared in accordance with IFRS, under which credit loss expense charged to the statement of comprehensive income in any period is the sum of net allowances and direct write-offs minus recoveries arising in that period, i.e. the credit losses actually incurred. By contrast, for internal management reporting, credit loss expense is based on the expected loss concept described under "Credit risk measurement".
Rating system design and estimation of credit risk parameters
Probability of default
Nemea Bank will be assessing the likelihood of default of individual counterparties using rating tools tailored to the various counterparty segments. The performance of rating tools, including their predictive power with regard to default events, is regularly validated and model parameters are adjusted as necessary.
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External ratings, where available, will be used to benchmark Nemea Bank's internal default risk assessment. The ratings of the major rating agencies are linked to the internal rating classes based on the long-term average 1-year default rates for each external grade. Observed defaults per agency rating category vary year-on-year, especially over an economic cycle, and therefore the Bank does not expect the actual number of defaults in its equivalent rating band in any given period to equal the rating agency average. Nemea Bank will be monitoring the long-term average default rates associated with external rating classes.
In the corporate & institutional business, rating tools will be differentiated by broad segments, including banks, sovereigns, corporates, funds, hedge funds, commercial real estate and a number of more specialized businesses. The design of these tools will follow a common approach. The selection and combination of relevant criteria (financial ratios and qualitative factors) will be determined through a structured analysis by credit officers with expert knowledge of each segment, supported by statistical modeling techniques where sufficient data is available.
The banking portfolio will include exposures to a range of enterprises, both large and small- to medium-sized ("SMEs") and the rating tools will vary accordingly. For segments where sufficient default data is available, rating tool development will primarily be based on statistical models. Typically, these "score cards" consist of several criteria combining financial ratios with qualitative and behavioral factors, which have proven good indicators of default in the past, are accepted by credit officers and are easy to apply. For smaller risk segments with few observed defaults a more expert-based approach will be chosen. For the commercial real estate segment and for Lombard lending, which is part of the retail segment, the probability of default will be derived from simulation of potential changes in the creditworthiness of the counterparty and the value of the collateral and the probability that it will fall below the loan amount.
Default expectations for the residential mortgage segment will be based on the internal default and loss history, where the major differentiating factor is the loan to value ratio – the amount of the outstanding obligation expressed as a percentage of the value of the collateral.
Loss given default
Loss given default or loss severity represents Nemea Bank's expectation of the extent of loss on a claim should default occur. It is expressed as percentage loss per unit of exposure and typically varies by type of counterparty, type and seniority of claim, and availability of collateral or other credit mitigation. Loss given default estimates cover loss of principal, interest and other amounts due (including work-out costs), and also consider the costs of carrying the impaired position during the workout process.
In the corporate & institutional business, where defaults are rare events, loss given default estimates will be based on expert assessment of the risk drivers (country, industry, legal structure, collateral and seniority), supported by empirical evidence from internal loss data and external benchmark information where available. In the banking portfolio, loss given default differs by counterparty and collateral type and is statistically estimated using internal loss data. For the residential mortgage portfolio, a further differentiation is derived using simulation methods based on loan to value ratios.
Exposure at default
Exposure at default represents the amounts Nemea Bank expects to be owed at the time of default.
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For outstanding loans, the exposure at default will be the drawn amount or face value. For loan commitments and for contingent liabilities, it includes any amount already drawn plus the further amount, which is expected to be drawn at the time of default, should it occur. This calculation is based on a "credit conversion factor", a fixed percentage per product type derived from historical experience of drawings under commitments by counterparties within the year prior to their default.
For traded products, the estimation of exposure at default is more complex, since the current value of a contract or portfolio of contracts can change significantly over time and may, at the time of a future default, be considerably higher or lower than the current value. For repurchase and reverse repurchase agreements and for securities borrowing and lending transactions, the net amount which could be owed to or by the Bank will be assessed, taking into account the impact of market moves over the time it would take to close out all transactions ("close-out exposure"). Exposure at default on OTC derivative transactions is determined by modeling the potential evolution of the replacement value of the portfolio of trades with each counterparty over the lifetime of all transactions – "potential credit exposure" – taking into account legally enforceable close-out netting agreements where applicable.
For all traded products, the exposure at default will be derived from the same Monte Carlo simulation of potential market moves in all relevant risk factors, such as interest rates and exchange rates, based on estimated correlations between the risk factors. This will ensure a scenario-consistent estimation of exposure at default across all traded products at counterparty and portfolio level. The randomly simulated sets of risk factors are then used as inputs to product specific valuation models to generate valuation paths, taking into account the impact of maturing contracts and changing collateral values, including the ability to call additional collateral.
The resultant distribution of future valuation paths will support various exposure measures. All portfolio risk measures will be based on the expected exposure profile. By contrast, in controlling individual counterparty exposures the Bank will limit the potential "worst case" exposure over the full tenor of all transactions, and therefore applies the limits to the "maximum likely exposure" generated by the same simulations, measured to a specified high confidence level.
Cases where there is material correlation between factors driving counterparty's credit quality and the factors driving the future path of traded products exposure – "wrong-way risk" – will require special treatment. In such cases, the potential credit exposure generated by the standard model is overridden by a calculation from a customized exposure model that explicitly takes this correlation into account. For portfolios where this risk is inherently present, for instance for a hedge funds portfolio, Nemea Bank will be establishing special controls to capture these wrong-way risks.
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MARKET RISK
Market risk is the risk of loss from changes in market variables. There are two broad categories of variables – general market risk factors and idiosyncratic components. General market risk factors are variables which are driven by macroeconomic, geopolitical and other market-wide considerations, independent of any instrument or single name. They include the level, slope or shape of yield curves (interest rates), the levels of equity market indices and exchange rates, prices of energy, metals and commodities, and the general level of credit spreads – the yield paid by borrowers above that on risk-free securities. Associated volatilities and correlations between risks factors – which may be unobservable or only indirectly observable – are also considered to be general market risk factors. Idiosyncratic components are those that cannot be explained by general market moves – broadly, elements of the prices of debt and equity instruments and derivatives (including derivative securities and basket products) linked to them that result from factors and events specific to individual names.
Nemea Bank will be disclosing its market risk in terms of statistical loss using its proprietary Value at Risk ("VaR") model, but internally also applies stress measures and a variety of concentration and other quantitative and qualitative controls.
Sources of market risk
Nemea Bank will be taking on both general and idiosyncratic market risks in its trading activities, and some non-trading businesses create general market risks.
Trading
Most of Nemea Bank's trading activity will take place on the corporate and institutional side of the business. It includes market-making, facilitation of client business and proprietary position taking in the cash and derivative markets for equities, fixed income, interest rates, foreign exchange, energy, metals and commodities.
The fixed income trading area of fixed income, currencies and commodities (FICC) will carry inventory, including exposures to residential and commercial real estate, corporate and consumer credit, and municipal loan markets.
Exposure to movements in the level and shape of yield curves is expected to arise in the corporate and institutional trading activities. Exposure to directional interest rate movements varies depending on client flows and traders' views of the markets. It is often these variations that drive changes in the level of the VaR, although the impact of any position or change in position depends on the composition of the whole portfolio at the time.
The Bank will be active in equity markets. Equity risk is the other major contributor to the market risk, partly from index-based transactions but also from individual stocks, giving rise to idiosyncratic as well as general market risk. A significant component of equity VaR will be event risk from proprietary positions, which are taken, for example,
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to capture arbitrage opportunities or price movements resulting from mergers and acquisitions.
Nemea Bank will trade in currencies, and to a lesser extent it may trade in energy, metals and commodities, but the contribution from these activities to overall market risk is generally expected to be relatively small.
Trading businesses are subject to a variety of market risk limits within which traders will be managing their risks according to their view of the market, employing a variety of hedging and risk mitigation strategies. Senior management and risk controllers may, however, give instructions for risk to be reduced, even when limits are not exceeded, if particular positions or the general levels of exposure are considered inappropriate. Hedging and mitigation strategies will then be discussed and agreed with trading management.
Non-trading
In the corporate and investment banking, significant non-trading interest rate risk and all non-trading foreign exchange risks are captured, controlled and reported under the same risk management and control framework as trading risk.
In the other business areas, exposures to general market risk factors – primarily interest rates and exchange rates – also arise from non-trading activities. Market risks are generally transferred to the Treasury, who manage the positions as part of their overall portfolios within their allocated limits. The largest items are the interest rate risks in banking. All risk transfers will take place according to approved transfer pricing mechanisms. Market risks that are retained by the other businesses are not expected to be significant relative to the Bank's overall risk, and all exposures will be subject to market risk measures and controls. With the exception of structural currency exposures, all non-trading currency and commodity positions will be subject to market risk regulatory capital and are therefore generally captured in VaR, although such positions do not contribute significantly to overall VaR.
Treasury will also assume market risk from its balance sheet and capital management responsibilities. Treasury will be financing non-monetary balance sheet items such as bank property and equity investments; it also manages interest rate and foreign exchange risks resulting from the deployment of the Bank's equity, from structural foreign exchange positions and from non-euro revenues and costs. The market risk limits that will be allocated to Treasury will cover both the risks resulting from these responsibilities, and those transferred from other business groups. The limits will allow the flexibility to pre-hedge or delay hedging if desired, both to manage large flows and to take advantage of market movements.
Exposure to single names arising from debt instruments, such as loans, which are not originated or acquired as part of a trading activity will be controlled under the credit risk framework. Neither idiosyncratic nor credit spread risk on these instruments is captured under the market risk framework.
In corporate & investment banking, the Bank will be hedging an increasing proportion of its credit exposure. Specific hedges, such as credit default swaps on the same name, are reflected in credit risk measures, but other types of hedge may also be used for exposure management – for example, credit indices or proxy hedges on other names. Hedges of this type are treated as open positions for risk control purposes and are captured under the market risk framework.
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Risk control organization, governance and structure
The board of directors, acting as the risk committee is responsible for development of the market risk control framework. It will be the primary responsibility of traders to identify the risks inherent in their activities, including those arising from new businesses and products, and from structured transactions. Independent controllers will be responsible for ensuring that identified risks are completely and accurately captured in risk measurement systems and appropriately constrained by portfolio and concentration controls. They will also be responsible for assessing the reasonableness of reported risk.
Market risk authority delegations may be made to market risk officers in the business areas. For trading businesses, standard transactions within approved business lines and limits will not be requiring prior risk control approval. Rather, risk management and risk control authority holders approve the retention of positions or give instructions for risk to be reduced based on subsequent review. Large transactions such as security underwritings and transactions creating less liquid risks – particularly structured and complex transactions – will, however, require pre-approval, as do temporary increases in limits to accommodate new transactions or positions.
Standard forms of market risk measures, limits and controls will be applied to portfolios and risk concentrations. Other forms of measurement and control will be developed, where necessary, for individual risk types, particular books and specific exposures. The quantitative controls will be complemented by qualitative controls geared to the prompt identification, assessment, measurement and monitoring of market risks. Risks that are not well reflected by standard measures will be subject to additional controls, potentially including transaction level pre-approval and specific limits.
The Bank's policy will require that models used for valuation or which feed risk positions to risk control systems are subject to independent verification.
Reporting is an important component of the qualitative framework and Nemea Bank therefore will be implementing processes requiring regular reporting to senior management and the Chairman's Office and Board of Directors (BoD).
Utilizations of most limits, including all major portfolio and concentration limits, will be reported daily and all excesses will be investigated. Daily reports, including commentary, on material risk positions will be provided to senior management and CRO. Monthly and quarterly reports, including both quantitative and qualitative information, will also be prepared to senior management, the Chairman's Office and the BoD.
Risk measures
Nemea Bank will be implementing two major portfolio measures of market risk – VaR and stress loss – complemented by concentration risk measures and supplementary controls.
Concentration limits will be tailored to the nature of the activities and the risks they create. They therefore differ between, for example, the corporate and institutional business, where the risks are most varied and complex, and Treasury, which will be carrying market risk in a limited range of risk types and not generally in complex instruments.
Supplementary limits will be established on portfolios, sub-portfolios, asset classes or products for specific purposes where standard limits are not considered to provide comprehensive control. These "operational limits" will be intended to address
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concerns about, for example, market liquidity or operational capacity. They may also be applied to complex products for which not all model input parameters are observable, and which thus create difficulties in valuation and risk measurement. Operational limits can take a variety of forms including values (market, nominal or notional) or risk sensitivities.
Value at Risk (VaR)
VaR is a statistically based estimate of the potential loss on the current portfolio from adverse movements in both general and idiosyncratic market risk factors. The same VaR model is used for internal risk control (including limits) and as the basis for determining market risk regulatory capital requirements.
Nemea Bank will be measuring VaR using a 10-day time horizon for internal risk measurement and control, and as the basis for market risk regulatory capital, and based on a 1-day horizon for information purposes and for backtesting. VaR is derived from a distribution of potential losses. It expresses the amount that might be lost over the specified time horizon as a result of changes in market variables, but only to a certain level of confidence (99%) and there is therefore a specified statistical probability (1%) that actual loss over the period could be greater than the VaR estimate. Backtesting allows for an assessment of the reliability of the VaR model.
VaR shall be calculated at the end of each trading day, based on positions recorded at that time. Retrospective adjustments to valuations, affecting risk positions, may be booked some days later, particularly at period ends. VaR is not subsequently restated to reflect these later adjustments to positions.
VaR models are based on historical data and thus implicitly assume that market moves over the next 10 days or one day will follow a similar pattern to those that have occurred in the historical period being considered in the calibration of the risk models. For general market risk, the Bank will be using a look-back period of five years – a period which generally captures the cyclical nature of financial markets and is likely to include periods of both high and low volatility. The Bank will be calibrating the risk models directly to these historical changes and using the calibrated models to simulate risk factor changes, a method known as Monte Carlo simulation.
Idiosyncratic risk will be measured on all forms of single name risk. For debt instruments the measure includes rating migration risk and prepayment risk. For equity instruments, the measure is based on index models, or the special case of the Capital Asset Pricing Model ("CAPM"), supplemented by a "deal break" methodology for equity arbitrage positions, where Nemea Bank will be long in the stock of one company and short in that of another. The deal break measure assesses the probability of collapse of a merger or takeover, and its impact on the two stock prices – a one-off jump move generating the same potential loss for both 10-day and 1-day VaR.
The Chairman's Office regularly approves of a 10-day VaR limit for the Bank as a whole and allocations to the business areas, the largest being to the corporate & institutional business. In the business groups, VaR limits are set for lower organizational levels as necessary.
In the start-up phase of a business, some market risks may be controlled outside VaR but the level of such risk is deliberately kept small, typically by application of operational limits.
Backtesting
The predictive power of the VaR model will be monitored by "backtesting". Backtesting compares the 1-day VaR calculated on trading portfolios at close of each business day
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with the actual revenues arising on those positions on the next business day. These revenues ("backtesting revenues") exclude non-trading components such as commissions and fees, and estimated revenues from intraday trading. If backtesting revenues are negative and exceed the 1-day VaR, a "backtesting exception" is considered to have occurred. If the number of backtesting exceptions in a rolling 12-month period exceeds levels specified by regulators, the "multiplier" by which the market risk regulatory capital requirement is derived from 10-day VaR is increased.
Although Nemea Bank will be using VaR to measure general market risks arising in non-trading books, the results are not formally backtested because these books are not generally marked to market.
VaR based on a 1-day horizon provides an estimate of the likely range of daily mark to market revenues on trading positions under normal market conditions. When 1-day VaR is measured at a 99% confidence level, such an exception can be expected, on average, one in a hundred business days. More frequent backtesting exceptions are likely to occur if market moves are greater than those seen in the look-back period, if the frequency of large moves increases, or if historical correlations and relationships between markets or variables break down (for example, in a period of market disruption or a stress event). Backtesting exceptions are also likely to arise if the way positions are represented in VaR does not adequately capture all their differentiating characteristics and the relationships between them. Such granularity can become particularly important as business grows and as markets evolve.
All backtesting exceptions and any exceptional revenues on the profit side of the returns distribution will be investigated, and all backtesting results are reported to senior business management and the CRO.
Stress loss
The purpose of stress testing is to quantify exposure to extreme and unusual market movements. It is an essential complement to VaR.
The VaR measure is based on observed historical movements and correlations, whereas stress loss measures are informed but not constrained by past events. Nemea Bank's objectives in stress testing will be to explore a wide range of possible outcomes, to understand vulnerabilities, and to provide a control framework that is comprehensive, transparent and responsive to changing market conditions.
Nemea Bank's stress scenarios will include an industrial country market crash with a range of yield curve and credit spread behavior, and emerging market crises, with and without currency pegs breaking. A general recovery scenario will also be assessed. The standard scenarios will be run daily, and it is against these that the development of stress loss exposure is tracked and comparisons are made from one period to the next. Stress loss limits, approved by the Chairman's Office, will be applied to the outcome of these scenarios for all business groups. Emerging markets stress loss in aggregate and stress loss for individual emerging market countries, measured under the standard stress scenarios, will also be separately limited. The scenarios and their components will be reviewed at least annually.
Specific scenarios targeting current concerns and vulnerabilities will also be used. They must, by definition, be constantly adapted to changing circumstances and portfolios. The choice of scenarios is judgmental, depending on management's view of potential economic and market developments and their relevance to the positions the Bank will carry. The market moves envisaged in a targeted stress test might prove to be less than the moves actually seen in a stress event, and actual events may differ significantly from those modeled in the stress scenarios.
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The VaR results beyond the 99% confidence level will be analyzed to better understand the potential risks of the portfolio and to help identify risk concentrations. The results of this analysis are valuable in their own right and can also be used to formulate position-centric stress tests. Although the standard scenarios incorporate generic elements of past market crises, more granular detail of specific historical events is provided by the VaR tail.
Additionally, Nemea Bank will be measuring and limiting the impact of increased default rates on the value of its portfolio of single name exposures.
Nemea Bank will apply country ceilings to limit exposure to all but the best-rated countries and these measures will cover market as well as credit risks.
Most financial institutions employ stress tests, but their approaches differ widely and there is no benchmark or industry standard in terms of scenarios or the way they are applied to an institution's positions. Furthermore, the impact of a given stress scenario, even if measured in the same way across institutions, will depend entirely on the make-up of each institution's portfolio, and a scenario highly applicable to one institution may have no relevance to another. Comparisons of stress results between institutions can therefore be highly misleading, and for this reason Nemea Bank, like most of its peers, will not publish quantitative stress results.
Concentration limits and other controls
The Bank will apply concentration limits to exposures to general market risk factors and to single name exposures. The limits will take account of variations in price volatility and market depth and liquidity.
In the corporate & institutional business, limits will be placed on exposure to individual risk factors. They will be applied to general market risk factors or groups of highly correlated factors based on market moves broadly consistent with the basis of VaR, i.e. 10-day, 99% confidence moves. Each limit will be applied to exposures arising from all instrument types in all corporate & institutional trading businesses. The market moves will be updated in line with the VaR historical time series and the limits are reviewed annually or as necessary to reflect market conditions. The effectiveness of risk factor limits in controlling concentrations of risk will depend critically upon the way risk positions are represented. If long and short positions are considered to be sensitive to the same risk factor, potential gains and losses from changes in that factor will be netted. The steps Nemea Bank is taking to enhance granularity of risk representation in its VaR measure will be equally relevant to its risk concentration controls.
