In keeping with a more-than-five-year trend in which those slow to change have fallen by the wayside, the banking sector has this year been awash with major regulatory and technological change. Virtually unrecognisable from that of a few years ago, this is a new era for banking: one in which the customer lies at the heart of every decision, and sustainability as opposed to profitability is key. Survival – it seems – rests on the ability of banks big and small to keep pace with the rate and scale of the transformation, and nowhere else is this more visible than among the banks featured in this year’s World Finance Banking Guide.

Trust in the banking sector has been restored, and customer-centricity has emerged as an absolute requirement if banks harbour any hopes of survival. People – not profitability – can make or break a business, and many a major name has committed to that sentiment in the hope of pushing ahead of its rivals. New operating strategies have emerged to put customers and employees at the centre of businesses, and technology has proven decisive in the sector’s transformation.

Aside from restoring faith in the sector, technology has paved the way for new and innovative names, and while they can hardly compete with industry stalwarts on scale, a technology-first mentality has opened the door to a range of new opportunities. Investment in IT is no longer an option but a requirement for any bank with aspirations of becoming a market leader. And as much as these investments have proven costly, the benefits to both bank and customer cannot be understated.

Elsewhere, a raft of regulatory reforms has done a great deal to redefine the operating environment. While the burden has, for some, proven too much to bear, others have treated this new regulatory system as an opportunity to stand out from the crowd. Of course, the debate over whether these reforms are beneficial at all will rage on, but the overhaul itself is proof of the fact that banking is a changed proposition.

As much as markets have regained a foothold this past year, stability rests in large part on the banking sector and its ability to push money into and around the economy. This is a banking sector that rests on a threefold commitment to customer service, compliance and innovation, without which this new economic landscape would not exist. The guide provided with this issue takes a look at how banking in all its various forms is spearheading these latest developments, and realising a more sustainable measure of prosperity.

As ever, we’ve scoured the globe for the names that have truly set their markets alight and the ones that have not only exceeded expectations, but also delivered where others have failed. Our research team, together with input from our readers, has delved into the markets to find out which individuals and institutions have pushed the envelope and provided the very best in leading financial services.

With our in-house judging panel, we have selected the finest performers of the year – a challenging task with many tightly contested categories. In the supplement, readers will find insight into each of the year’s leading institutions, as well as those individuals who have made a real difference on each continent. Once again, congratulations to our winners, who we hope to see much more of in the months and years to come.

World Finance Banking Awards 2016

Best Retail Bank, Angola
Banco de Fomento Angola

Best Banking Group, Azerbaijan
PASHA Bank

Best Commercial Bank, Azerbaijan
PASHA Bank

Best Banking Group, Bolivia
Banco Mercantil Santa Cruz

Best Investment Bank, Brazil
BTG Pactual

Best Banking Group, Brunei
Baiduri Bank

Best Commercial Bank, Canada
BMO Bank of Montreal

Best Banking Group, Chile
Banco de Crédito e Inversiones

Best Private Bank, Chile
Banco de Crédito e Inversiones

Most Sustainable Bank, Chile
Banco de Crédito e Inversiones

Best Banking Group, Cyprus
Eurobank Cyprus

Best Banking Group, Dominican Republic
Banco Popular Dominicano

Best Commercial Bank, Dominican Republic
Banco de Reservas

Best Retail Bank, Dominican Republic
Banco de Reservas

Best Investment Bank, Dominican Republic
Banco de Reservas

Best Banking Group, France
Crédit Mutuel

Best Commercial Bank, Germany
Commerzbank

Best Banking Group, Ghana
Zenith Bank Ghana

Best Private Bank, Greece
Eurobank

Best Retail Bank, Greece
Eurobank

Best Commercial Bank, Hungary
ING Bank Hungary Branch

Best Banking Group, Jordan
Jordan Islamic Bank

Best Commercial Bank, Kenya
Co-operative Bank of Kenya

Most Sustainable Bank, Lebanon
Bankmed

Best Banking Group, Lebanon
Bankmed

Best Private Bank, Liechtenstein
Kaiser Partner

Best Banking Group, Macau
ICBC (Macau)

Best Commercial Bank, Mozambique
Banco BCI

Best Commercial Bank, Myanmar
Kanbawza Bank (KBZ Bank)

Best Retail Bank, Myanmar
Kanbawza Bank (KBZ Bank)

Best Banking Group, Myanmar
Ayeyarwady Bank

Best Private Bank, Myanmar
Ayeyarwady Bank

Most Sustainable Bank, Myanmar
Ayeyarwady Bank

Best Banking Group, Nigeria
Guaranty Trust Bank

Most Sustainable Bank, Nigeria
Access Bank

Best Banking Group, The Philippines
Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation

Best Commercial Bank, The Philippines
Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation

Best Investment Bank, Portugal
CaixaBI

Best Commercial Bank, Portual
ActivoBank

Most Sustainable Bank, Saudi Arabia
Arab National Bank

Best Private Bank, Spain
Banca March

Best Commercial Bank, Sri Lanka
Sampath Bank

Best Retail Bank, Sri Lanka
Sampath Bank

Most Sustainable Bank, Sri Lanka
People’s Bank

Best Banking Group, Sri Lanka
People’s Bank

Best Commercial Bank, Taiwan
Mega ICBC

Best Retail Bank, Turkey
Garanti Bank

Best Banking Group, Turkey
Akbank

Best Private Bank, US
Brown Brothers Harriman

Best Commercial Bank, US
Bank of the West

Banker of the Year, Asia
Aung Ko Win at Kanbawza Bank (KBZ Bank)

Banker of the Year, Middle East
Dr. Robert Maroun Eid at Arab National Bank

Banker of the Year, Europe
Jose Maria Ricciardi at Haitong Bank