Bank Hapoalim B.M.

Bank Hapoalim, founded in 1921, is the largest and leading financial institution in Israel. Over its 95-year history, Bank Hapoalim has developed a widespread network of branches and commercial banking activities, across all areas of banking. In addition to its activity in Israel, the Bank also operates overseas through local branches, offices and subsidiaries, as well as through relationships with banks around the world. Bank Hapoalim Group is one of the largest employers in the Israeli market with over 11,500 employees.
The Bank’s resilience and leadership in the Israeli banking sector is reflected in its financial statements. In March 2017 the Bank published its results for the full year 2016. The net profit of the Bank Group totaled 2,628 NIS million in 2016 and its net return on equity for the year reached 7.72%. The total capital ratio, in Basel 3 terms, stood at 15.11% at the end of 2016; the Tier 1 capital ratio was 11.01%.
For long-term foreign currency activity, international rating agencies have rated the Bank as follows: Moody’s: A2, Standard & Poor’s: A-, Fitch: A. In Israel, S&P Maalot Israel Securities Rating Company Ltd. issued an AAA rating, and Midroog (a subsidiary of Moody’s) rated the Bank Aaa.

Operations of the Bank Group in Israel

The Bank Group operates in Israel in all areas of banking, through two central divisions:

Retail Division serves, amongst others, households, private-banking customers, foreign residents, and small businesses, through a network of 235 branches, both traditional and digital branches supplying a variety of banking services, side by side additional direct channels including on-line, cellular, Poalim call center, and ATMs.

Corporate Division serves business customers; activities with large corporate clients are conducted by the Bank’s sector-specific banking experts, while middle-market business clients are served through Business Centers located throughout the country and through dedicated branches which offer business customers operational services.
In addition to its banking activity, the Bank Group engages in corresponding activities, mainly in the area of capital market and credit cards. The Bank Group’s activity in the capital market includes, amongst others, brokerage services, custody, currency trading and derivatives, research and consulting, services for financial asset managers, investment portfolio management, investment banking, underwriting and management of public offerings.

Operations of the Bank Group Overseas

In addition to the activity in Israel, the Bank Group operates abroad, in the private banking segment and in the business sector, and is present mainly in Israel, Europe and the US. In the framework of private banking activity, the Bank Group provides its overseas high net worth customers with advanced and professional products and services, including investment products and global asset management. The activity of the business sector overseas includes extending credit to local and foreign borrowers, including providing credit to the business activity of the Bank’s customers.

Commitment to personal, human and technological service

The Bank serves the largest number of customers in the Israeli banking system with over 2 million customers at the end of 2016. The Bank’s broad base of customers requires adjustment and diversification of the range of products and services offered by the Bank to the public, and constitutes an engine for the Bank’s commitment to personal, human and technological service. As part of this commitment, the Bank established in 2016 the Innovation Division, which aims to initiate, develop and leverage innovative growth initiatives that will constitute a quantum leap in the digital value proposition to the customer. The launch of the award-winning payment application Bit, which allows quick and easy transfer of funds to contacts, is the first foray of the new division.
Alongside his business leadership and his economic and technological initiatives, Bank Hapoalim is committed to an active and leading involvement in the community. In its activities for the community, the Bank focuses on projects in the field of education, with special emphasis on education for responsible financial conduct as a key to the advancement of financial freedom.
For the past several years the Bank has published a comprehensive report on sustainability and corporate responsibility. The report was made in adherence to the highest standards of GRI-G4 (Global Reporting Initiative). The Bank leads the Platinum Plus category of the local Maala rating, and is ranked in the top percentiles of global banks on MSCI and FTSE4Good indices in recognition of its activities in the area of sustainability and corporate responsibility.