The corporate & institutional business will carry exposure to single names, and therefore to event – including default – risk. This risk will be measured across all relevant instruments (debt and equity, in physical form and from forwards, options, default swaps and other derivatives including basket securities) as the aggregate change in value resulting from an event affecting a single name or group. The maximum amount that could be lost if all underlying debt and equity of each name became worthless will be also tracked. Positions will be controlled in the context of the liquidity of the market in which they are traded, and all material positions will be monitored in light of changing market conditions and specific, publicly available information on individual names – market risk officers will not have access to non-public information and must therefore rely to a significant extent on external ratings.
This form of single name exposure measure will be most appropriate to corporate clients, financial institutions and other entities, the value of whose equity and debt instruments will be dependent on their own assets, liabilities and capital resources.
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Asset-backed securities are usually issued through special purpose, bankruptcy remote vehicles and it will be more important to aggregate risk in other dimensions than the issuer name, in particular the factors affecting the value of the underlying asset pools.
Exposures arising from security underwriting commitments will be subject to the same measures and controls as secondary market positions. There will be also governance processes for the commitments themselves, generally including review by a commitment committee with representation from both the business and the control functions. All firm underwriting commitments will be approved under specific delegated risk management and risk control authorities.
Other applications of market risk measures
Market risk measurement tools may be selectively applied to portfolios for which the primary controls are in other forms. VaR can, for example, provide additional insight into the sensitivity of investment positions to market risk factors, even though some of the assumptions of VaR – in particular the relatively short time horizon – may not be representative of their full risk. The results can be used by business management and risk controllers for information or to trigger action or review.
Risk control
As explained under “Risk measures”, where values of different instruments were assessed to be driven by the same risk factor, sensitivities in standard risk control measures will have typically been expressed net across instruments and positions. If the drivers are not, in fact, the same risk factor but, rather, risk factors, which have historically been very closely correlated, this netting will disguise “basis” risk – the risk of divergent movements between risk factors that are not perfectly correlated.
The specific characteristics of individual instruments, which are critical in a stress event cannot always be predicted and it is therefore important to have a multi-faceted framework with complementary controls. The Bank will be applying extensive limits, by asset class, based on gross values as well as risk sensitivities, in order to protect against extreme losses in the event of future dislocations and breakdowns – even if the probability of their occurring currently appears to be remote. Additionally, controls are in place to highlight positions, which are large relative to market depth. Such risks often only materialize when markets move beyond the range covered by statistical and stress loss parameters, and thus they do not show up in the regular risk measures. Controls over these deep tail risks already exist for some portfolios and are being widely applied. An important additional aspect of stress testing is to consider liquidity as well as price sensitivity.
Market risk in 2013
The structure of the portfolio during the year exposed the Bank to two forms of market risks; interest rate risk and a form of systematic risk arising from exposure to particular sectors.
The Bank’s exposure to investment in the fund is subject to the performance of the underlying investments of the fund. The fund has invested in corporate bonds of companies, which have been returning a steady double digit yield. The underlying companies are not rated and are being monitored by the Bank on a periodic basis.
As at 31 December 2013, the Bank did not hold any positions in the trading book.
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INVESTMENT POSITIONS
Nemea Bank makes investments for a variety of purposes. As at 31 December 2013, the investment positions consisted of holdings in a private investment fund, mainly for revenue generation. There were no equity investments or debt instruments held by the Bank.
The investment positions may be debt or equity holdings, some of which are made for revenue generation or as part of strategic initiatives, while others, such as exchange and clearing house memberships may be held in support of the Bank's business activities. Investments may also be made in funds managed by Nemea Bank to seed them at inception or other investment products to demonstrate alignment of the Bank's interests with those of investors.
Equity investments
Many equity investments may be unlisted and therefore illiquid. Investments in listed stocks, if any, are normally limited in number both by individual market and in total. The fair values of equity investments are generally dominated by factors specific to the individual stocks and the correlation of individual holdings to equity indices varies. Furthermore, equity investments are generally intended to be held medium or long-term and may be subject to lock-up agreements. For these reasons, they may not be directly controlled using the market risk measures applied to trading activities. They are, however, subject to controls, including pre-approval of new investments by business management and risk control, and regular monitoring and reporting.
Where investments are made as part of an ongoing business they will be also subject to standard controls, including portfolio and concentration limits. All investments must be explained and justified, approved according to delegated authorities, and monitored and reported throughout their life.
While equity investments are not subject to the Bank's VaR limits, market risk measurement tools may be selectively applied to them, where appropriate, for internal management information. VaR can, for example, provide additional insight into the sensitivity of the assets and other exposures in the form of tradable financial instruments. Although some of the assumptions of VaR – in particular the relatively short time horizon – may not be representative of the full risk on equity investments, the results can be used by business management and risk controllers for information or to trigger action or review.
Under International Financial Reporting Standards as adopted by the European Union (IFRS), equity investments may be classified as Financial investments available-for-sale, Financial assets designated at fair value through profit and loss, or Investments in associates, joint ventures or subsidiaries.
Composition of equity and other non-fixed income instruments
As at 31 December 2013, equity and other non-fixed income instruments classified as financial assets at fair value through profit or loss amounted to EUR 797,160 (2012: 715,190).
Debt investments
Debt investments classified for IFRS as Financial investments available-for-sale or held-to-maturity can be broadly categorized as money market papers and debt
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securities, which are mainly held for statutory, regulatory or liquidity reasons, and non-performing loans, which can be purchased in the secondary market.
The risk control framework applied to debt instruments classified as Financial investments available-for-sale varies will depend on the nature of the instruments and the purpose for which they are held.
Other debt investments are predominantly securities issued by sovereigns of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and highly rated financial institutions.
Where applicable, debt investments are reflected in internal reports to of consolidated credit exposures and in large exposure reports to the Central Bank of Malta.
As at 31 December 2013, the Bank did not hold any debt instruments (2012: EUR 240,028).
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OPERATIONAL RISK
Operational risk is the risk of loss resulting from inadequate or failed internal processes, people and systems, or from external causes, whether deliberate, accidental or natural. It will be inherent in all Nemea Bank's activities, not only in the business the Bank conducts but due to the fact it is a business – because Nemea Bank is an employer, it may own and occupies property and holds assets, including information, belonging to both the Bank and its clients. The approach to operational risk is not designed to eliminate risk per se but, rather, to contain it within acceptable levels, as determined by senior management, and to ensure that the Bank has sufficient information to make informed decisions about additional controls, adjustments to controls, or other risk responses. The Risk Officer (RO) will be responsible for the independence, objectivity and effectiveness of the operational risk framework.
Operational risk framework
Every function, whether a front-end business or a control or logistics unit, must manage the operational risks that arise from its own activities. Because these risks are all pervasive, with a failure in one area potentially impacting many others, the Bank's framework will be based on mutual oversight across all functions. Each area of operations will therefore have established cross-functional cooperation with the Risk Management unit as an integral part of its governance structure, to actively manage operational risk.
The foundation of the operational risk framework is the definition by all functions of their roles and responsibilities so that, collectively, they can ensure that there is adequate segregation of duties, complete coverage of risks and clear accountability. From this analysis, they will develop control objectives and standards to protect the Bank's tangible and intangible assets and interests, based on the types of operational risk events that might arise, ranging from daily reconciliation problems to potentially severe events such as fraud. The Bank recognises that it cannot eliminate all risks, because errors and accidents will always happen, and that even where it is possible it is not always cost effective to do so. Nemea Bank's internal control framework will differentiate potential events depending on their likely frequency and impact. Its mitigation and avoidance efforts will be focused on areas where the Bank believes it is most exposed to severe events – including both those that are reasonably foreseeable and those that, while not predictable, are thought to be reasonably possible. For lower impact risks Nemea Bank will concentrate on management and monitoring.
The functions will monitor compliance with their controls and assess their operating effectiveness in several ways, including self-certification by staff, and evaluation of responses by management. Additionally, they will track a wide range of metrics to provide potential early warning of increased risk associated with non-attainment of control objectives. These include numbers and characteristics (severity, size, age, etc.) of, for example, client complaints and claims, deal cancellations and corrections, non-reconciled items on cash and client accounts, and systems failures. The implications of internal and external audit findings and other relevant sources of information will also be assessed.
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As major operational risk events occur, Nemea Bank will assess their causes and the implications for its control framework, whether or not they lead to direct financial loss. This will include events affecting third parties that are relevant to the Bank's business if sufficient information is made public. It is important to use all available information to test the control framework because, even if an internal event does not lead to a direct or indirect financial loss, it may indicate that Nemea Bank's standards are not being complied with.
The totality of this information will be reviewed by functional managers to assess their operational risk exposure and the actions needed to address specific issues. These issues will be formally captured on a risk inventory, which will form the basis of reporting to senior management. Regular reports will be made both within the business areas and to the CRO to allow senior management to assess the overall operational risk profile.
Operational risk measurement
Nemea Bank will be developing a model for quantification of operational risk, which meets the regulatory capital standard under the Basel II Advanced Measurement Approach (AMA), while taking into account the prospective requirements for the subsequent Basel III regime. It will have two main components. The historical component will be based on Nemea Bank's own internal losses and is used primarily to determine the expected loss portion of the capital requirement.
The scenario component of the AMA model will be used primarily to determine the unexpected loss portion of the capital requirement. It will be based on a set of generic scenarios that represent categories of operational risks to which the Bank will be exposed. The scenarios themselves will be generated from an analysis of internal and external event information, the current business environment, and Nemea Bank's own internal control environment through comparison to the risk inventory. For each scenario, Nemea Bank will estimate a base case mainly derived from its own experience, a stressed case mainly derived from integrating experiences of select peers and a worst case based on events experienced by an expanded set of peers in the financial industry. The scenarios will be reviewed at least annually by experts in the relevant subject matter and their risk control counterparts to ensure their validity and may be updated based on material new information or events that occur.
The Bank does not set limits on operational risk but will report the measured risk through the standard reporting processes.
The operational risk framework is primarily qualitative rather than quantitative – financial losses and capital considerations are only one, and not the most important, element. The Bank uses the operational risk framework as the basis for specialist internal control assessments in areas such as legal, compliance, tax and human resources and to meet internal control-related regulatory requirements, such as Basel II, and Basel III, when implemented.
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INTEREST RATE AND CURRENCY MANAGEMENT
Management of non-trading interest rate risk
The Bank's largest non-trading interest rate exposures will arise in its banking and asset management business. Risks from fixed-maturity, short-term euro and all non-euro transactions are generally transferred to the Treasury. These fixed-rate lending products do not contain embedded options such as early prepayment that would allow clients to prepay at par – all prepayments are subject to market-based unwinding costs.
Risks from euro transactions with fixed maturities greater than one year will be transferred to Treasury by individual back-to-back transactions. Current and saving accounts and many other retail banking products have no contractual maturity date or direct market-linked rate, and therefore their interest rate risk cannot be transferred by simple back-to-back transactions. Instead, they are transferred on a pooled basis via "replicating" portfolios. A replicating portfolio is a series of loans or deposits at market rates and fixed terms between the originating business unit and Treasury, structured to approximate – on average – the interest-rate cash flow and re-pricing behavior of the pooled client transactions. The portfolios will be rebalanced monthly. Their structure and parameters will be based on long-term market observations and client behavior, and are regularly reviewed and adjusted as necessary. The originating business units will be thus immunized as far as possible against market interest rate movements, but retain and manage their product margin.
A significant amount of interest rate risk will also arise from the financing of non-monetary related balance sheet items, such as the financing of bank property and equity investments in associated and subsidiary companies. These risks are generally transferred to Treasury through replicating portfolios, which, in this case, are designed to approximate the funding profile mandated by senior management.
Treasury will manage its residual open interest rate exposures – taking advantage of any offsets that arise between positions from different sources – within its approved market risk limits (Value at Risk (VaR) and stress loss). The preferred risk management instrument will be interest rate swaps, for which there is a liquid and flexible market.
Market risk arising from management of capital
Nemea Bank is required, by international banking regulation (BIS regulations), to hold a minimum level of capital against assets and other exposures (risk-weighted assets). The relationship between Nemea Bank's capital and its risk-weighted assets – the BIS Tier 1 ratio – is monitored by regulators and is a key indicator of its financial strength.
As at 31 December 2013, Nemea Bank's capital and assets were almost entirely denominated in euros, with a relatively small client deposit liability and the matching deposit asset held in British pounds and US dollar. If the Bank held risk-weighted assets and eligible capital in other currencies, such as US dollar and UK sterling, any significant appreciation of the euro against these currencies would adversely impact the Bank's BIS Tier 1 ratio. Treasury's mandate will be therefore to protect this ratio against adverse currency movements and to generate an income flow from the capital. This mandate determines a currency, tenor and product mix – a target profile – against which Treasury will manage the Bank's capital.
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On an overall basis, Treasury's target profile will be based on a currency mix, which broadly reflects the currency distribution of the consolidated risk-weighted assets, using products and tenors, which generate the desired income stream. When the euro depreciates (or appreciates) against these currencies, the consolidated risk-weighted assets increase (or decrease) relative to Nemea Bank's capital. These currency fluctuations also lead to translation gains (or losses) on consolidation, which are recorded through equity. Thus, Nemea Bank's consolidated equity will rise or fall in line with the fluctuations in the risk-weighted assets, protecting the Tier 1 ratio.
The capital of the Bank itself is intended to be held predominantly in euros in order to avoid any significant effects of currency fluctuations on its standalone financial results.
For the purposes of measuring and managing Treasury's market risk position, the Bank's equity is planned to be represented in the Treasury book by replicating portfolios (liabilities) with the target currency and interest rate profile. The interest rate positions created by Treasury's deposits, and the associated derivatives, will generally offset the interest rate risk of the replicating portfolios. Any mismatches between the two will be managed, together with other non-trading interest rate risk positions within Treasury's market risk limits (VaR and stress).
The structural foreign currency exposures will be controlled by senior management but are not subject to internal market risk limits and are not included in Treasury's reported VaR.
Treasury interest rate risk development
In measuring Treasury's interest rate risk – expressed as VaR – both the representation of the Bank’s equity (replicating portfolios) and the deployment of the equity described above are included in the calculations.
As at 31 December 2013, the Bank's equity was deployed in euros.
Corporate currency management
Nemea Bank's corporate currency management activities will be designed to reduce the impact of adverse currency fluctuations on its reported financial results, given regulatory constraints. Nemea Bank will specifically focus on three principal areas of currency risk management: match funding / investment of non-euro assets / liabilities; sell-down of non-euro profit and loss; and selective hedging of anticipated non-euro profit and loss.
Match funding and investment of non-euro assets and liabilities
As far as it is practical and efficient to do so, the Bank will follow the principle of matching the currency of its assets with the currency of the liabilities, which fund them – thus a US dollar asset is typically funded in US dollars, etc. This avoids profits and losses arising from retranslation at the prevailing exchange rates to the euro at each reporting period end.
Sell-down of reported profits and losses
For accounting purposes, reported profits and losses will be translated each month from the original transaction currencies into euros at the exchange rate prevailing at the end of the month. Treasury will be centralizing profits or losses in foreign currencies that arise in the Bank, and selling or buying them for euros in order to eliminate earnings volatility which would arise from retranslation at different exchange rates of previously reported non-euro profits and losses. Other Nemea Bank operating entities, if any, would follow a similar monthly sell-down process into their own
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reporting currencies. Profits retained in operating entities with a reporting currency other than euro will be managed as part of the Bank's consolidated equity, as described earlier.
Hedging of anticipated future reported profits
The monthly sell-down process would not be able to protect the Bank's earnings from swings caused by a sustained depreciation against the euro of one of the main currencies in which Nemea Bank earns net revenues or by an appreciation of one in which it incurs significant net costs.
The Bank's corporate currency management will seek to mitigate the potential adverse impact of any such development by executing a dynamic and cost-efficient rollover hedge strategy on a portion of the profits that Nemea Bank anticipates for the next three months, on a rolling one-month basis.
Although intended to hedge future earnings, these transactions will be considered open currency positions. They will be therefore subject to internal market risk VaR and stress loss limits.
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LIQUIDITY AND FUNDING MANAGEMENT
Liquidity risk is the risk of being unable to raise funds to meet payment obligations when they fall due. Funding risk is the risk of being unable, on an ongoing basis, to borrow funds in the market at an acceptable price to fund actual or proposed commitments and thereby support Nemea Bank's current business and desired strategy. Liquidity and funding are not the same, but they are closely related and both are critical to a financial institution.
Liquidity must be continuously managed to ensure that the Bank can survive a crisis, whether it is a general market event, a localized difficulty affecting a smaller number of institutions, or a problem unique to an individual firm. An institution that is unable to meet its liabilities when they fall due may collapse, even though it is not insolvent, because it is unable to borrow on an unsecured basis, or does not have sufficient good quality assets to borrow against or liquid assets to sell to raise immediate cash.
Liquidity approach
Nemea Bank's approach to liquidity management is to ensure that it will always have sufficient liquidity to meet liabilities when due, under both normal and stressed conditions, without incurring unacceptable losses or risking sustained damage to its various business franchises.
Central to the integrated framework is an assessment of all material, known and expected cash flows and the level of high-grade collateral that could be used to raise additional funding. It entails both careful monitoring and control of the daily liquidity position, and regular liquidity stress testing. Risk limits are set by the Chairman’s Office and monitored by Treasury, and a contingency plan for a liquidity crisis will be incorporated into Nemea Bank's wider crisis management process.
The liquidity position will be assessed and managed under a variety of potential scenarios encompassing both normal and stressed market conditions. The Bank will consider the possibility that its access to markets could be impacted by a stress event affecting some part of its business or, in the extreme case, if it was to suffer a period of general market uncertainty.
Liquidity management
The Bank will manage its liquidity position in order to be able to ride out a crisis without damaging the ongoing viability of its business. This is complemented by the Bank's funding risk management which aims to achieve the optimal liability structure to finance its businesses cost-efficiently and reliably. The long term stability and security of Nemea Bank's funding in turn will help protect its liquidity position in the event of a Nemea Bank-specific crisis.
Nemea Bank's business activities will generate liability portfolios, which are intrinsically diversified with respect to market, product and currency. This provides a broad range of investment opportunities for Nemea Bank's clients and thus reduces the Bank's exposure to individual funding sources, which in turn reduces liquidity risk.
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Nemea Bank adopts a centralized approach to liquidity and funding management to exploit these advantages to the full. The liquidity and funding process is undertaken by the Treasury unit. Treasury runs comprehensive operational cash and collateral management within the established parameters.
This centralization permits close control of both Nemea Bank's global cash position and its stock of highly liquid securities. The central treasury process also ensures that the Bank's general access to cash markets is concentrated. Funds raised externally are largely channeled into Treasury, also meeting all internal demands for funding by channeling funds from units generating surplus cash to those requiring finance. In this way, the Bank minimizes its external borrowing and use of available credit lines, and presents a consistent and coordinated face to the third parties.
Liquidity modeling and contingency planning
The daily liquidity position – the net cumulative funding requirement for a specific day – will be projected under cautious assumptions for each business day from the current day out to one month to produce a cumulative "cash ladder". The short-term cash ladder is the tool used by Treasury to manage net daily funding requirements efficiently, and monitor liquidity exposure against limits set by the Chairman’s Office.
Nemea Bank will also be regularly assessing the impact of a liquidity crisis scenario, combining a firm-specific crisis with market disruption and focusing on a time horizon starting with overnight and extending up to one year. This Nemea Bank-specific scenario envisages large draw-downs on otherwise stable client deposits, an inability to renew or replace maturing unsecured funding and limited capacity to generate liquidity from trading assets. Liquidity crisis scenario analysis will support the liquidity management process so that immediate corrective measures, such as the build-up of a liquidity buffer to absorb potential sudden liquidity gaps, can be put into effect.
