THE internationally-acclaimed financial magazine “The Banker” has recognised 1st National Bank St Lucia Limited as the “Bracken Bank of the Year” for 2019.
The global award was presented to the Managing Director of 1st National Bank Johnathan Johannes during the 20th annual “Bracken Bank of the Year Awards” in London on November 28th 2019.
The Bracken Awards are considered to be the Oscars of the banking industry, celebrating excellence in banking worldwide. Judges assess over 1,000 applications from 120 countries before deciding which banks are worthy of the highest honour in banking globally.
“This global recognition places us at the pinnacle of the banking industry,” said 1st National Bank’s Managing Director after receiving the global award. He was accompanied by the Chairman of 1st National Bank Nigel Fulgence and the Executive Manager for Marketing and Public Relations, Robert Fevrier.
“This rarefied moment is a celebration of the dedicated and competent staff of 1st National Bank – from branches in Vieux Fort, Marigot, Rodney Bay, Gros Islet and Castries. They are pre-occupied daily with quality service and customer satisfaction” said Mr Johannes as he dedicated the award to staff.
He went on to say that “Our staff, the majority of whom are women, are responsible for designing and delivering the products and services that meet every anticipated need of our clients. This international award is also for our clients. It would not have been possible without their highest confidence in 1st National Bank, the little indigenous bank that could and did.”
1st National Bank’s Managing Director also thanked regulators from the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank for providing a regulatory environment which allows banks to thrive.
Banks winning the “Bracken Bank of the Year Award” are judged on “performance, innovation, added customer value and leadership in society.”
This international recognition of 1st National Bank St Lucia Limited comes just weeks after it won the “Business of the Year Award” and the “Service Excellence Award” from the St Lucia Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture during its 2019 Awards Ceremony.
1st National Bank is the first bank in the Eastern Caribbean to win the Bracken “Bank of the Year Award”.
These awards are handed out by the Banker Magazine which was started in 1926 as a subsidiary of the Financial Times of London. It has been the “Global Banker’s Bible” for the banking industry for over 90 years.