The starting point for stress testing analyzes will be a breakdown of the contractual maturity of Nemea Bank's assets and liabilities. Since a liquidity crisis could have a myriad of causes, the Bank will focus on a scenario that encompasses all potential stress effects across all markets, currencies and products.
The assessment will include the likelihood of maturing assets and liabilities being rolled over in a Nemea Bank-specific crisis, and gauge the extent to which the potential crisis-induced shortfall could be covered by available funding. This would be raised on a secured basis against available collateral, which includes securities eligible for pledging at the major central banks, or by selling liquid inventory. In both cases Nemea Bank will apply crisis-level discounts to the value of the assets. It assumes that it would be generally unable to renew any of the Bank's unsecured debt and that no contingency funding could be raised on an unsecured basis. It will also factor in potential liquidity outflows from contingent liabilities, in particular those resulting from the drawdown of committed credit lines.
Liquidity needs may also result from commitments and contingencies, including credit lines extended to secure the liquidity needs of clients. Nemea Bank will be regularly monitoring undrawn committed credit facilities and other latent liquidity risks.
Nemea Bank will also analyze the potential impact on its net liquidity position of adverse movements in the replacement values of its over-the-counter (OTC) derivative transactions, which are subject to collateral arrangements and includes the potential outflows in its crisis scenarios. Given the potential diversity of Nemea Bank's derivatives business and that of its counterparties, there is not necessarily a direct correlation between the factors influencing net replacement values with each counterparty and a firm-specific crisis scenario.
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Liquidity limits and controls
While its estimated capacity to generate liquidity when required will naturally vary, Nemea Bank will generally apply a constant limit structure, which imposes a ceiling on the projected net funding requirement along the cash ladder. Limits are based on the amount of cash Nemea Bank believes it could raise in a firm-specific crisis.
The Bank will also be developing detailed contingency plans for liquidity crisis management, the cornerstone of which is the Bank's access to secured funding either from the market or from the relevant central banks, coupled with the ability to turn sufficient liquid assets into cash within a short time frame.
The liquidity contingency plan will be an integral part of the global crisis management concept, which covers all types of crisis events. It would be implemented under a core crisis team with representatives from Treasury, and from other related areas including the functions responsible for payments and settlements, market and credit risk control, collateral and margin management, and information technology and infrastructure.
The Bank will be strengthening its relationships with relevant central banks, consistent with its general policy, which is to base contingency plans on secured funding against pledges of high-quality collateral, rather than relying on third-party credit lines.
Liquidity ratios
In addition to the limits and controls described above, the Bank will also measure three ratios to monitor liquidity risk – the ratio of trading assets (trading portfolio assets and positive replacement values on derivatives) to total assets, the ratio of "level 1" trading assets to total assets, and the ratio of client savings and deposits to mortgages. Level 1 trading assets are those for which fair values can be obtained from observable market prices and which are therefore considered to be the most liquid. The first two ratios will show the proportion of Nemea Bank's total assets that are of a trading nature and are dominated by the corporate and institutional business activities. The third ratio will be mainly driven by the retail banking activity and shows the extent to which Nemea Bank aims at effectively funding its largest asset portfolio with client deposits (savings and deposit accounts only), which are a stable funding source – the higher this percentage, the less the Bank will be reliant on wholesale funding for these potentially longer-term assets.
Funding
Through broad diversification of its funding sources (by market, product and currency), Nemea Bank plans to create and maintain a well-balanced portfolio of liabilities, which will generate a stable flow of financing and provides protection in the event of market disruptions. This, together with its centralized funding management, will enable the Bank to pursue a strategy of efficient funding of business activities.
Funding approach
Medium- and long-term funding activities will be planned by assessing the overall funding profile of the balance sheet, taking due account of the effective maturity of the asset base and the amount of maturing debt that will have to be replaced. The ability to continue to fund ongoing business activities through periods of difficult market conditions is also factored in.
To ensure that a well-balanced and diversified liability structure is preserved, Treasury will routinely monitor the Bank's funding status and reports its findings on a monthly
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basis to the Chairman’s Office. Two main analysis tools will be employed – "cash capital" and "secured funding capacity". Nemea Bank complements these analyzes with regular assessments of any concentration risks in its main funding portfolios.
Cash capital is the excess of Nemea Bank's long-term funding over the total of illiquid assets. "Long-term" and "illiquid" both refer to a time horizon of one year. The secured funding capacity concept ensures that short-term, unsecured funding is effectively only invested in freely marketable assets. Nemea Bank will seek to maintain a minimum stock of unencumbered assets and cash that exceeds its outstanding short-term unsecured wholesale borrowings.
Funding position
Nemea Bank's secured funding base will reduce its exposure to periods of stressed market conditions when the ability to raise unsecured funding could be temporarily restricted.
Maturity analysis of assets and liabilities
As at 31 December 2013, all client deposits placed with the Bank were either placed on term deposits or available on call. Treasury deposits were placed for terms equal to 1 month of less of original maturity.
Contingent claims and commitments
The Bank enters into commitments to extend credit lines to secure the liquidity needs of clients. At the end of the reporting period, there were no credit lines opened.
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CAPITAL MANAGEMENT
In managing its capital, Nemea Bank will consider a variety of requirements and expectations. Sufficient capital must be in place to support current and projected business activities, according to both Nemea Bank's own internal assessment and the requirements of its regulators, in particular its lead regulator, the Maltese Financial Services Authority (MFSA).
Capital is also managed in order to achieve sound capital ratios that ensure that Nemea Bank remains a well-capitalized firm in the banking sector. This will be crucial in retaining clients' confidence in the Bank's financial strength and also supports the Bank's funding position and favorable borrowing costs in the international financial markets.
The Bank aims to maintain sound capital ratios at all times, and it therefore considers not only the current situation but also projected developments in both its capital base and capital requirements. The main tools by which Nemea Bank manages the supply side of its capital ratios will be active management of capital instruments and dividend payments.
Capital adequacy management
Ensuring compliance with minimum regulatory capital requirements and targeted capital ratios is central to capital adequacy management. In this ongoing process, Nemea Bank manages towards Tier 1 and Total capital target ratios. In the target setting process Nemea Bank takes into account the regulatory minimum capital requirements and regulators' expectations that Nemea Bank holds additional capital above the minimum, Nemea Bank's internal assessment of aggregate risk exposure in terms of Capital-at-risk, and comparison to peer institutions, considering Nemea Bank's business mix and market presence.
Capital requirements
At year-end 2013, Nemea Bank was subject to regulatory guidelines based on the Basel II framework established by the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision ("BIS guidelines / ratios"). The capital it is required to hold is determined by its risk-weighted assets – its balance sheet, off-balance sheet and market risk positions, measured and risk-weighted according to criteria defined by its lead regulator, the MFSA. Under BIS guidelines, a financial institution's eligible capital must be at least 8% of its total risk-weighted assets.
Nemea Bank measures on- and off-balance sheet claims according to regulatory formulas. Claims are weighted according to type of counterparty and collateral. The least risky claims, such as claims on OECD governments and claims collateralized by cash, are weighted at 0%, meaning that no regulatory capital support is required, while the claims deemed most risky, including unsecured claims on both corporate and private clients, are weighted at 35-150%, meaning that 8% capital support is required.
Securities not held for trading are treated as claims, based on the net position in the securities of each issuer, including both actual holdings and exposures from derivative instruments. The Bank's investments in entities which are consolidated under International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and which are not active in the field
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of banking and finance (including consolidated industrial holdings) are treated for regulatory capital purposes as positions in securities not held for trading.
Claims arising from derivatives transactions have two components – the current replacement values, and "add-ons" to reflect the potential future exposure. Where Nemea Bank has entered into a master netting agreement that is considered legally enforceable in insolvency, positive and negative re-placement values with individual counterparties can be netted. Off-balance sheet claims arising from contingent commitments and irrevocable facilities are converted into credit equivalent amounts based on percentages of nominal value specified by the regulators.
Regulatory capital is required to support market risk arising on all foreign exchange, energy, metal and other commodity positions, and on all positions held for trading purposes, including equities and traded debt obligations held in the trading book.
The Bank will initially be controlling and reporting as per Basel II Standardized approach of allocating capital with the intention to develop its processes and information systems to arrive at the Internal Rating / Advanced approach in the minimum time span necessary.
Other assets, most notably property and equipment, and intangibles are not subject to credit or market risk, but they represent a risk to the Bank in respect of their potential for write-down and impairment and therefore require capital underpinning in accordance with regulatory formulas.
Risk-weighted assets (BIS)
As at 31 December 2013 total risk-weighted assets were EUR 9,236,398 (2012: EUR 6,700,047).
Eligible capital
The capital available to support risk-weighted assets – eligible capital – consists of Tier 1 and Tier 2 capital. To determine eligible Tier 1 and total capital, adjustments have to be made to shareholders' equity as defined under IFRS, most notably by deducting intangible assets and investments in unconsolidated entities engaged in banking and finance activities.
Eligible capital is the same under BIS guidelines and MFSA regulations.
Tier 1 capital / Nemea Bank shares
The majority of Tier 1 capital comprises share capital injected at inception of the Bank as increased by the retained earnings for the year attributable to the Bank’s shareholders. As at 31 December 2013, total IFRS equity attributable to Nemea Bank shareholders amounted to EUR 5,558,485 (2012: EUR 5,525,471), which serves as the basis for determining the regulatory eligible Tier 1 capital.
Hybrid Tier 1 capital
Hybrid Tier 1 instruments are perpetual instruments that can only be redeemed if they are called by the issuer. The payment of interest is subject to compliance with minimum capital ratios and any payment missed is non-cumulative. As at 31 December 2013 and 2012, there were no hybrid Tier 1 instruments issued by the Bank.
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As at 31 December 2013, BIS Tier 1 capital was EUR 5,325,299 (2012: EUR 5,358,326) reflecting primarily the capital of the Bank.
Tier 2 capital
Tier 2 capital consists mainly of subordinated long-term debt that ranks senior to both Nemea Bank shares and hybrid Tier 1 instruments but is subordinated with respect to all senior obligations of Nemea Bank. As at 31 December 2013 and 2012, there were no Tier 2 instruments issued by the Bank.
Capital ratios
The BIS ratios compare the amount of eligible capital (in total and Tier 1) with the total of risk-weighted assets.
Future capital ratios will depend on, among other factors, developments in financial markets and their impact on profit and loss, valuations and capital requirements for market risk; the development of the credit quality of the Bank's obligors and counterparties; future issuances of capital instruments; capital requirements for operational risk; and future changes in the regulatory frameworks.
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SHARES AND CAPITAL INSTRUMENTS
Shares
Nemea Bank shares and Tier 1 capital
The majority of Tier 1 capital comprises retained earnings attributed to Nemea Bank shareholders. As at 31 December 2013, total International Financial Reporting Standard (IFRS) equity attributable to Nemea Bank amounted to EUR 5,558,485 and was represented by a total of 5,500,000 issued Nemea Bank shares. Each outstanding share has a par value of EUR 1 and entitles the holder to one vote at the shareholders' meeting and to receive a proportionate share of the dividend that is distributed. There are no preferential rights for individual shareholders and no other classes of shares have been issued by the Bank (Nemea Bank plc) directly.
During 2013, the outstanding shares remained unchanged, compared to previous year.
Capital Instruments
Hybrid Tier 1 capital
Hybrid Tier 1 instruments are perpetual instruments which can only be redeemed if they are called by the issuer. If such a call is not exercised at the respective call date, the terms might include a change from fixed to floating coupon payments and, in the case of innovative instruments only, a limited step-up of the interest rate. Non-innovative instruments do not have a step-up of the interest rate and are therefore viewed as having a higher equity characteristic for regulatory capital purposes. The instruments are issued either through trusts or subsidiaries of Nemea Bank and rank senior to Nemea Bank shares in dissolution. Payments under the instruments are subject to the adherence to minimal capital ratios by Nemea Bank. Any payment missed is non-cumulative.
As at 31 December 2013 Nemea Bank had not issued any hybrid instruments.
Tier 2 capital
The major element in Tier 2 capital consists of subordinated long-term debt.
As at 31 December 2013 Nemea Bank had not issued any Tier 2 instruments.
Distributions to shareholders
Nemea Bank may pay an annual dividend to shareholders registered as of the date of the AGM (the record date). Payment is usually scheduled three business days thereafter.
The level of the dividend is dependent on Nemea Bank's targeted capital ratios and the cash flow generation of the Bank.
The decision on dividend payments falls under the AGM's authority and is subject to shareholder approval.
Total distributions in 2013
For the financial year 2013, the Board of Directors proposes that no dividend shall be paid to the shareholders i.e. the parent company of the Bank.
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Cash dividend payments are deducted from the Bank's net profits and retained earnings, which are some of the major components of the Bank's core (Tier 1) capital. In contrast, by issuing new shares in lieu of a cash dividend payment, the level of Nemea Bank's (Tier 1) capital base is maintained.
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3 CORPORATE GOVERNANCE AND COMPENSATION
Corporate governance - the way that the leadership and management of a firm are organised and how they operate in practice - ultimately aims to lead the Bank towards sustainable growth, protect the interests of its shareholders and create value for both them and all stakeholders. Good corporate governance seeks to balance entrepreneurship, control and transparency, while supporting the Bank's success by ensuring efficient decision-making processes. As part of good corporate governance is compensation structure that aligns shareholder and management interests in long-term value creation for the company. Nemea Bank is a strict meritocracy, where superior performance leads to superior compensation and rewards. In addition, this section summarises the regulatory and supervisory environment of Nemea Bank in its principal location.
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GROUP STRUCTURE AND SHAREHOLDERS
Under Maltese company law, Nemea Bank is organized as a public limited company, a corporation that has issued shares of common stock to investors. Nemea plc is the parent company of Nemea Bank plc. Nemea plc is the parent company of the Nemea Group.
Nemea Group legal entity structure
The legal entity structure of Nemea Bank is designed to support its businesses within an efficient legal, tax, regulatory and funding framework. Neither the planned business groups nor the corporate center will be separate legal entities: they will be operating out of the parent bank, Nemea Bank plc, directly. This structure is designed to capitalize on the increased business opportunities and cost efficiencies offered by the use of a single legal platform and to enable the flexible and efficient use of capital.
Where it will be neither possible nor efficient to operate out of the parent bank - usually due to local legal, tax or regulatory rules or as a result of additional legal entities joining the Nemea Bank Group through acquisition - businesses will operate through local subsidiaries or other separate legal entities.
The following diagram describes the Group’s legal structure of financial businesses with the parent company Nemea plc and the operating entity Nemea Bank plc.
Operational group structure
The operational structure of the Bank is described in the section “Strategy and Structure” of this report.
Subsidiaries
As at 31 December 2013, Nemea Bank plc did not have any subsidiaries.
Significant shareholders
The shareholder of Nemea Bank plc is Nemea plc, holding all but one share, and Nevestor SA, holding one share.
Cross shareholdings
Nemea Bank has no cross shareholdings with any other company.
Nemea plcNemea Bank plc100% (all but one share)
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CAPITAL STRUCTURE
Nemea Bank is committed to capital management that is driven by shareholder value considerations. At the same time, Nemea Bank is dedicated to maintaining its strong capital position.
Capital
Under Maltese company law, shareholders have to approve in a shareholders' meeting any increase in the total number of issued shares, which may be an ordinary share capital increase or the creation of conditional or authorised capital. At year-end 2013, the ordinary issued share capital was EUR 5,500,000.
Conditional share capital
At year end 2013, there was no conditional share capital.
Authorised share capital
At year-end 2013, the authorised share capital of the Bank was EUR 20,000,000. Up till 31 December 2013 the Board of Directors was not authorised to issue any more shares.
Changes of shareholders' equity
According to International Financial Reporting Standards as adopted by the European Union (EU IFRS), equity attributable to Nemea Bank shareholders amounted to EUR 5,563,244 as at 31 December 2013.
Shares, participation and bonus certificates, capital securities
Nemea Bank shares are issued in registered form. Each registered share has a par value of EUR 1 and carries one vote.
As at 31 December 2013, all 5,500,000 issued shares carried voting rights. All shares were fully paid up. There are no preferential rights for individual shareholders.
Nemea Bank has not issued any participation certificates or bonus certificates.
At year-end 2013, Nemea Bank had no hybrid capital securities outstanding, which count as Tier 1 capital under regulatory rules, nor did it have any outstanding Tier 2 capital securities.
Limitation on transferability
Nemea Bank does apply restrictions and limitations on the transferability of its shares commensurate with a public limited company in accordance to the Maltese Companies Act of 1995.
Shares registered in the share register with voting rights according to the provisions of the "Memorandum of Association” of Nemea Bank plc may be voted without any limit in scope.
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Convertible bonds and options
As at 31 December 2013, there were no convertible bonds or options authorised or issued.
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BOARD OF DIRECTORS
The Board of Directors is the most senior body with ultimate responsibility for the strategy and management of the Bank and for the supervision of its executive management. The shareholders elect each member of the Board of Directors, which appoints its Chairman or Co-Chairmen, Vice Chairmen, if any and the members of its committees, if any.
Members of the Board of Directors
As at 31 December 2013, the membership consisted of 3 directors, of which 3 members were non-executive and 1 independent.
Information on the composition of the Board of Directors (BoD) as at 31 December 2013:
Heikki Niemelä
Co-Chairman
Mika Lehto
Co-Chairman
Joseph F.X. Zahra
Director
All directors were initially appointed upon incorporation on 2 September 2008 and re-appointed at the AGM 2013 up to the next AGM in 2014.
Elections and terms of office
All the members of the BoD are elected individually by the AGM for a term of office until the next annual general meeting.
Changes in 2013
There were no changes to the BoD composition during 2013.
Company secretary
Dr. Michael Ellul Sullivan was appointed company secretary upon incorporation, also acting as secretary to the BoD.
Organizational principles
The BoD has ultimate responsibility for the mid and long-term strategic direction of the Bank, for appointments and dismissals at top management levels and the definition of the Bank's risk principles and risk capacity. While a part of the members are always independent, the Chairman or Co-Chairmen of the BoD assume supervisory and leadership responsibilities.
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Members of the Board of Directors: Mika Lehto, Heikki Niemelä and Joseph F.X. Zahra
Internal organization, Board of Directors' meetings in 2013
After each AGM, the shareholders elect the Chairman or Co-Chairmen of the BoD and appoint its Secretary. It meets as often as business requires, but at least four times per year. In 2013, five meetings were held. All the BoD members were present at the meetings physically or remotely over teleconferencing facilities.
The BoD is organized as follows:
Chairman's Office
The Board of Directors has formalized the Chairman's Office composed of the two Co-Chairmen, which meets to address issues that are fundamental for the Bank, such as overall strategy, mid-term succession plans at senior management level, compensation systems and principles and the risk profile of the Bank. The Chairman's Office acts as the Risk Committee of the BoD. In this capacity it has the highest
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approval authority for the following (within the risk capacity and principles approved by the BoD): allocation of responsibility for credit, market and other risk-related matters; setting of standards, concepts and methodologies for risk control; and allocation of the major risk limits to the business groups. It will also be acting as the supervisory body for Internal Audit. The Chairman's Office is responsible for shaping the corporate governance of the Bank and formulates appropriate principles, which it submits to the full BoD for approval. It also assumes responsibility for long-term succession planning at BoD level and reviews, upon proposal by the Chairman/Co-Chairmen of the BoD, senior management candidates for appointment or dismissal by the full BoD. In exceptional cases, and in consideration of the non-transferable and inalienable duties of the BoD under mandatory corporate law, urgent decisions falling within the authority of the BoD may be taken by the Chairman's Office. Such decisions have to be reported to the full BoD as soon as possible.
The members of the Chairman's Office, as at 31 December 2013, were Heikki Niemelä, Co-Chairman of the BoD, and Mika Lehto, Co-Chairman of the BoD.
Co-Chairmen of the BoD Heikki Niemelä and Mika Lehto take a leading role in mid- and long-term strategic planning, the selection and supervision of the senior management, mid-term succession planning and developing and shaping compensation principles. They also actively support major client and transaction initiatives.
Independent members of the Board of Directors
Important business connections of independent members of the Board of Directors with Nemea Bank
Nemea Bank, as an international financial services provider, has business relationships with many companies including those in which Nemea Bank BoD members assume management or non-executive responsibilities. None of the relationships that members of the BoD have with other such companies is of a magnitude that jeopardizes the BoD members' independent judgment; furthermore, no independent director has personal business relationships with Nemea Bank that could infringe on his or her independence.
All relationships and transactions with Nemea Bank directors and their affiliated companies are in the ordinary course of business and are on the same terms as those prevailing at the time for comparable transactions with non-affiliated persons.
Checks and balances
The supervision and control of the senior management remains with the BoD.
Information and control instruments vis-à-vis the senior management
The BoD is kept informed of the activities of the senior management in various ways. The Co-Chairmen from time to time participate in senior management meetings, thus keeping the Chairman's Office appraised of all current developments. The minutes of the senior management meetings are filed with the Chairman’s Office members. At BoD meetings, the senior management regularly brief the BoD on important issues.
At BoD meetings, members may request from members of the BoD or the senior management any information about any matters concerning the Bank that are necessary to fulfill their duties. Outside of meetings, any member may request information from the Co-Chairmen concerning the Bank's business development.
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Requests for information about individual businesses or transactions must be approved by the Co-Chairmen of the BoD.
Internal Audit will be monitoring compliance of business activities with legal and regulatory requirements and all internal regulations, policies and guidelines. This internal audit organization, which will be independent from management, reports significant findings to the Co-Chairmen of the BoD and the Chairman's Office.
The senior management will submit a quarterly risk report to the Chairman's Office for approval. This report will provide an update on all categories of risk and contain a comprehensive assessment of the risk situation of the Bank. The full BoD will be briefed quarterly on the major developments through an executive summary of the report and an oral update. The compliance function will provide an annual compliance report to the BoD.
CVs of the Members of the Board of Directors
Mika Lehto, Co-Chairman
Mika Lehto was elected to the Board of Directors of Nemea Bank plc in 2008 and is Co-Chairman and Co-Founder of the Bank and serves as member of the Chairman’s Office of the Bank that also acts as the Risk Committee of the Board of Directors. Previously, Mika was chairman at Kaupthing Sofi in Helsinki, Finland, and Managing Director and Co-Founder at Sofi Securities in Finland. Mika was also elected Director and Co-Chairman of Nemea plc, the parent company of the Bank. Mika has also served as Director and Co-Chairman of Nevestor SA, a Belgium-based financial investment company, and has held and holds directorships in a number of other private companies - he has also served as Deputy Chairman and board member in Finnish publicly listed investment companies Norvestia plc and Neomarkka plc as well as the privately held industrial refrigeration business Huurre Group Ltd. Originally, he co-founded Sofi Securities plc in Helsinki as was Managing Director and later Chairman of Sofi Securities. After Kaupthing’s acquisition of Sofi, he continued to serve as Chairman and subsequently as Senior Advisor until his departure to found Nemea together with his long-time business partner Heikki Niemelä. Mika graduated with an MBA from the Helsinki University of Technology with part of the courses taken at Stanford University, the U.S.A., and IMD, Switzerland. He is a Finnish citizen.
Heikki Niemelä, Co-Chairman
Heikki Niemelä was elected to the Board of Directors of Nemea Bank plc in 2008 and is Co-Chairman and Co-Founder of the Bank and serves as member of the Chairman’s Office of the Bank that also acts as the Risk Committee of the Board of Directors. Previously, Heikki was Chief Executive Officer and Director at Kaupthing Bank in Helsinki, Finland. Heikki was also elected Director and Co-Chairman of Nemea plc, the parent company of the Bank. Heikki has also served as Director and Co-Chairman of Nevestor SA, a Belgium-based financial investment company, and has held and holds directorships in a number of other private companies. Originally, he joined Sofi Securities plc in Helsinki as Director of Corporate Finance and Business Development. He was appointed at Kaupthing Sofi plc as Senior Vice President, just after Kaupthing's acquisition of Sofi, and subsequently, Managing Director and President of Kaupthing Sofi plc, and nominated deputy Board member of the Kaupthing Bank Group, and also board member of Kaupthing Sofi plc. Heikki continued to serve as the CEO of Kaupthing Bank plc until his departure to found Nemea together with his long-time business partner Mika Lehto. Heikki graduated with a BBA (Honours) in international business from the Helsinki School of Economics and Business Administration, and a
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year later with an MBA (Honours) in finance from the same school in conjunction with part of the courses taken at Indiana University in the U.S.A. He is a Finnish citizen.
Joseph F.X. Zahra
Joseph F.X. Zahra was elected to the Board of Directors in 2008 and appointed Director of the Bank. Joseph is Managing Director and Co-Founder of Misco, the leading recruitment and marketing consulting firm in Malta, and Director of Middlesea Insurance plc and its subsidiary companies. Previously, Joseph was the chairman of the Bank of Valletta Group in Malta. Joseph Zahra is also Managing Director of Misco International Ltd., and Director of Impetus Europe Consulting Group Ltd. Joseph Zahra, after having spent short spells with Lufthansa AG in Germany, and Hawker Siddeley subsidiary in Malta, joined the Malta Development Corporation as Head of Research. He has been a regular visiting lecturer at the University of Malta and the Universita’ degli studi di Messina teaching micro economics, management and managerial economics. He has held various public positions such as Board Member of the Central Bank of Malta, Board Member of the Malta Development Corporation, Chairman, Bank of Valletta plc and its subsidiary companies, Chairman of Maltacom plc, Director, Corinthia Hotels International Ltd. Joseph graduated from University of Malta with a First Class Honours Degree in Economics and a Masters Degree in Economics, specialising in Managerial Economics. He is also a Chartered Marketer, Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Marketing, besides being a member of the Market Research Society (U.K.). He is a Maltese citizen.
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COMPENSATION
Nemea Bank's competitive strength is affected by its ability to attract, retain and motivate the most talented people in financial services. The policies established by the Board of Directors create incentives to promote a performance-driven culture, adhere to ethical values and support the Bank's integrated business strategy. Compensation of senior executives is linked to the creation of long-term value and sustainable shareholder returns.
Governance, authorities and responsibilities
Nemea Bank is committed to the highest standards of corporate governance. The approval of senior executive compensation follows a rigorous process.
The BoD is responsible for reviewing the Nemea Bank total compensation and benefits principles. Additionally the BoD will have responsibilities in five key areas:
- reviewing and approving the design of the total compensation framework, including compensation programs and plans;
- determining the relationship between pay and performance;
- approving base salaries and annual incentive awards for senior executives;
- reviewing and approving individual employment agreements of senior management; and
- reviewing and approving the terms and conditions for senior management members relinquishing their positions.
Authority for compensation-related decisions governed by the BoD has been delegated to the Chairman’s Office.
Senior executive compensation policy
Principles
Two related principles govern the Bank's senior executive compensation framework (and, indeed, the compensation of all Nemea Bank employees): creation of shareholder value and pay-for-performance. Specifically:
- all elements of compensation are managed in a consistent and integrated fashion, with clear recognition of pay-for-performance, reflecting both company and individual performance; and
- compensation levels and practices are benchmarked against competitors, relevant operating environments and best practice
Annual total compensation is competitively positioned and Nemea Bank will place a strong emphasis on the variable components of compensation, with the understanding that only superior performance will be rewarded with superior compensation. Such incentives provide the motivation to excel in the entrepreneurial, performance-oriented culture that is required to execute Nemea Bank's integrated business strategy. In addition, the BoD will verify whether the senior executive fulfilled their
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objectives and key performance indicators (KPIs), including the importance of maintaining and spreading Nemea Bank's ethical values throughout the Bank.
Shareholder alignment
The BoD structures senior executive compensation to ensure alignment with shareholder interests and long-term value creation. Specifically:
- it rewards the achievement of personal and corporate objectives that balance individual performance and long-term business growth; and
- no additional severance payments are offered in instances of termination, although obligations earned up to and including the notice period are honored in line with the contractual arrangements.
All these mechanisms help focus senior leadership on the long-term interests of the Bank’s shareholders and minimize the cost of any future terminations.
Employment agreements and contractual payments
The BoD will regularly review the individual employment agreements of senior executives.
The senior executive employment agreement do not provide for any additional severance payment in case of termination, apart from contractual salary, pension and bonus entitlements.
Pay-for-performance
Performance is the primary driver of compensation decisions. Nemea Bank is committed to providing superior compensation in return for superior performance and continually develops the benchmarks and processes that support informed compensation decision-making.
At the beginning of the year, each Nemea Bank senior executive will agree individual objectives and KPIs. Individual objectives focus on clients, economics, technical expertise, leadership, cross-business cooperation, strategic impact, risk management and personal contribution. KPIs vary by business and by individual and typically include such measures as revenue growth, net profit, return on equity, return on assets, cost / income ratio, net new money, progress on strategic initiatives and adherence to the Bank’s values.
As the year draws to a close, a senior executive's performance against each objective and KPI will be rigorously evaluated, not only by his or her immediate superior but also by peers and subordinates. This 360-degree assessment is qualitative and quantitative - comprising financial and operational results for the year, as well as indicators of future performance. Performance against key competitors and performance trends over time is likewise reviewed to the extent that data is available.
To the extent that a senior executive's business and individual performance exceeds - or falls short - of his or her agreed expectations, total compensation will mirror the outcome. In consequence, compensation levels may be highly variable from year-to-year.
Elements of compensation
The total compensation framework for senior executives will comprise three elements: base salary, annual incentive, and benefits.
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Base salaries
Base salaries are established in a manner consistent with the role of each senior executive. Base salary adjustments are limited to significant changes in job responsibility.
Due to the variability of annual incentive awards, the ratio of base salary (a fixed amount) to total compensation can vary significantly year-to-year.
Annual incentive awards
Each annual incentive award is assessed according to the individual’s achievement of his or her personal objectives and key performance indicators. All senior executives are considered for an annual incentive award provided performance targets are achieved, but with a few rare exceptions (for example, competitive practice or business strategy) annual incentives are completely discretionary and can vary considerably, both from individual-to-individual and from year-to-year. Exceptional individual performance is reflected in the annual incentive award rather than in an adjustment to base salary. The maximum annual incentive award is limited to double the senior executive’s target.
Benefits
The Bank provides benefits to help attract and retain the best employees. Changes, terminations and the introduction of new benefits are governed by the Bank’s organisation regulations. Benefits are a supplemental element of total compensation and vary substantially from location to location.
Key elements for decision-making process within the BoD
Actual process and decisions taken
The BoD makes decisions on individual senior executive compensation based on:
- Bank-wide and relevant business area performance;
- the individual performance and personal contributions of each member;
- actual Nemea Bank compensation in prior periods;
- an assessment submitted by the Co-Chairmen of the BoD; and
- available market data on competitors.
However, market data is only one of several factors in the compensation decision-making process. Market data informs but does not directly drive any individual decisions on executive compensation.
Key competitors
Compensation and benefit levels are primarily result-driven and will be further benchmarked against appropriate key competitors. These companies will be selected for the similarity or relevance of their core business to that of Nemea Bank, as well as for comparable size, geographic distribution, business strategy and performance. Typically, these will be also the companies from which Nemea Bank is most likely to hire and to which it is most likely to lose senior employees. Competitive compensation at a senior level is therefore a vital element in preventing the loss of leadership talent and experience from Nemea Bank to its competitors. In the view of the BoD, the Bank's compensation systems will be positioned appropriately relative to the key competitors. For certain positions and for purposes of other analysis (including the best practice
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review), additional industry players (like global leaders that do not necessarily directly compete with the Bank for the time being) may be taken into account, which are increasingly becoming attractive alternatives for Nemea Bank employees).
Determination of 2013 incentive targets
In view of 2013 being a continued set-up period due to system delays, with few operations, incentive targets setting has been postponed to a point where the operating platforms of the Bank are fully functional.
Determination principles for actual incentives
The actual operating results for the relevant financial period will be assessed against the given forecast (the Bank’s and business area financial targets) as well as against similar metrics of key competitors. Incentive awards of senior executives in business groups will be based equally on the financial performance of the Bank overall and the results of the respective business area (on a 50:50 ratio). Incentive awards for executives at Bank level and in Corporate Center will be based fully on bank-wide performance. These measurements and assessments will result in a fixed theoretical incentive award for each senior executive.
Finally, this theoretical incentive award will be measured against various additional factors: personal performance against objectives, future potential, leadership qualities and contributions to the overall success of Nemea Bank. This qualitative assessment will lead to discretionary increases or decreases from the theoretical incentive by up to + / -25%.
Senior management members appointed during the last quarter of a financial year will be generally assessed on their targets and performance objectives, while nevertheless taking account of the overall Bank results.
Actual 2013 compensation for members of the Board of Directors
Compensation of the Co-Chairmen of the Board of Directors
For its decision on the Co-Chairmen of the BoD's compensation, the BoD will be relying on an annual assessment performed by the full BoD and its own judgment with regards to the Co-Chairmen's performance and contributions, taking into account pay levels for comparable functions outside of Nemea Bank.
The Co-Chairmen of the BoD's incentive award will be fully dependent on the Bank's financial performance.
For the financial year ended 31 December 2013, the Co-Chairmen opted not to take any compensation.
Compensation details of the Board of Directors
Payments to independent members of the Board of Directors amounted to EUR 15,000 during the year from 1 January to 31 December 2013, specifically as follows:
Joseph F.X. Zahra EUR 15,000
Remuneration of independent directors is not dependent on the Bank's financial performance, but is determined annually by the Co-Chairmen of the BoD, taking into account market practice in comparable global financial services and other relevant companies.
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Loans
Nemea Bank typically has business relationships with a number of companies. In many of these companies, members of the Nemea Bank BoD may assume management or non-executive board responsibilities. Moreover granting loans - both to individuals and to companies - is part of the ordinary business of the Bank.
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SHAREHOLDERS’ PARTICIPATION RIGHTS
Nemea Bank is committed to making it as easy as possible for shareholders to take part in its decision-making processes.
Relationship with shareholders
Nemea Bank fully subscribes to the principle of equal treatment of all shareholders, and regularly informs them about the development of the Bank.
The annual general meeting (AGM) offers shareholders the opportunity to raise any questions regarding the development of the Bank and the events of the year under review. The members of the Board of Directors (BoD) and senior management, as well as the internal and external auditors, are present to answer these questions.
Voting rights, restrictions and representation
In order to be recorded in the share register with voting rights, shareholders must confirm they acquired Nemea Bank shares in their own name and for their own account.
All shareholders registered with voting rights are entitled to participate in shareholder meetings. If they do not wish to attend in person, they can issue instructions to accept, reject or abstain on each individual item on the meeting agenda by either giving instructions to an independent proxy designated by Nemea Bank or by appointing Nemea Bank, another bank or another registered shareholder of their choice, to vote on their behalf.
Statutory quorums
Shareholder resolutions, the election and re-election of members of the BoD, and the appointment of the statutory auditors are decided at the AGM by an absolute majority of the votes cast, excluding blank and invalid ballots. Maltese company law as well as the Memorandum and Articles of Association of the Bank require that for certain specific issues a majority of two-thirds of the votes represented at the meeting vote in favor of the resolution.
Convocation of general meetings of shareholders
The annual general meeting of shareholders normally takes place in March, but in any case within 4 months of the close of the financial year. A personal invitation including a detailed agenda and explanation of each motion is sent to every registered shareholder at least 14 days ahead of the scheduled meeting. Extraordinary general meetings (EGMs) may be convened whenever the BoD deems it necessary.
Registrations in share register
The general rules for being entered with voting rights in the share register of the Bank also apply before general meetings of shareholders. There is no "closing of the share register" in the days ahead of the meeting. Registrations including the transfer of voting rights are processed for as long as technically possible, normally until two days before the meeting.
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SHARE REGISTER INFORMATION
Directors’ direct or indirect interest in the share capital of the company as at 31 December 2013
Director
Number of shares held
% of shares
Heikki Niemelä
2,750,000
50.0
Mika Lehto
2,750,000
50.0
Total
5,500,000
100.0
There were no changes to the Directors’ interests as at 30 June 2014.
As at 31 December 2013 the Bank’s issued share capital was effectively held by 2 shareholders. The share capital of the Bank consists of one class of ordinary shares with equal voting rights.
Shareholders holding 5% or more of the equity capital as at 31 December 2013
Shareholder
Number of shares held
% of shares
Nemea plc
5,499,999
99.99
There were no further changes in shareholders’ holding 5% or more of the equity share capital as at 30 June 2014.
Company Secretary
Dr. Michael Ellul Sullivan
Registered Address
Level 17, Portomaso Tower St. Julian’s STJ 4011 Malta
Tel +356 2570 8000
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AUDITORS
Audit plays an important role in corporate governance. The Chairman's Office and ultimately the Board of Directors supervise the audit function.
External, independent auditors
Deloitte Audit Limited, a company registered in Malta, has been assigned the mandate to serve as auditors for Nemea Bank. They assume the statutory auditing functions according to laws, regulatory requests and the Articles of Association. The Board of Directors (BoD) annually assesses the independence of Deloitte (Malta). Authority for pre-approval of all additional audit, audit-related and non-audit mandates to the principal auditors lies with the BoD, ensuring that independence of the auditors is not jeopardized by conflicts of interest through additional mandates. Deloitte (Malta) inform the BoD annually of the measures they are taking to ensure their own and their employees' independence from Nemea Bank. The BoD assesses this information.
Duration of the mandate and term of office of the lead partners
Deloitte (Malta) were first appointed as Nemea Bank's principal external auditor for the audit of the 2009 financial statements. Following a comprehensive evaluation process during 2013, they will be proposed for re-election at the 2014 AGM.
The lead partner in charge of the Nemea Bank audit is Stephen Paris.
Fees paid to external auditors
The auditor’s remuneration for the audited financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2013 amounted to EUR 14,000.
Audit work includes all services necessary to perform the audit in accordance with applicable generally accepted auditing principles as well as other assurance services that generally only the principal auditor can provide, including comfort letters, statutory and regulatory audits, attest services, consents and reviews of documents filed with regulatory bodies under applicable law.
Pre-approval procedures and policies
All services other than the statutory annual audit provided by Deloitte (Malta) as appointed have to be pre-approved by the BoD. A pre-approval may be granted either for a specific mandate or in the form of a general pre-approval authorizing a limited and well-defined type and amount of services. The BoD has delegated pre-approval authority to its Co-Chairmen. After endorsement by the Chief Financial Officer or the person responsible for the Finance department, requests for mandates are routed to the Company Secretary, who submits them to the Chairman’s Office for approval. At each quarterly meeting, the BoD will be informed on the approvals granted by its Co-Chairmen, if any.
Internal Audit
The Internal Audit will be supporting the BoD by independently assessing the effectiveness of the Bank's system of internal controls and compliance of the Bank with statutory, legal and regulatory requirements. All key issues raised by Internal Audit will be communicated to the management responsible, and members of the
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Chairman’s Office via formal audit reports. The Chairman's Office and the BoD are regularly informed of important findings.
To maximize its independence from management, the Head of Internal Audit will be reporting directly to the Co-Chairmen of the BoD. Internal Audit will have unrestricted access to all accounts, books and records and must be provided with all information and data needed to fulfill its auditing duties. The Chairman's Office may order special audits to be conducted, and the senior management, with the agreement of the Co-Chairmen of the BoD, may also instruct Internal Audit to conduct such audits.
Coordination and close cooperation with the external auditors will be important to enhance the efficiency of Internal Audit's work.
Supervisory and control instruments vis-à-vis the external auditors
The BoD monitors the qualification, independence and performance of the Auditors and their lead partners. It prepares proposals for appointment or removal of the external auditors for review and then submits the proposal to the AGM.
The BoD reviews the annual written statement submitted by the external auditors as to their independence. It also reviews the engagement letter between Nemea Bank and the external auditors and the fees and terms of the planned audit work. Mandates to the auditors for additional audit, audit-related and permitted non-audit work are subject to pre-approval by the BoD.
At least once per year, the Chairman's Office discusses with the lead partner of Deloitte (Malta) the audit work performed, the main findings and critical issues that arose during the audit. The Chairman's Office reports back to the BoD about its contacts and discussions with the external auditors.
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INFORMATION POLICY
Nemea Bank's financial disclosure policies aim at open, transparent and consistent communication with stakeholders.
Nemea Bank is committed to provision of regular information to its stakeholders.
When in full operation, Nemea Bank plans to regularly hold presentations, specialist seminars, road shows, individual and group meetings. Where possible, meetings will involve senior management.
The “About us” section of the website www.nemeabank.com has comprehensive information on Nemea Bank.
Once a year, unless they explicitly choose not to, registered stakeholders will be receiving an electronic summary/copy of Nemea Bank's annual report. It provides an overview of the Bank and its activities during the year as well as key financial information. Stakeholders can also request Nemea Bank's complete financial reports, produced on an annual basis, free of charge.
Financial disclosure principles
Nemea Bank aims to communicate its strategy and results in a manner that allows stakeholders to gain a full and accurate understanding of how the Bank works, what its growth prospects are and what risks the strategy and results might entail.
To continue to achieve these goals, Nemea Bank will apply the following principles in its financial reporting and disclosure:
- transparency in disclosure is designed to enhance understanding of the economic drivers and detailed results of the business, building trust and credibility;
- consistency in disclosure within each reporting period and between reporting periods;
- simplicity in disclosure allows readers to gain the appropriate level of understanding of the Bank's businesses' performance;
- relevance in disclosure avoids information overload by focusing on what is relevant to Nemea Bank's stakeholders, or required by regulation or statute; and
- best practice in line with industry norms, leading the way to improved standards where possible.
Financial reporting policies
Nemea Bank reports its results after the end of every year, in the future including a breakdown of results by business areas and extensive disclosures relating to credit and market risk.
Nemea Bank's financial statements are prepared according to International Financial Reporting Standards as adopted by the European Union (EU IFRS). A detailed explanation of the basis of Nemea Bank's accounting is given in Note 1 in Financial Statements 2013. An explanation of the critical accounting policies applied in the
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preparation of Nemea Bank's financial statements is also provided in a specific section in Financial Statements 2013.
Nemea Bank is committed to maintaining the transparency of its reported results and to ensuring that stakeholders can make meaningful comparisons. If in the future there is a major reorganization of its business units, or if changes to accounting standards or interpretations lead to a material change in the Bank's reported results, the results are restated for previous periods to show how they would have been reported according to the new basis and provide clear explanations of all changes.
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REGULATION AND SUPERVISION
Nemea Bank complies with applicable regulatory provisions and works closely and maintains good relations with regulators.
Nemea Bank's operations internationally are regulated and supervised by the relevant authorities in each of the jurisdictions in or from which it conducts business. As a Maltese-registered company, Nemea Bank's home country regulator is the Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA).
The following sections of this report describe the regulation and supervision of Nemea Bank's business in and from Malta.
Regulation and supervision in Malta
General
Nemea Bank is regulated in Malta under a system established by the Banking Act of 1994, and the Investment Services Act, 1994, as amended. Depending on the license obtained under this law, banks in Malta may engage in a full range of financial services activities, including commercial banking and investment banking. Investment services require a separate license. The Banking Act establishes a framework for supervision of credit institutions such as Nemea Bank by the MFSA.
Anti-money laundering and terrorist financing legislation and regulation lays down a common standard for due diligence, ongoing monitoring, training and reporting obligations for the whole financial sector, which must be met in order to prevent the use of the financial system for money laundering and terrorist financing.
Supervisory responsibilities
The MFSA has direct responsibility for supervision of the Maltese banking groups, including Nemea Bank. The supervisory strategy entails direct supervision in the form of regular meetings with bank management, supervisory visits to the Bank's operations, on-site reviews, direct reporting (both routine and ad hoc).
Reporting requirements and capital requirements
Nemea Bank reports financial, capital, and risk information to the MFSA. The MFSA also reviews the Bank's risk management and control principles and procedures in all areas of risk, except for anti-money laundering practices which is undertaken by the Malta Financial Intelligent Analysis Unit (FIAU).
Malta applies the internationally agreed capital adequacy rules of the Basel Capital Accord.
Disclosures to the Maltese Central Bank
Malta's banks, according to Maltese banking law, are primarily supervised by the MFSA while compliance with liquidity rules is monitored by the Central Bank of Malta (CBM). Nemea Bank sends the CBM detailed monthly interim balance sheets, capital adequacy and liquidity statements. Nemea Bank also submits an annual statement of condition and quarterly stress testing results and cooperates with the CBM whenever required. The CBM can also require Nemea Bank to make additional disclosures of financial condition and other information relevant to its regulatory oversight.
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Depositor Compensation & Investor Compensation Scheme
Nemea Bank is a member of both the Maltese Depositor Compensation Scheme and the Investor Compensation Scheme, as obligated by the legislation. Retail depositors are protected by the Depositor Compensation Scheme in Malta up to EUR 100,000 per eligible depositor. Eligible investors are protected by the Investor Compensation Scheme up to a maximum of EUR 20,000.
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4 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 2013
This section comprises the audited financial statements of Nemea Bank plc for the financial year from 1 January to 31 December 2013, prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards as adopted by the European Union (EU IFRS). Additional disclosures required by Maltese regulations are included where appropriate.
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DIRECTORS’ REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2013
The directors have the pleasure of submitting the annual report, together with the audited financial statements of Nemea Bank plc for the year ended 31 December 2013.
Principal Activities
Operational Review
During the year under review the Bank continued to collect deposits from both local and foreign clients while it continued to increase its activities in Corporate and Investment Banking, which have continued to be the Bank’s main source of income. In 2013 the Bank achieved certain milestones in the in-house development of its core and online banking system.
Performance Review
The operating income for the year increased by 16%, from EUR 972,115 to EUR 1,125,583. This resulted mainly from an 11% increase in net commission income, coupled with a 142% increase in trading and other income.
During the year under review the company registered a profit after tax of EUR 37,773, which together with shareholders’ funds brought forward from the prior year resulted in retained earnings of EUR 63,244 as at 31 December 2013.
Dividends
The Bank generated a net profit of EUR 37,773 (2012: EUR 23,293), The directors are not proposing any dividends for the financial year ended 31 December 2013.
Board of Directors
The following directors served on the Board during the period:
Heikki Niemelä (Co-Chairman)
Mika Lehto (Co-Chairman)
Joseph F.X. Zahra
Directors’ Responsibilities
Maltese company law requires that the directors prepare financial statements for each financial period which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the Bank as at the end of the financial period and of the results of their operations and cash flows for that period. In preparing the financial statements, the directors are required to:
- Select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
- Make judgments and estimates that are reasonable; and
- Prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the Bank will continue in business.
The directors are responsible for ensuring that proper accounting records are kept which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the Bank and to enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Banking Act (Chap. 371) and the Companies Act (Chap. 386). This responsibility includes designing, implementing and maintaining internal control relevant to the preparation and fair presentation of financial statements that are free from material misstatements whether due to fraud or error. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the Bank and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
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After reviewing the Bank’s plans for the coming financial periods, the directors are satisfied that at the time of approving the financial statements, it is appropriate to continue adopting the going concern basis in preparing the financial statements.
Auditor
A resolution to reappoint Deloitte Audit Limited as auditor of the company will be proposed at the forthcoming annual general meeting.
Approved by the board of directors, authorised for issue on 30 June 2014 and signed on its behalf by:
Heikki Niemelä Mika Lehto
Co-Chairman Co-Chairman
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INDEPENDENT AUDITOR’S REPORT
To the members of Nemea Bank plc
Report on the financial statements We have audited the accompanying financial statements of Nemea Bank plc (‘the Bank’) set out on pages 112 to 143, which comprise the statement of financial position as at 31 December 2013, and the statement of comprehensive income, statement of changes in equity and statement of cash flows for the year then ended, and a summary of significant accounting policies and other explanatory information.
Directors’ responsibility for the financial statements As explained more fully in the statement of directors’ responsibilities on page four, the directors of the Bank are responsible for the preparation of financial statements that give a true and fair view in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards as adopted by the EU and the requirements of the Companies Act (Cap. 386) and the Banking Act (Cap. 371), and for such internal control as the directors determine is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.
Auditor’s responsibility Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements based on our audit. We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing. Those standards require that we comply with ethical requirements and plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free from material misstatement. An audit involves performing procedures to obtain audit evidence about the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. The procedures selected depend on the auditor’s judgment, including the assessment of the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to fraud or error. In making those risk assessments, the auditor considers internal control relevant to the preparation of financial statements that give a true and fair view in order to design audit procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the internal control of the Bank. An audit also includes evaluating the appropriateness of accounting policies used and the reasonableness of accounting estimates made by the directors, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our audit opinion.
Opinion In our opinion, the financial statements give a true and fair view of the financial position of the Bank as at 31 December 2013, and of their financial performance and cash flows for the year then ended in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards as adopted by the EU and have been properly prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act (Cap. 386).
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Report on Other Legal and Regulatory Requirements
Auditor’s Responsibility The Banking Act (Cap. 371) requires us to report whether we have obtained all the information and explanations which to the best of our knowledge and belief were necessary for the purpose of our audit, whether in our opinion, proper books of account have been kept by the Bank so far as appears from our examination thereof, whether the financial statements are in agreement with the books and whether the financial statements give the information required by any law in force in the manner so required and give a true and fair view. We are also required to state whether the financial statements have been properly prepared in accordance with the provisions of the Companies Act (Cap. 386).
Opinion We have obtained all the information and explanations which to the best of our knowledge and belief are necessary for the purposes of our audit. In our opinion, proper books of account have been kept so far as appears from our examination thereof and the financial statements are in agreement with the books. In our opinion, the financial statements have been properly prepared in accordance with the provisions of the Banking Act (Cap. 371) enacted in Malta. Stephen Paris as Director in the name and on behalf of Deloitte Audit Limited Registered auditor 30 June 2014
I STATEMENT OF PROFIT OR LOSS AND OTHER COMPREHENSIVE INCOME I
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STATEMENT OF PROFIT OR LOSS AND OTHER COMPREHENSIVE INCOME FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2013
EUR
Notes
2013
2012
Interest receivable and similar income:
- on loans and advances
2
296,824
325,689
- on debt and other fixed income instruments
2
605
33,156
Interest payable
3
(83,434)
(96,599)
Net interest income
213,995
262,246
Fee and commission income
689,129
620,752
Fee and commission expense
(2,533)
(3,991)
Net fee and commission income
4
686,596
616,761
Trading income
5
96,317
47,038
Other income
128,675
46,070
224,991
93,108
Operating income
1,125,583
972,115
Staff costs
6
468,560
419,663
General administrative expenses
6
458,192
426,399
Amortisation of intangible assets
14
71,865
7,146
Depreciation
15
62,291
56,727
Provisions and impairment costs
7
-
19,782
1,060,908
929,717
Profit before tax
8
64,675
42,398
Income tax expense
9
(26,902)
(19,105)
Profit for the year/total comprehensive income for the year
37,773
23,293
The notes on pages 116 to 143 are an integral part of these financial statements.
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STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION AS OF 31 DECEMBER 2013
EUR
Notes
2013
2012
Assets
Balances with Central Bank of Malta and cash
10
297,309
1,986,711
Financial assets at fair value through profit or loss
11
797,160
955,218
Loans and advances to banks
12
1,335,983
436,466
Loans and advances to customers
13
4,933,375
4,416,422
Intangible assets
14
136,026
120,106
Property, plant and equipment
15
123,754
176,025
Other assets
17
768,000
112,021
Prepayments and accrued income
18
144,020
143,645
Total Assets
8,535,627
8,346,554
Liabilities
Amounts owed to customers
21
2,857,507
2,708,046
Deferred tax
16
419
22,457
Current tax
48,940
12,080
Other liabilities
22
449
33,831
Accruals and deferred income
23
65,068
44,669
Total Liabilities
2,972,383
2,821,083
Equity
Equity attributable to shareholders of the Bank
Called up share capital
19
5,500,000
5,500,000
Retained earnings
43,456
25,471
Other reserve
20
19,788
-
Total Shareholders’ Equity
5,563,244
5,525,471
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity
8,535,627
8,346,554
Memorandum items
Commitments
26
1,000,000
100,000
The financial statements on pages 112 to 143 were approved by the Board of Directors on 30 June 2014 and signed on its behalf by:
Heikki Niemelä Mika Lehto
Co-Chairman Co-Chairman
I STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN EQUITY I
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STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN EQUITY FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2013
EUR
Note
Share Capital
Retained Earnings
Total
2012
Balance at 1 January
19
5,500,000
2,178
5,502,178
Profit for the year/total comprehensive income for the year
-
23,293
23,293
Balance at 31 December
5,500,000
25,471
5,525,471
EUR
Note
Share Capital
Retained Earnings
Other
Reserve
Total
2013
Balance at 1 January
19
5,500,000
25,471
-
5,525,471
Profit for the year/total comprehensive income for the year
-
37,773
37,773
Transfer to other reserve
-
(19,788)
19,788
-
Balance at 31 December
5,500,000
43,456
19,788
5,563,244
The notes on pages 116 to 143 are an integral part of these financial statements.
I STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS I
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STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2013
EUR
Note
2013
2012
Cash flows from operating activities
Interest and commission receipts
412,322
1,233,542
Interest and commission payments
(41,916)
(98,272)
Payments to employees and suppliers
(1,026,749)
(837,863)
Operating (loss) / profit before changes in operating assets and liabilities
(656,343)
297,407
Increase in operating assets:
Loans and advances to customers
(14,143)
(1,333,227)
Loans and advances to related parties
(502,810)
(233,948)
Other assets
32,000
-
Increase in operating liabilities:
Amounts owed to customers
149,461
2,181,885
Other liabilities
(34,562)
38,378
Net cash (used in) / generated from operating activities
(1,026,397)
950,497
Cash flows from investing activities
Acquisition of tangible fixed assets
(10,019)
(88,583)
Acquisition of intangible fixed assets
(7,785)
(122,339)
Maturity of held–to-maturity investments
-
1,000,000
Acquisition of other investments
-
(700,000)
Interest received from held-to-maturity debt and other fixed income instruments
-
120,000
Proceeds from sale of other investments
254,375
-
Net cash from investing activities
236,571
209,078
Net (decrease) / increase in cash and cash equivalents
(789,826)
1,159,575
Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the year
2,423,118
1,263,542
Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the year
24
1,633,292
2,423,117
The notes on pages 116 to 143 are an integral part of these financial statements.
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NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
1. Significant accounting policies
a. Basis of preparation
The Bank’s financial statements have been prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards as adopted by the European Union (EU IFRS). These financial statements have also been prepared in accordance with the provisions of the Banking Act, 1994 (Chap. 371) and the Companies Act, 1995 (Chap. 386).
The financial statements have been prepared on the historical cost basis, except for certain financial instruments which are stated at their fair values.
Initial application of an International Financial Reporting Standard In the current year, the Bank has applied the following: The June 2011 amendments to IAS 1, Presentation of Items of Other Comprehensive Income applicable for annual periods beginning on or after 1 July 2012 (with earlier application being permitted). These amendments require companies to group together items of other comprehensive income into two categories in the other comprehensive income section: a) items that will not be reclassified subsequently to profit or loss and b) items that may be reclassified subsequently to profit or loss when specific conditions are met. IFRS 13 Fair Value Measurement, applicable for annual periods beginning on or after 1 January 2013 (with earlier application being permitted). IFRS 13 defines fair value, establishes a single source of guidance for fair value measurements and requires disclosures about fair value measurements. IFRS 13 requires prospective application. In accordance with the transitional provisions set out in the standard, entities need not apply the disclosure requirements in comparative information provided for periods before the initial application of the standard. Consequently, the Bank has not made any new disclosures required by IFRS 13 for the 2012 comparative period. The application of IFRS 13 in the current year has resulted in the financial statements incorporating the additional disclosures that are required by the standard for certain financial and/or non-financial items.
Standards and interpretations in issue but not yet effective
A number of new International Financial Reporting Standards and amendments and revisions thereto were in issue but not yet effective during the financial year under review. These include the following:
During a meeting held by the IASB on 20 Feb 2014, the IASB decided that the effective date for IFRS 9 shall be 1 January 2018. This Standard represents the completion of the classification and measurement part of the IASB’s project to replace IAS 39 Financial Instruments: Recognition and Measurement. This Standard addresses the classification and measurement of certain financial assets and financial liabilities. IFRS 9 requires financial assets that fall within its scope to be classified on the basis of the entity’s business model for managing the financial assets and the contractual cash flow characteristics of the financial assets. The Standard requires financial assets to be subsequently measured at amortised cost or at fair value. The new requirements in relation to financial liabilities address the problem of volatility in profit or loss arising from an issuer that measures its own debt at fair value.
The November 2013 amendments (i) bring into effect a substantial overhaul of hedge accounting that will allow entities to better reflect their risk management activities in the financial statements; (ii) allow the changes to address the so-called ‘own credit’ issue that were already included in IFRS 9 to be applied in isolation without the need to change any other accounting for financial instruments; and (iii) remove the 1 January 2015 mandatory effective date of IFRS 9, to provide sufficient time for preparers of financial statements to make the transition to the new requirements.
IFRS 12 Disclosure of Interests in Other Entities was issued on 12 May 2011, has been endorsed by the EU and will become effective on 1 January 2014. This standard addresses disclosure requirements for certain interests in other entities, including joint arrangements, associates, subsidiaries and unconsolidated structured entities. The objective of IFRS 12 is to require an entity to disclose information that enables users of its financial statements to evaluate: a) the nature of, and risks associated with, its interests in other entities; and b) the effects of those interests on its financial position, financial performance and cash flows.
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IFRIC 21 was issued on 20 May 2013, will become effective on 1 January 2014 but has not yet been endorsed by the EU. This is an interpretation of IAS 32 Provisions, Contingent Liabilities and Contingent Assets. IAS 37 sets out criteria for the recognition of a liability, one of which is the requirement for the entity to have a present obligation as a result of a past event (known as an obligating event). The interpretation clarifies that the obligating event that gives rise to a liability to pay a level is the activity described in the relevant legislation that triggers the payment of the levy.
The directors are assessing the potential impact if any that the adoption of these International Financial Reporting Standards will have on the financial statements of the Bank in the period of initial application.
b. Financial assets at fair value through profit or loss, investment securities and loans and receivables
The Bank classifies its financial assets in the following categories: (i) financial assets at fair value through profit or loss; (ii) investment securities; and (iii) loans and receivables. The classification depends on the purpose for which the investments were acquired.
b.1 Financial assets at fair value through profit or loss
This classification includes financial assets classified as held for trading, and those designated at fair value through profit or loss upon initial recognition. Derivatives are categorized as held for trading unless they are designated and effective hedging instruments.
Financial assets at fair value through profit or loss are initially recognised and are subsequently measured at fair value based on quoted market prices or dealer price quotations for financial instruments traded in active markets. If the market for a financial asset is not active, the Bank establishes fair value by using valuation techniques.
b.2 Investment securities
Investment securities comprise held-to-maturity financial assets. Non-derivative investment securities, with fixed or determinable payments and fixed maturity, where the Bank has both the positive intent and the ability to hold them to maturity, other than those that upon initial recognition are designated as at fair value through profit or loss, those that are designated as available-for-sale financial assets and those that meet the definition of loans and receivables, are classified as held-to-maturity financial assets. Investment securities intended to be held for an indefinite period of time, but which may be sold in response to needs for liquidity or changes in interest rates, exchange rates or market prices are classified as available-for-sale financial assets. All investment securities are initially measured at fair value plus transaction costs, if any, that are directly attributable to their acquisition.
Those investment securities classified as held-to-maturity financial assets are subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method, less any impairment losses. Interest calculated using the effective interest method and impairment losses are recognised in profit or loss.
b.3 Loans and receivables
Loans and receivables are non-derivative financial assets with fixed or determinable payments that are not quoted in an active market, other than those that are held for trading or are designated upon initial recognition as at fair value through profit or loss or as available-for-sale financial assets or those for which the Bank may not recover substantially all of its initial investment other than because of credit deterioration. These comprise loans and advances to banks and clients.
Loans and receivables are initially measured at fair value plus transaction costs, if any, that are directly attributable to their acquisition, and are subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method, less any impairment losses. Gains and losses are recognised in profit or loss when the financial asset is derecognised or impaired and through the amortisation process using the effective interest rate.
Impairment of financial assets
The Bank assesses at each end of the reporting period whether there is objective evidence that a financial asset or group of financial assets is impaired. A financial asset or a group of financial assets is impaired and impairment losses are incurred if there is objective evidence of impairment as a result of one or more events that occurred after the initial recognition of the asset (a ‘loss event’) and that loss event (or events) has an impact on the estimated future cash flows of the financial asset or group of financial assets that can be reliably estimated.
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b.3.1 Financial assets carried at amortised cost
There are two components to the Bank’s impairment allowances on financial assets carried at amortised cost: specific and collective allowances. The Bank first assesses whether objective evidence of impairment exists individually for financial assets that are individually significant, and individually or collectively for financial assets that are not individually significant. Specific impairment allowances are determined on a case-by-case basis after taking into account the cash-generating potential and the financial state of the borrower and the realisable value of collateral held against borrowings. If the Bank determines that no objective evidence of impairment exists for an individually assessed financial asset, whether significant or not, it includes the asset in a group of financial assets with similar credit risk characteristics and collectively assesses them for impairment. Assets that are individually assessed for impairment and for which an impairment loss is or continues to be recognised are not included in a collective assessment of impairment.
For loans and receivables or held-to-maturity securities carried at amortised cost, if there is objective evidence that an impairment loss has been incurred, the amount of the loss is measured as the difference between the asset’s carrying amount and the present value of estimated future cash flows (excluding future credit losses that have not been incurred) discounted at the financial asset’s original effective interest rate. The carrying amount of the asset is reduced through the use of an allowance account and the amount of the loss is recognised in profit or loss.
If, in a subsequent period, the amount of the impairment loss decreases, and the decrease can be related objectively to an event occurring after the impairment was recognised, the previously recognised impairment loss is reversed through an allowance account, but so that the reversal does not result in a carrying amount that exceeds what the amortised cost would have been had the impairment not been recognised at the date the impairment is reversed. The amount of the reversal is recognised in profit or loss.
c. Financial liabilities and equity instruments
Financial liabilities and equity instruments are classified according to the substance of the contractual arrangements entered into, and the definitions of a financial liability and an equity instrument.
Financial liabilities are initially measured at fair value plus, in the case of financial liabilities not at fair value through profit or loss, transaction costs that are directly attributable to their issue. Financial liabilities are subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method, except for financial liabilities at fair value through profit or loss, which are measured at fair value.
Financial liabilities at fair value through profit or loss include financial liabilities classified as held for trading and those designated at fair value through profit or loss upon initial recognition. Derivatives are categorised as held for trading, unless they are designated and effective hedging instruments.
Financial liabilities that are measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method include amounts owed to banks and amounts owed to clients.
The gain or loss on financial liabilities classified as at fair value through profit or loss is recognised in profit or loss. For financial liabilities carried at amortised cost, the gain or loss is recognised in profit or loss when the financial liability is derecognised and through the amortisation process whereby any difference between the proceeds, net of transaction costs, and the settlement or redemption is recognised over the term of the financial liability.
Equity instruments are recorded at the proceeds received, net of direct issue costs.
d. Recognition, de-recognition and offsetting of financial assets and financial liabilities
Financial assets and financial liabilities are recognised when the Bank entity becomes a party to the contractual provisions of the instrument.
All loans and receivables are recognised when cash is advanced to borrowers.
All purchases and sales of securities are recognised and derecognised on settlement date, which is the date that an asset is delivered to or by the Bank.
A financial asset is derecognised when the contractual rights to the cash flows from the financial asset expire, or when the Bank transfers the financial asset and the transfer qualifies for derecognition. A financial liability is derecognised when it is extinguished. This occurs when the obligation specified in the contract is discharged, cancelled or expires.
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Financial assets and financial liabilities are offset and the net amount presented in the statement of financial position when the Bank has a legally enforceable right to set off the recognised amounts and intends either to settle on a net basis or to realise the asset and settle the liability simultaneously.
e. Classification of financial assets and financial liabilities as at fair value through profit or loss upon initial recognition
Financial assets and liabilities are designated as at fair value through profit or loss on initial recognition where such designation results in more relevant information because either:
- it eliminates or significantly reduces a measurement or recognition inconsistency (sometimes referred to as an “accounting mismatch”) that would otherwise arise from measuring assets or liabilities or recognising the gains and losses on them on different basis; or
- a group of financial assets, financial liabilities or both, is managed and its performance is evaluated on a fair value basis, in accordance with the Bank’s documented risk management and investment strategy, and information about the Bank is provided internally on that basis to senior management, including the Board of Directors.
Financial assets and liabilities are also designated as at fair value through profit or loss if these contain embedded derivatives and the Bank is permitted to apply this designation in terms of IFRSs.
f. Property, plant and equipment
Property, plant and equipment are classified into the following classes – premises finishings, IT infrastructure and equipment, motor vehicles and office furniture and fittings.
Property, plant and equipment are initially measured at cost. Subsequent costs are included in the asset’s carrying amount when it is probable that future economic benefits associated with the item will flow to the Bank and the cost of the item can be measured reliably. Expenditure on repairs and maintenance of property, plant and equipment is recognized as an expense when incurred.
Property, plant and equipment are derecognised on disposal or when no future economic benefits are expected from their use or disposal. Gains or losses arising from derecognition represent the difference between the net disposal proceeds, if any, and the carrying amount, and are included in profit or loss in the period of derecognition.
Property, plant and equipment are stated at cost less any accumulated depreciation and any accumulated impairment losses.
g. Intangible assets
Intangible assets comprise computer software. In determining the classification of an asset that incorporates both intangible and tangible elements, judgment is used in assessing which element is more significant. Computer software which is an integral part of the related hardware is classified as property, plant and equipment and accounted for in accordance with the Bank’s accounting policy on property, plant and equipment. Where the software is not an integral part of the related hardware, this is classified as an intangible asset.
Computer software is recognised if it is probable that the expected future economic benefits that are attributable to the asset will flow to the Bank and the cost of the asset can be measured reliably.
Computer software is derecognised on disposal or when no future economic benefits are expected from its use or disposal. Gains or losses arising from derecognition represent the difference between the net disposal proceeds, if any, and the carrying amount, and are included in profit or loss in the period of derecognition.
Computer software is initially measured at cost. After initial recognition, it is carried at cost less any accumulated amortisation and any accumulated impairment losses.
h. Depreciation and amortisation
Depreciation on property, plant and equipment and amortisation on intangible assets commence when these assets are available for use and are charged to profit or loss so as to write off the cost or revalued amount of assets, other than
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land, less any estimated residual value, over their estimated useful life, using the straight line method, on the following bases:
Property, plant and equipment
Premises finishings
10% per annum
IT infrastructure and equipment
33% per annum
Motor vehicles
20% per annum
Office furniture and fittings
20% per annum
Intangible assets
Computer software
33% per annum
The depreciation or amortisation method applied, the residual value and the useful life are reviewed at the end of each reporting period.
i. Impairment of property, plant and equipment and intangible assets
At the end of every reporting period the Bank reviews the carrying amount of its property, plant and equipment and intangible assets to determine whether there is any indication that those assets have suffered an impairment loss. If such indication exists the recoverable amount is estimated in order to determine the extent of the impairment loss and the carrying amount of the asset is reduced to its recoverable amount, as calculated. The recoverable amount is the higher of fair value less costs to sell and value in use.
An impairment loss is recognised immediately in profit or loss, unless the asset is carried at a revalued amount, in which case the loss shall be treated as a revaluation decrease to the extent that it does not exceed the amount in the revaluation surplus for that asset.
An impairment loss recognised in a prior year is reversed if there has been a change in the estimates used to determine the asset’s recoverable amount since the last impairment loss was recognised. When an impairment loss subsequently reverses, the carrying amount of the asset is increased to the revised estimate of its recoverable amount, to the extent that it does not exceed the carrying amount that would have been determined had no impairment loss been recognised for the asset in prior years. Impairment reversals are recognised immediately in profit or loss, unless the asset is carried at a revalued amount, in which case the impairment reversal is recognised directly in other comprehensive income, unless an impairment loss on the same asset was previously recognised in profit or loss.
j. Provisions
Provisions are recognised when the Bank has a present, legal or constructive obligation as a result of a past event, and it is probable that an outflow of resources embodying economic benefits will be required to settle the obligation and a reliable estimate can be made of the amount of the obligation. Provisions are measured at the directors’ best estimate of the expenditure required to settle the present obligation at the end of the reporting period. If the effect of the time value of money is material, provisions are determined by discounting the expected future cash flows at a pre-tax rate that reflects current market assessments of the time value of money and, where appropriate, the risks specific to the liability. Provisions are not recognised for future operating losses.
k. Taxation
Current and deferred tax is charged or credited to profit or loss, except when it relates to items charged or credited directly to other comprehensive income or to equity, in which case it is also dealt accordingly. Current tax is based on the taxable result for the period. The taxable result for the period differs from the result as reported in the statement of profit or loss and other comprehensive income because it excludes items which are non-assessable or disallowed and it further excludes items that are taxable or deductible in other periods. It is calculated using tax rates that have been enacted or substantively enacted by the end of the reporting period.
Deferred tax is determined under the balance sheet liability method in respect of all temporary differences between the carrying amount of an asset or liability in the statement of financial position and its tax base. Deferred tax liabilities are generally recognised for all taxable temporary differences and deferred tax assets are recognised to the extent that it is
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probable that taxable profits will be available against which deductible temporary differences can be utilised. Deferred tax is calculated at the tax rates that are expected to apply to the period when the asset is realised or the liability is settled based on tax rates that have been enacted or substantively enacted by the end of the reporting period.
l. Revenue recognition
Revenue is recognised to the extent that it is probable that future economic benefits will flow to the Bank and these can be measured reliably. The following specific recognition criteria must also be met before revenue is recognised.
Interest income is accrued on a time basis, by reference to the principal outstanding and at the effective interest rate applicable, which is the rate that exactly discounts estimated future cash payments or receipts through the expected life of the instrument or, when appropriate, a shorter period to that instrument’s net carrying amount. When calculating the effective interest rate, the Bank estimates cash flows considering all contractual terms of the instrument but not future credit losses. The calculation includes payments and receipts that are an integral part of the effective interest rate, transaction costs and all other discounts or premiums.
Fees and commissions that are earned on the execution of a significant transaction are recognised as revenue when the significant transaction has been completed. Fees and commissions that are earned as services are provided to the client are recognised as revenue as the services are provided. Where fees are charged to cover the cost of a continuing service, these are recognised on an appropriate basis over the relevant period.
Dividend income from investments is recognised when the right to receive payment has been established.
m. Foreign currency translation
In preparing the financial statements, transactions denominated in currencies other than the functional currency are translated at the exchange rates ruling on the date of the transaction. Monetary assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies are translated to the euro at the rates of exchange ruling at the end of the reporting period. Gains and losses arising from such translation are dealt with in profit or loss. Non-monetary assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies that are stated at fair value are translated to euro at the exchange rate prevailing on the date the fair value was determined. Non-monetary assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies that are measured in terms of historical cost are not retranslated.
n. Employee benefits
The Bank contributes towards the state pension in accordance with local legislation. The only obligation of the Bank is to make the required contributions. Costs are expensed in the period in which they are incurred.
o. Cash and cash equivalents
Cash and cash equivalents comprise cash in hand and deposits repayable on demand or with a contractual period to maturity of less than 90 days; advances to banks repayable within 90 days from the date of the advance and balances with the Central Bank of Malta. Amounts owed to banks that are repayable on demand or with a contractual period to maturity of less than 90 days and which form an integral part of the Bank’s cash management are included as a component of cash and cash equivalents for the purpose of the cash flow statement.
p. Dividends payable
Dividends payable on ordinary shares are recognised as liabilities on the date on which they are declared.
q. Judgments in applying accounting policies and key sources of estimation uncertainty
The amounts recognised in the financial statements are sensitive to the accounting policies, assumptions and estimates that underly the preparation of financial statements. The judgments made by management in applying the Bank’s accounting policies that have the most significant effect on the amounts recognised in the financial statements, together with information about the key assumptions concerning the future, and other key sources of estimation uncertainty at the end of the reporting period, that have a significant risk of causing a material adjustment to the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities within the next financial year, are disclosed below:
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Impairment losses on loans and advances and other assets
The Bank reviews its loan portfolio on an ongoing basis to assess whether there is any objective evidence of impairment. Objective evidence that individual loans and advances are impaired includes observable data that comes to the attention of the Bank about loss events, such as repayments falling into arrears, a deterioration in the financial situation of the principal debtor or guarantor, economic conditions which may adversely affect the borrower’s business activity or market, technological change and changes in the fair value of collateral. During the year, a loan amounting to EUR 1,159,445 fell in arrears as a result of financial difficulties experienced by the borrower. The Bank has restructured the facility and the directors are of the opinion that the borrower’s performance will turn around and operating results will improve. The directors are therefore confident that the borrower will be in a position to repay the loan from operating cash flows. In the event that the latter does not materialise, the directors are of the opinion that the amounts due can be recovered in full from the realisation of the collateral. During the year, the Bank has also earned structuring fees in relation to services provided to small and medium sized companies that are unable to raise finance from traditional mediums. The fees generated from these services amounted to EUR 688,000 and the terms of engagement do not formally stipulate repayment dates. At the reporting date, these fees remain outstanding and the directors are confident that they will be recovered in full regardless of the success or otherwise of the customers in raising the intended financing.
2. Interest receivable and similar income
EUR
2013
2012
On loans and advances to banks
43,886
24,964
On loans and advances to customers
252,938
300,725
296,824
325,689
On debt and other fixed income instruments
-held-to-maturity
-
9,489
-fair value through profit or loss
605
23,667
605
33,156
Interest income
297,429
358,845
3. Interest payable
EUR
2013
2012
On amounts owed to customers
83,434
96,599
Interest payable
83,434
96,599
4. Net fee and commission income
EUR
2013
2012
On loans and advances, sale of financial products and similar activities
686,596
616,761
Net fee and commission income
686,596
616,761
5. Trading income
EUR
2013
2012
Fair value movements of financial instruments at fair value through profit or loss
81,970
47,038
I NEMEA BANK ANNUAL REPORT 2013 I
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Gain on disposal of debt instruments
14,347
-
Trading income
96,317
47,038
6. Administrative and other expenses
EUR
2013
2012
Staff costs:
-wages and salaries
428,090
382,084
-social security costs
20,157
19,212
-other staff costs
20,313
18,367
Staff costs
468,560
419,663
General administrative expenses
458,192
426,399
Total administrative expenses
926,752
846,062
2013
2012
The average number of employees are analysed as follows:
Managerial
3
3
Clerical
8
8
Total
11
11
Key management personnel compensation
Directors’ emoluments:
-fees
15,000
15,000
I NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS I
I 124 I
7. Provisions and impairment costs
EUR
2013
2012
Loans and advances to customers
-specific provision
-
19,782
Net impairment
-
19,782
8. Profit before tax
EUR
2013
2012
Profit before tax is stated after charging:
Total remuneration payable to the company’s auditors
for the audit of the company’s financial statements
14,000
13,570
Directors’ emoluments:
-fees
15,000
15,000
Staff costs:
-wages and salaries
448,247
401,296
463,247
416,296
9. Income tax expense
EUR
2013
2012
Current tax
48,940
11,901
Deferred tax
(22,038)
7,204
Income tax expense
26,902
19,105
The income tax expense and the product of accounting profit multiplied by the statutory domestic income tax rate are reconciled as follows:
EUR
2013
2012
Profit before tax
64,675
42,398
Tax at the applicable rate of 35%
22,636
14,839
Tax effect of permanent differences:
Tangible fixed assets
4,266
4,266
Non-allowable expenses
-
-
Other
-
-
Income tax expense
26,902
19,105
I NEMEA BANK ANNUAL REPORT 2013 I
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10. Balances with Central Bank of Malta and cash
EUR
2013
2012
Balances with Central Bank of Malta
3,771
3,749
Cash
293,538
1,982,962
297,309
1,986,711
Balances with the Central Bank of Malta include a reserve deposit amounting to EUR30 (2012: EUR 0) in terms of Article 37 of the Central Bank of Malta Act (Cap. 204).
11. Financial assets at fair value through profit or loss
EUR
2013
2012
Financial assets designated at fair value through profit or loss:
Debt and other fixed income instruments
-
240,028
Equity and other non-fixed income instruments
797,160
715,190
797,160
955,218
The debt instruments are issued by foreign banks.
Listing status
-foreign listed
-
240,028
-local unlisted
797,160
715,190
At the end of the year
797,160
955,218
Summary of movements during the year:
At the beginning of the year
955,218
208,180
Acquisitions
-
700,000
Disposals
(254,375)
-
Net movement in fair value during the year
96,317
47,038
At the end of the year
797,160
955,218
Weighted average effective interest rate
-
4.2%
12. Loans and advances to banks
EUR
2013
2012
Repayable on call and at short notice
101,573
29,172
Term loans and advances
1,234,410
407,294
Loans and advances to banks
1,335,983
436,466
Weighted average effective interest rate
1.5%
2.3%
13. Loans and advances to customers
EUR
2013
2012
I NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS I
I 126 I
Term loans and advances to customers
3,596,286
3,535,789
Term loans and advances to related parties
1,356,871
900,415
4,953,157
4,436,204
Less: impairment losses – specific alowances
(19,782)
(19,782)
Loans and advances to customers
4,933,375
4,416,422
Weighted average effective interest rate
8.1%
7.8%
The advances to related parties consist of mortgage and other loans to bank officers amounting to EUR 398,762 (2012: EUR 405,369) bearing interest between 1% and 2% over the monthly EURIBOR and payable in full within 30 years and an advance of EUR 958,109 (2012: EUR 495,046) to the parent and ultimate parent companies. The advance to the parent and ultimate parent companies carries no interest, no security and has no fixed date of repayment.
Loans and advances includes a loan item amounting to EUR 100,000 that has a convertible option for the Bank to convert the advance into a discounted bond upon its issuance in a private placement by the client.
The aggregate amount of advances on which interest has been suspended as at 31 December 2013 is EUR 803,000 (2012: EUR 803,000).
14. Intangible assets
EUR
2013
2012
Cost
At 1 January
136,349
14,009
Acquisitions
87,785
122,340
At 31 December
224,134
136,349
Amortisation
At 1 January
16,243
9,097
Charge for the year
71,865
7,146
At 31 December
88,108
16,243
Carrying amounts
At 31 December
136,026
120,106
Internal development cost of banking software amounting to EUR 80,000 (2012: EUR 98,890) has been capitalised during the year.
I NEMEA BANK ANNUAL REPORT 2013 I
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15. Property, plant and equipment
EUR
Premises finishings
IT infra-structure & equipment
Motor Vehicles
Office furniture & fittings
Total
Cost
At 1 January 2012
35,109
72,689
57,390
117,112
282,300
Acquisitions
-
22,106
-
66,477
88,583
At 1 January 2013
35,109
94,795
57,390
183,589
370,883
Acquisitions
-
10,019
-
-
10,019
At 31 December 2013
35,109
104,814
57,390
183,589
380,902
Depreciation
At 1 January 2012
10,422
48,323
11,478
67,908
138,131
Charge for the year
3,511
18,221
11,478
23,517
56,727
At 1 January 2013
13,933
66,544
22,956
91,425
194,858
Charge for the year
3,511
23,785
11,478
23,517
62,291
At 31 December 2013
17,444
90,329
34,434
114,942
257,149
Carrying amounts
At 31 December 2012
21,176
28,251
34,434
92,164
176,025
At 31 December 2013
17,665
14,486
22,956
68,647
123,754
16. Deferred tax liability
Deferred tax liabilities are attributable to the following temporary differences:
EUR
2013
2012
At 1 January
(22,457)
(15,253)
Property, plant and equipment
15,992
2,311
Provision for exchange differences
(94)
24
Tax value of losses and capital allowances carry-forwards
(9,840)
-
Impairment losses
-
6,924
Fair value remeasurement of financial instruments
15,980
(16,463)
Net deferred tax liabilities at 31 December
(419)
(22,457)
17. Other assets
EUR
2013
2012
Other receivables
768,000
112,021
Other assets
768,000
112,021
Other assets are made up of advisory and support fees receivable as at the year-end.
I NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS I
I 128 I
18. Prepayments and accrued income
EUR
2013
2012
Prepayments
40,013
54,905
Accrued income
104,007
88,740
Prepayments and accrued income
144,020
143,645
19. Share capital
2013
Number
2013
EUR
2012
Number
2012
EUR
Share capital
Authorised
20,000,000 ordinary shares of EUR 1 each
20,000,000
20,000,000
20,000,000
20,000,000
Issued
5,500,000 ordinary shares of EUR 1 each fully paid up
5,500,000
5,500,000
5,500,000
5,500,000
20. Other reserves
The other reserve represents the reserve for General Banking Risks pursuant to the revised Banking Rule 09. The revised Banking Rule 09, which is effective as from 31 December 2013, requires banks in Malta to hold additional reserves for general banking risks against non-performing loans. This reserve is required to be funded from planned dividend (retained earnings). As at the reporting date, under the 3 year transitionary rules, this reserve amounted to EUR 19,788 (40% of the annual estimated result).
21. Amounts owed to customers
EUR
2013
2012
Retail and corporate customers
Term deposits
1,985,417
245,000
Repayable on demand
872,090
2,463,046
Amounts owed to customers
2,857,507
2,708,046
Weighted average effective interest rate
3.5%
8.1%
Amounts owed to customers included amounts owed to related parties amounting to EUR 232,517 (2012: EUR 164,084), which earn interest between 0% and 5.05%. EUR 67,517 (2012: EUR 119,084) are repayable on demand.
22. Other liabilities
EUR
2013
2012
Other creditors
449
33,831
I NEMEA BANK ANNUAL REPORT 2013 I
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23. Accruals and deferred income
EUR
2013
2012
Accrued expenses
65,067
44,669
Accruals and deferred income
65,067
44,669
24. Note to the statement of cash flows
Balances of cash and cash equivalents as shown in the cash flow statement are analysed below:
EUR
2013
2012
Analysis of cash and cash equivalents
Balances with Central Bank of Malta and cash
297,309
1,986,711
Term deposits
1,234,410
407,294
Repayable on call and at short notice
101,573
29,712
Cash and cash equivalents
1,633,292
2,423,117
25. Related party transactions
During the course of banking operations, the Bank conducted business transactions with the parent company and other related parties. The related party transactions are as follows:
EUR
Related party activity
2013
Total
activity
%
Related party activity
2012
Total
activity
%
Interest receivable and similar income
-Key management and personnel
4,426
4,964
4,426
296,824
1.5
4,964
325,689
1.5
Fee and commission income
-Group related entities
208,000
-
208,000
689,129
30
-
620,752
-
Interest payable
-Key management and personnel
568
57
-Other related parties
1,614
54
2,182
83,434
2.6
111
96,599
0.1
Trading income
-Group related entities
81,970
15,190
81,970
96,317
85.1
15,190
47,038
32.3
I NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS I
I 130 I
25. Related party transactions (continued)
EUR
Related party activity
2013
Total
activity
%
Related party activity
2012
Total
activity
%
Other Income
-Group related entities
128,675
45,846
128,675
128,675
100
45,846
46,070
99.5
Administrative expenses
-Parent
7,904
5,546
-Directors’ fees
15,000
15,000
-Group related entities
-
19,339
15,000
458,192
3.3
39,885
426,399
9.35
The amounts due to and from related parties and the terms and conditions are disclosed in notes 13 and 20.
26. Commitments
Commitments represent commitments to provide financing of up to EUR 1,000,000. In 2012, commitments represented a guarantee of EUR 100,000.
27. Fair values of financial assets and financial liabilities
Financial assets at fair value through profit or loss
Pricing is based on quoted prices where available. Where quoted prices are not readily available, the fair value is determined using pricing models that incorporate observable market prices and the contractual prices of the underlying instruments, the time value of money, yield curves and volatility factors. If necessary, fair value is adjusted to take into account market, model and credit risks as well as related costs.
The fair values of financial assets are determined as follows.
- The fair values of financial assets with standard terms and conditions and traded on active liquid markets are determined with reference to quoted market prices.
- The fair values of other financial assets are determined in accordance with generally accepted pricing models using prices from observable current market transactions and dealer quotes for similar instruments.
The following table provides an analysis of financial instruments that are measured subsequent to initial recognition at fair value, grouped into Levels 1 to 3.
- Level 1 fair value measurements are those derived from quoted prices (unadjusted) in active markets for identical assets or liabilities.
- Level 2 fair value measurements are those derived from inputs other than quoted prices included within Level 1 that are observable, either directly (i.e. as prices) or indirectly (i.e. derived from prices).
I NEMEA BANK ANNUAL REPORT 2013 I
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27. Fair values of financial assets and financial liabilities (continued)
- Level 3 fair value measurements are those derived from inputs that are not based on observable market data (unobservable inputs).
2013
EUR
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Total
Financial assets designated as at fair value through profit or loss upon initial recognition
-
-
797,160
797,160
Total
-
-
797,160
797,160
The level 3 financial assets designated as at fair value through profit or loss upon initial recognition that amounts to EUR797,160 consists of an investment in a collective investment scheme which has invested in private placement debt instruments. The valuation is based on the audited NAV as at the end of the same reporting period. The collective investment scheme utilises discounted cash flow valuation methodologies in arriving at the valuation of the positions held. The key inputs used in arriving at the discount factor comprise an observable risk free rate and unobservable credit spreads of the issuers and liquidity risk premiums. A 5% change in the unobservable inputs would not give rise to a material difference in the fair value of the unobservable inputs. This investment in the collective investment scheme was transferred from Level 2 to Level 3 during the year.
2012
EUR
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Total
Financial assets designated as at fair value through profit or loss upon initial recognition
240,028
715,190
-
955,218
Total
240,028
715,190
-
955,218
The following is a description of the fair value measurement of financial assets and financial liabilities measured on a basis other than fair value.
Loans and advances to banks and customers
This category is reported net of allowances to reflect the estimated recoverable amount. For loans and advances to banks and customers within “less than one year” contractual repricing or maturity bands, fair value is taken to be the amount carried at the end of the reporting period. Interest rates on these loans reflect current market rates, and therefore the carrying amount approximates to fair value.
As at 31 December 2013, the Bank’s carrying amount of loans and advances to customers was EUR 4,933,375 (2012: EUR 4,416,422) of which EUR 1,754,096 (2012: EUR 2,896,963) are repriceable at current market rates within 6 months. EUR 2,221,169 (2012: EUR 1,020,850) of the loans are with a fixed interest rate, but were granted towards the end of the reporting period and therefore their carrying amount approximates fair value. EUR 958,109 (2012: EUR 495,046) of the loans is interest-free, has no fixed repayment date, and is repriceable at the Bank’s discretion, hence the carrying value of the loan approximates its fair value. As at 31 December 2013, the carrying amount of loans and advances to banks was EUR 1,633,292 (2012: EUR 2,423,117). EUR 398,943 (2012: EUR 2,020,945) is repayable on demand, EUR 1,054,428 matures within 1 month (2012: EUR 402,172 within one year) and EUR 179,921 matures in 5 years. In the latter case, the amount was placed during the current year and therefore interest rate reflects the current market rates, and hence the carrying amount approximates to fair value. The fair value of loans and advances to banks and customers is a Level 2 measurement and approximates the carrying value.
I NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS I
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27. Fair values of financial assets and financial liabilities (continued)
Amounts owed to customers
Amounts owed to customers is carried at amortised cost and totals EUR 2,857,507 (2012: EUR 2,708,046). These amounts bear fixed rates of interest. Of these liabilities, EUR 872,090 (2012: EUR 2,463,046) are repayable on demand and EUR 465,000 (2012: EUR 245,000) mature within one year. EUR 1,520,417 of the amounts mature within 2-5 years period but were granted in the current year and therefore interest rates reflect the current market rates, and hence the carrying amount approximates to fair value. For demand deposits and deposits maturing within one year, fair value is taken to be the amount payable on demand at the end of the reporting period.
The fair value of amounts owed to customers is a Level 2 measurement and approximates the carrying value.
Other financial assets and liabilities
Other financial assets and financial liabilities comprise accrued income, other receivables, accrued expenses and other liabilities. As at 31 December 2013 and 2012, the carrying amounts of these financial instruments approximated their fair values due to their short term maturities.
28. Risk management
The Bank has exposure to the following risk from financial instruments:
- credit risk
- liquidity risk
- market risk
The Bank is also exposed to non-financial risks, namely operational risk.
This note presents information about the Bank's exposure to each of the above risks, and the Bank's objectives, policies and processes for measuring and managing risk.
Risk Management Framework
The Risk Committee of the BoD has overall responsibility for the establishment and oversight of the risk management framework. It is made up of the 2 Chairmen of the Bank. It assists the BoD in identifying, measuring monitoring and controlling the Bank's key risks. It also reviews the current practices employed by Risk Management and the overall risk management structure within the business areas. The Risk Committee's responsibilities extend to supervising regulatory capital management and risk-based performance measurement. This committee is also responsible for ensuring the Bank's exposures are in line with the risk appetite approved by the BoD on an annual basis.
The Chief Risk Officer of the Bank is the one responsible for the development of risk models to be applied to the various types of risk together with day-to-day control involving risk assessment against established policies and limits.
Credit Risk
Credit risk is the risk of financial loss to the Bank if a customer or counterparty to a financial instrument fails to meet its contractual obligations, and arises principally from the Bank's loans and advances to customers and banks and investment debt securities.
Credit risk constitutes the Bank's most significant risk and arises mainly from lending, treasury and investment acitivities. To identify, measure and manage its credit risk arising from all these activities, the Bank has adequate methodologies, policies, procedures and expertise in place. The Bank has adopted a policy of only dealing with creditworthy counterparties and obtaining sufficient collateral where appropriate, as a means of mitigating the risk of financial loss from defaults. In line with the limited exposure the Bank has at the end of reporting period, the Credit Committee, made up of the Co-Chairmen of the BoD of the Bank, monitors large client exposure and any conditions for the impairment of assets and allowances.
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28. Risk management (continued)
Exposure to credit risk
The carrying amount of financial assets represents the maximum credit exposure and is shown gross, without taking into account any collateral or other credit enhancements, unless these credit enhancements qualify for offset in accordance with IAS 32 Financial Instruments: Presentation. The maximum exposure at the reporting date was:
EUR
2013
2012
Assets at amortised cost
Loans and advances to related parties
1,356,871
900,415
Loans and advances to banks
1,633,292
2,423,117
Loans and advances to customers
3,576,504
3,516,007
Other assets
768,000
112,021
7,334,667
6,951,560
The amount of exposure to credit risk of financial assets presented in the table is equal to their carrying amount recognised in the statement of financial position. A financial asset is past due when a counterparty has failed to make a payment when contractually due. Impaired facilities are those credit facilities with payments on interest and/or capital overdue by 90 days or where the Bank has reasons to doubt the eventual recoverability of funds. As at 31 December 2013 and 2012, the Bank had past due and impaired items, where the related interest had been transferred into an income in suspense account and an adequate specific provision was created.
Loan commitments
The maximum exposure to credit risk arising on loan commitments and other credit related commitments that are irrevocable over the life of the respective facilities is the full amount of the committed facilities.
Allowances for impairment
The Bank establishes an allowance for impairment losses carried at amortised cost that represents its estimate of incurred losses on its loan portfolio. The main components of this allowance are a specific loss component that relates to individually significant exposures, and a collective loan loss allowance established for groups of homogeneous assets in respect of losses, if any, that have been incurred but have not been identified on loans that are considered individually insignificant, as well as individually significant exposures that were subject to individual assessment for impairment but not found to be individually impaired. As at 31 December 2013 and 2012, a specific provision amounted to EUR 19,782.
Write-off policy
The Bank writes off a loan/security balance and related allowances for impairment losses when it determines that the loan or security is uncollectible.
This determination is reached after considering information such as the occurrence of significant changes in the borrower's/issuer's financial position such that the borrower/issuer can no longer pay the obligation, or that proceeds from collateral will not be sufficient to pay back the entire exposure.
For smaller standardised loans, write-off decisions generally are based on a product specific past due status.
I NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS I
I 134 I
28. Risk management (continued)
Collateral and other credit enhancements obtained
The Bank actively uses collaterals in its credit risk mitigation. The Bank policy is to obtain collateral if and when required prior to the disbursement of approved loans.
Depending on the type of the collateral received, customer limits are extended. In the extension of secured facilities to corporate clients, the following categories are considered as acceptable types of security:
- cash collateral in a blocked account;
- pledged time deposit with the Bank;
- pledged fiduciary deposits with acceptable prime banks;
- pledged government bonds or other marketable securities at the discretion of the Credit Committee, whose covering value is to be determined against a percentage of the actual market value at the time of the pledge.
The applicable percentages will be directly related to the issuing country and company and will be subject to regular review.
Also, other types of listed securities and real estate assets are considered for collateral with appropriate haircuts applied.
Estimates of fair value are based on the value of the collateral assessed at the time of borrowing, and generally are not updated except when a loan is individually assessed as impaired. Collateral is not held over loans and advances to the parent company.
The estimate of collateral and other security enhancements held against loans and advances to customers amounted to EUR 2,550,000 (2012: EUR 2,790,000) consisting of property held as collateral.
I NEMEA BANK ANNUAL REPORT 2013 I
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28. Risk management (continued)
Concentration of risks
The Bank monitors concentrations of credit risk by sector, geographic location and industry.
EUR
Other assets
2013
Loans and advances to related parties
2013
Loans and advances to banks
2013
Loans and advances to customers
2013
Carrying amount
768,000
1,356,871
1,633,292
3,576,504
Concentration by sector
-Individuals
-
398,762
-
1,129,887
-Corporates
768,000
958,109
-
2,446,617
-Banks
-
-
1,633,292
-
768,000
1,356,871
1,633,292
3,576,504
Concentration by industry
-Holding companies
-
958,109
-
-
-Information technology
-
-
-
828,120
-Real estate
588,000
-
-
150,000
-Households
-
398,762
-
1,129,887
-General cleaning
180,000
-
-
-
-Energy and technology
-
-
-
100,000
-Manufacturing
-
-
-
1,168,497
-Financial institutions
-
-
1,633,292
200,000
768,000
1,356,871
1,633,292
3,576,504
Concentration by geography
-Malta
-
1,290,723
1,531,768
112,490
-Belgium
-
52,800
101,524
844,487
-Finland
768,000
-
-
2,619,527
-Cyprus
-
13,348
-
-
768,000
1,356,871
1,633,292
3,576,504
I NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS I
I 136 I
28. Risk management (continued)
Concentration of risks (continued)
Other assets
Debt securities
Loans and advances to related parties
Loans and advances to banks
Loans and advances to customers
EUR
2012
2012
2012
2012
2012
Carrying amount
112,021
240,028
900,415
2,423,117
3,516,007
Concentration by sector
-Individuals
-
-
405,369
-
1,082,058
-Corporates
112,021
-
495,046
-
2,433,949
-Banks
-
240,028
-
2,423,117
-
112,021
240,028
900,415
2,423,117
3,516,007
Concentration by industry
-Holding companies
-
-
495,046
-
-
-Information technology
-
-
-
-
823,949
-Real estate
-
-
-
-
510,000
-Households
-
-
405,369
-
1,082,058
-Energy and technology
-
-
-
-
100,000
-Manufacturing
-
-
-
-
1,000,000
-Financial institutions
112,021
240,028
-
2,423,117
-
112,021
240,028
900,415
2,423,117
3,516,007
Concentration by geography
-Malta
112,021
-
900,415
2,388,911
67,058
-Belgium
-
240,028
-
29,084
823,949
-Finland
-
-
-
-
2,625,000
-Switzerland
-
-
-
5,122
-
112,021
240,028
900,415
2,423,117
3,516,007
The Bank assigns limits on the level of credit risk undertaken in relation to any single counterparty or sovereign exposure in accordance with external ratings based on the three main external credit rating institutions, 'ECAIs' namely, Fitch, Moody's and Standard & Poor’s.
Changes in credit ratings are monitored on a daily basis and are subject to frequent review, when considered necessary. The limits on the level of credit risk are reviewed consistently and approved by the BoD at regular intervals. Actual exposures are monitored against limits on an ongoing basis. The Bank enters into security transactions only with such authorised counterparties and it invests only in securities or paper with credit quality that falls within specific parameters stated in the Investment Management Policy.
The level of concentration in respect of other significant financial assets is disclosed in the remaining notes to the financial statements.
I NEMEA BANK ANNUAL REPORT 2013 I
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28. Risk management (continued)
Maximum exposure
The carrying amount of financial assets recorded in the financial statements, which is net of impairment losses, represents the maximum exposure to credit risk without taking account of the value of any collateral obtained.
Credit quality
Credit ratings of debt securities and loans and advances to banks by the three rating agencies are as follows:
EUR
Loans and advances to banks
2013
Fitch ratings
- AA-
101,524
- A+
-
- A
-
- BBB+
67,711
- Not rated
1,464,057
1,633,292
Moody’s ratings
- Aa1
-
- Aa3
101,524
- Baa2
-
- Not rated
1,531,768
1,633,292
Standard & Poor’s ratings
- A+
101,524
- AA-
-
- Not rated
1,531,768
1,633,292
I NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS I
I 138 I
28. Risk management (continued)
EUR
Debt securities
2012
Loans and advances to banks
2012
Total
2012
Fitch ratings
- A+
240,028
29,084
269,112
- A
-
5,122
5,122
- BBB+
-
88
88
- BB
-
22,698
22,698
- Not rated
-
2,366,125
2,366,125
240,028
2,423,117
2,663,145
Moody’s ratings
- Aa1
-
5,122
5,122
- Aa3
240,028
29,084
269,112
- Baa2
-
88
88
- Not rated
-
2,388,824
2,388,824
240,028
2,423,117
2,663,145
Standard & Poor’s ratings
- A+
-
34,205
34,205
- AA-
240,028
88
240,116
- Not rated
-
2,388,824
2,388,824
240,028
2,423,117
2,663,145
Management of the Bank has assessed the credit quality of the unrated debt securities and loans and advances to banks and considers the quality of these assets to be acceptable.
I NEMEA BANK ANNUAL REPORT 2013 I
I 139 I
28. Risk management (continued)
The following table provides additional information of the credit quality of the Bank’s lending portfolio.
EUR
Loans and advances to customers
2013
Loans and advances to customers
2012
Neither past due nor impaired
2,970,930
3,613,422
Past due but not impaired
1,962,445
803,000
Impaired
19,782
19,782
4,953,157
4,436,204
Neither past due nor impaired:
Regular
2,970,930
3,613,422
2,970,930
3,613,422
Past due but not impaired:
Past due over 90 days
1,962,445
803,000
1,962,445
803,000
EUR1,159,445 of the amounts past due but not impaired relate to a loan that was restructured.
Settlement risk
The Bank's activities may give rise to risk at the time of settlement of transactions and trades. Settlement risk is the risk of loss due to the failure of an entity to honor its obligations to deliver cash, securities or other assets as contractually agreed.
For certain types of transactions, the Bank mitigates the risk by conducting settlements through a settlement/clearing agent to ensure that a trade is settled only when both parties have fulfilled their contractual obligations. Settlement limits form part of the credit approval/limit monitoring process described above.
Liquidity risk
Liquidity risk is the risk that an entity will encounter difficulty in raising funds to meet commitments associated with financial instruments. Liquidity risk may result from an inability to sell a financial asset quickly at close to its fair value.
Management of liquidity risk
The Bank's approach to managing liquidity is to ensure, as far as possible, that it will always have sufficient liquidity to meet its liabilities when due, under both normal and stressed conditions, without incurring unacceptable losses or risking damage to the Bank's reputation.
The Bank monitors its liquidity position on a daily basis. The Bank maintains a portfolio of short-term liquid assets, largely made up of short-term loans and advances to banks and other inter-bank facilities, to ensure that sufficient liquidity is maintained with the Bank as a whole.
All liquidity policies and procedures are subject to review and approval by the Chairman's Office, which is subject to a liquidity limit imposed by the regulator. The Treasurer is responsible for the daily monitoring of liquidity procedures and ratios.
Liquidity gaps showing size and maturity mismatches of assets and liabilities together with liquidity stress testing are also being planned as the bank deposits increase, expand and diversify the balance sheet.
I NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS I
I 140 I
28. Risk management (continued)
Residual contractual maturities of financial assets
The table below analyses the assets with contractual maturities that are recognised in the statement of financial position into relevant maturity groupings, based on the remaining period at end of the reporting period to their contractual maturity table.
EUR
Less than 3 months
2013
Between 3 months and 2 years
2013
Over 2 years
2013
Other
2013
Total
2013
Loans and advances to related parties
3,441
27,804
1,325,626
1,356,871
Loans and advances to banks
1,453,371
-
179,921
1,633,292
Loans and advances to customers
2,691
2,537,225
1,036,588
3,576,504
Investments
-
-
-
797,160
797,160
Other assets
-
768,000
-
-
768,000
1,459,503
3,333,029
2,542,135
797,160
8,131,827
EUR
Less than 3 months
2012
Between 3 months and 2 years
2012
Over 2 years
2012
Other
2012
Total
2012
Loans and advances to related parties
4,584
26,561
869,269
900,414
Loans and advances to banks
2,220,945
202,172
-
2,423,117
Loans and advances to customers
1,248,936
714,567
1,552,505
3,516,008
Investments
-
-
-
715,190
715,190
Debt instruments
-
-
240,028
-
240,028
Other assets
112,021
-
-
-
112,021
3,586,485
943,300
2,661,802
715,190
7,906,778
I NEMEA BANK ANNUAL REPORT 2013 I
I 141 I
28. Risk management (continued)
Residual contractual maturities of financial liabilities
The table below analyses the liabilities with contractual maturities that are recognised in the statement of financial position into relevant maturity groupings, based on the remaining period at end of the reporting period to their contractual maturity table.
EUR
Less than 3 months
2013
Between 3 months and 2 years
2013
Over 2 years
2013
Total
2013
Amounts owed to customers
1,007,090
350,000
1,500,417
2,857,507
1,007,090
350,000
1,500,417
2,857,507
EUR
Less than 3 months
2012
Between 3 months and 2 years
2012
Over 2 years
2012
Total
2012
Amounts owed to customers
2,463,046
245,000
-
2,708,046
2,463,046
245,000
-
2,708,046
Market risk
Market risk is the risk that changes in market prices, such as interest rates, equity prices and foreign exchange rates will affect the Bank's income or the value of its holdings of financial instruments. The objective of market risk management is to manage and control market risk exposures within acceptable parameters, while optimising the return on risk.
Market risk comprises three types of risk: currency risk, interest rate risk and other price risk. It arises in all areas of the Bank's activities and is managed by a variety of different techniques as detailed below.
The market risk appetite is articulated in the investment management policy. It is defined as the quantum and composition of market risk that the Bank is currently exposed to and the direction in which the Bank desires to manage this risk. Market risk is managed with the limits set in the investment management policy.
Exposure to other price risk and currency risk
At the end of the reporting period the Bank, was not exposed to other price risk or currency risk on balances that were denominated in a currency other than its functional currency.
Exposure to interest risk
Interest rate risk is the risk that the fair value or future cash flows of a financial instrument will fluctuate because of changes in market interest rates.
The Bank is exposed to fair value interest rate risk arising from financial assets with fixed interest rates and to cash flow interest rate risk arising from financial assets with floating interest rates. The Bank follows the standardised approach to calculate the capital against the position risk on a traded debt instrument which is subdivided into two components, specific and general. Its specific risk component is the risk of a price change in the instrument concerned due to factors related to its issuer whereas its general risk component is the risk of a price change in the instrument due to a change in the level of interest rates. Since the bank had no such instruments in its trading book at the reporting date no capital was allocated by the Bank for these risk components for both 2013 and 2012 respectively.
I NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS I
I 142 I
28. Risk management (continued)
Operational risk
Operational risk is the risk of direct or indirect loss arising from a wide variety of causes associated with the Bank's processes, personnel, technology and infrastructure, and from external factors other than credit, market and liquidity risk such as those arising from legal and regulatory requirements and generally accepted standards of corporate behavior. Operational risks arise from all the Bank's operations.
The Bank's objective is to manage operational risk so as to balance the avoidance of financial losses and damage to the Bank's reputation with overall cost effectiveness and to avoid control procedures that restrict initiative and creativity.
The primary responsibility for the development and implementation of controls to address operational risk is assigned to senior management. This responsibility is supported by the development of overall standards for the management of operational risk in the following areas:
- requirements for appropriate segregation of duties, including the independent authorisation of transactions;
- requirements for the reconciliation and monitoring of transactions;
- compliance with regulatory and other legal requirements;
- documentation of controls and procedures;
- requirements for the periodic assessment of operational risks faced, and the adequacy of controls and procedures to address the risk identified;
- development of contingency plans;
- training and professional development;
- ethical and business standards; and
- risk mitigation, including insurance where this is effective.
Capital allocation for operational risk is based upon the basic indicator approach which takes 15% of the average net interest and non-interest income of the Bank for the last three years. For the Bank, the figure taken as income for the operational risk capital allocation amounted to EUR 127,198 (2012: EUR 131,715).
Capital risk management
The Bank's capital management approach ensures sufficient level of capitalisation to manage the risk exposures at hand while enabling business growth and providing adequate returns to the shareholders. Risk capital management does not in any way substitute risk mitigation measures. It is vital that the structure of limits and thresholds should be able to prevent concentrations of risk from building up in such a way as to compromise a significant portion of the Bank's capital resources.
The Basel II implementation program together with the ICAAP implementation have been assigned to the Bank’s senior management and will be executed in parallel to the growing operations of the Bank.
Capital management is under the direct control of the Chairman's Office. At reporting date, the Bank's funding was completely based on own funds (Tier 1) and so was the Eligible Capital.
I NEMEA BANK ANNUAL REPORT 2013 I
I 143 I
28. Risk management (continued)
The following table shows the components and basis of calculation of the Bank’s Capital Adequacy ratios.
EUR
2013
2012
Own funds
Tier 1
-Ordinary shares
5,500,000
5,500,000
-Retained earnings
58,485
25,470
-Less: Intangible assets
(136,026)
(120,106)
Unrealised trading gains
(81,970)
(47,038)
Total Tier 1 Capital and Total Own Funds
5,340,489
5,358,326
-Unrealised trading gains
81,970
47,038
5,422,459
5,405,364
Face value
Risk Weighted Assets
Face value
Risk Weighted Assets
EUR
2013
2013
2012
2012
-Financial assets at fair value
through profit or loss
797,160
797,160
955,216
763,196
-Balances with Central Bank of Malta and Cash
3,944
-
1,986,711
-
-Loans and advances to banks
1,629,348
325,870
436,466
483,874
-Loans and advances to customers
4,933,375
4,674,694
4,416,422
3,254,743
-Other assets
1,171,800
1,171,800
551,796
551,796
8,535,627
6,969,524
8,346,551
5,053,609
Operational risk
1,588,976
1,646,438
Total Risk Weighted Assets
8,558,500
6,700,047
Capital Adequacy Ratio
Tier 1 and Total Capital Ratio
63%
81%
Risk weighted assets are regulatory capital requirements multiplied by 12.5, or, in other words, capital requirements equal to 8% of risk weighted assets.
29. Registered office
The registered and principal office of Nemea Bank plc is Level 17, Portomaso Tower, St. Julians STJ 4011, Malta.
30. Parent and ultimate controlling party
The parent company of Nemea Bank plc is Nemea plc, a company incorporated in Malta. The ultimate parent companies of Nemea plc are Ninovan Limited and Shilmore Limited, which are both incorporated in Cyprus and are controlled by Heikki Niemelä and Mika Lehto respectively.
I FIVE-YEAR FINANCIAL SUMMARY I
I 144 I
THE BANK’S FIVE YEAR SUMMARY
AS EXTRACTED FROM THE RESPECTIVE AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
1. STATEMENTS OF PROFIT OR LOSS AND OTHER COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
For the year/period ended 31 December
EUR
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
16 months
Revenue
Interest receivable and similar income:
on loans and advances, balances with CBM
296,824
325,689
172,801
98,009
163,469
on debt and other fixed income instruments
605
33,156
132,409
133,240
107,601
Interest payable
(83,434)
(96,599)
(4,031)
-
(81)
Net interest income
213,995
262,246
301,179
231,249
270,989
Fee and commission income
689,129
620,752
766,605
337,608
18,300
Fee and commission expense
(2,533)
(3,991)
(8,192)
(891)
(6,250)
Net commission income
686,596
616,761
758,413
336,717
12,050
Trading income/(expense)
96,317
47,038
(63,681)
98,525
60,934
Other income
128,675
46,070
73,220
36,563
-
Operating income
1,125,583
972,114
1,069,131
703,054
343,973
Staff costs
468,560
419,663
488,605
342,919
274,344
General administrative expenses
458,192
426,399
318,572
268,438
253,869
Amortisation of intangible assets
71,865
7,146
4,298
2,846
1,953
Depreciation
62,291
56,727
62,204
43,507
32,419
Provision and impairment costs
-
19,782
-
-
-
1,060,908
929,717
873,679
657,710
562,585
Profit before tax
64,675
42,398
195,452
45,344
(218,612)
Income tax (expense)/credit
(26,902)
(19,105)
(70,837)
(19,272)
70,198
Profit/(loss) for the year/period / total comprehensive income for the year/period
37,773
23,293
124,615
26,072
(148,414)
I NEMEA BANK ANNUAL REPORT 2013 I
I 145 I
2. STATEMENTS OF FINANCIAL POSITION
As at
31 December
EUR
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
16 months
Assets
Balances with Central Bank of Malta and Cash
297,309
1,986,711
163,160
92,652
12,102
Financial assets at fair value through profit or loss
797,160
955,218
208,180
271,861
826,836
Investments
-
-
1,000,000
1,000,000
1,000,000
Loans and advances to banks
1,335,983
436,466
1,100,381
206,826
3,003,890
Loans and advances to customers
4,933,375
4,416,422
2,849,249
2,784,929
902,607
Intangible assets
136,026
120,106
4,912
4,025
6,586
Property, plant and equipment
123,754
176,025
144,169
166,363
131,077
Deferred tax
-
-
-
50,925
70,197
Other assets
768,000
112,021
380,000
605,000
-
Prepayments and accrued income
144,020
143,645
213,624
219,159
123,371
Total Assets
8,535,627
8,346,554
6,063,675
5,401,740
6,076,666
Liabilities
Amounts owed to customers
2,857,507
2,708,046
524,776
727
-
Current tax
419
12,080
4,659
-
-
Deferred tax
48,940
22,457
15,253
-
-
Other liabilities
449
33,831
4,260
1,252
706,880
Accruals and deferred income
65,068
44,669
12,549
22,198
18,295
Total Liabilities
2,972,383
2,821,083
561,497
24,177
725,175
Shareholders’ equity
Equity attributable to shareholders of the Bank
Called up share capital
5,500,000
5,500,000
5,500,000
5,500,000
5,500,000
Retained earnings/(accumulated losses)
43,456
25,471
2,178
(122,437)
(148,509)
Other reserves
19,788
-
-
-
-
Total Shareholders’ Equity
5,563,244
5,525,470
5,502,178
5,377,563
5,351,491
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity
8,535,627
8,346,554
6,063,675
5,401,740
6,076,666
Memorandum items
Commitments
1,000,000
100,000
1,025,000
78,000
200,000
I FIVE-YEAR FINANCIAL SUMMARY I
I 146 I
3. STATEMENTS OF CASH FlOW
For the year/period ended 31 December
EUR
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
16 months
Cash flows from operating activities
Interest and commission receipts
775,235
1,233,542
563,872
375,920
169,963
Interest and commission payments
(41,916)
(98,272)
(7,223)
(494)
(330)
Payments to employees and suppliers
(924,736)
(837,863)
(359,459)
(1,200,638)
(469,629)
Operating (loss)/profit before changes in operating assets and liabilities
(191,417)
297,407
197,190
(825,212)
(299,996)
(Increase)/decrease in operating assets:
Loans and advances
(53,890)
(1,333,225)
(166,985)
(1,590,797)
(425,000)
Loans and advances to related parties
(671,063)
(233,948)
(138,012)
(291,525)
(477,607)
Other assets
-
-
225,000
605,000
(183,902)
Increase/(decrease) in operating liabilities:
Amounts owed to customers
149,461
2,181,885
524,049
726
-
Other liabilities
-
38,378
7,340
(591,829)
-
Net cash (used in)/generated from operating activities
(766,909)
950,497
648,582
(2,693,637)
(1,386,505)
Cash flows from investing activities
Acquisition of tangible fixed assets
(10,019)
(88,583)
(40,010)
(78,792)
(153,964)
Acquisition of intangible fixed assets
(87,785)
(122,339)
(5,186)
(285)
(8,539)
Acquisition of intangible investments
-
(700,000)
-
-
-
Maturity of held-to-maturity investments
-
1,000,000
-
-
-
Interest received from held-to-maturity debt and other fixed income instruments
-
120,000
120,000
120,000
-
Purchase of debt instruments
-
-
-
(1,000,000)
Proceeds from sale of other investments
254,375
-
-
-
-
Net cash from/(used in) investing activities
156,571
209,078
74,804
40,923
(1,162,503)
Cash flows from financing activities
Proceeds from the issue of share capital
-
-
-
-
5,500,000
Amount advanced from parent company
-
-
240,677
-
65,000
Repayment of bank barrowings
-
-
-
(63,800)
-
Net cash from/(used in) financing activities
-
-
240,677
(63,800)
5,565,000
Net (decrease)/increase in cash and cash equivalents
(610,838)
1,159,575
964,063
(2,716,514)
3,015,992
Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the year
2,423,117
1,263,542
299,478
3,015,992
-
Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the year
1,812,779
2,423,117
1,263,542
299,478
3,015,992
I NEMEA BANK ANNUAL REPORT 2013 I
I 147 I
CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This report contains statements that constitute “forward-looking statements”, including but not limited to statements relating to the anticipated effect of transactions described herein, risks arising from the current market crisis and other risks specific to Nemea Bank’s business, strategic initiatives, future business development and economic performance. While these forward-looking statements represent the Bank’s judgments and expectations concerning the development of its business, a number of risks, uncertainties and other important factors could cause actual developments and results to differ materially from the Bank’s expectations.
These factors include, but are not limited to:
(1) the extent and nature of future developments in the market segments that have been or may be affected by the current market crisis and their effect on Nemea Bank’s assets and exposures;
(2) developments affecting the availability of capital and funding to Nemea Bank and other financial institutions, including any changes in Nemea Bank’s credit spreads and ratings;
(3) other market and macroeconomic developments, including movements in local and international securities markets, credit spreads, currency exchange rates and interest rates;
(4) changes in internal risk control and limitations in the effectiveness of Nemea Bank’s internal processes for risk management, risk control, measurement and modeling, and of financial models generally;
(5) the degree to which Nemea Bank is successful in implementing its business and development plans, and whether those plans will have the effects anticipated;
(6) changes in the financial position or creditworthiness of the Bank’s clients, obligors and counterparties, and developments in the markets in which they operate, including possible failures resulting from the current market crisis and adverse economic environment;
(7) management changes and changes to the internal or overall structure of the Bank;
(8) the occurrence of operational failures, such as fraud, unauthorized trading and systems failures;
(9) legislative, governmental and regulatory developments, including the effect of more stringent capital requirements and of regulatory constraints on the Bank’s activities;
(10) changes in accounting standards or policies, and accounting determinations affecting the recognition of gain or loss, the valuation of goodwill and other assets or other matters;
(11) changes in and the effect of competitive pressures, including the possible loss of key employees as a result of compensation issues or for other reasons;
(12) technological developments; and
(13) the impact of all such future developments on positions held by the Bank, on its short-term and longer-term earnings, on the cost and availability of funding and on Nemea Bank’s capital ratios. In addition, these results could depend on other factors that we have previously indicated could adversely affect our business and financial performance which are contained in our past and future filings and reports. Nemea Bank is not under any obligation to (and expressly disclaims any obligation to) update or alter its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.
Rounding EUR amounts presented throughout this report may not add up precisely to the totals provided in the tables. Percentages and percent changes are calculated based on rounded figures displayed in the tables and text and may not precisely reflect the percentages and percent changes that would be derived based on figures that are not rounded.

I NEMEA BANK ANNUAL REPORT 2013 I
www.nemeabank.com

Con un beneficio declarado en 2013 (después de impuestos) de 37.773 euros,no sabria como calificar a este "banco".....