Professional services firm EY Germany is dedicated to empowering businesses to do their best. The firm´s young and dynamic team of assurance and advisory professionals excels at finding novel ways to do audits in the digital age, support companies in their transformation of business models, and improve performance in the relentless quest for perfection – or the closest to it.

Recognized and celebrated for its pursuit of high performance and efficiency, EY Germany´s accounting and advisory team has set itself an ambitious goal: to strengthen the confidence in the economy by helping the interconnected financial world to work better every day.

Now the country´s second-largest professional services firm, EY Germany is determined to take the lead in helping clients deal with – and prosper in – the new economy shaped by digital transformation. EY Germany also enjoys a decisive edge when helping companies operating cross border, being part of the world´s most internationally integrated professional services firm.

It is the only large corporate services company in Germany to maintain specialised US and digital Tax expert desks. As the leader in Transaction Advisory Services, EY Germany has also established a dedicated Chinese business desk including professionals from China to offer clients access to their insights on business culture and help them to successfully do transactions with Chinese partners.

EY Germany´s services blanket the entire spectrum of the business universe. As such, the company assumes the role of knowledgeable partner to its clients.

The CFI.co judging panel applauds the holistic approach of EY Germany. The firm has, in fact, become a portal for businesses attuned to changing times and ready to fully exploit new opportunities. The judges declare EY Germany winner of the 2018 Best Assurance & Advisory Services Team Germany Award.

Professional services firm EY Germany is dedicated to empowering businesses to do their best. The firm´s young and dynamic team of assurance and advisory professionals excels at finding novel ways to do audits in the digital age, support companies in their transformation of business models, and improve performance in the relentless quest for perfection – or the closest to it.

Recognized and celebrated for its pursuit of high performance and efficiency, EY Germany´s accounting and advisory team has set itself an ambitious goal: to strengthen the confidence in the economy by helping the interconnected financial world to work better every day.

Now the country´s second-largest professional services firm, EY Germany is determined to take the lead in helping clients deal with – and prosper in – the new economy shaped by digital transformation. EY Germany also enjoys a decisive edge when helping companies operating cross border, being part of the world´s most internationally integrated professional services firm.

It is the only large corporate services company in Germany to maintain specialised US and digital Tax expert desks. As the leader in Transaction Advisory Services, EY Germany has also established a dedicated Chinese business desk including professionals from China to offer clients access to their insights on business culture and help them to successfully do transactions with Chinese partners.

EY Germany´s services blanket the entire spectrum of the business universe. As such, the company assumes the role of knowledgeable partner to its clients.

The CFI.co judging panel applauds the holistic approach of EY Germany. The firm has, in fact, become a portal for businesses attuned to changing times and ready to fully exploit new opportunities. The judges declare EY Germany winner of the 2018 Best Assurance & Advisory Services Team Germany Award.

Belgium’s KBC Group, the country’s largest bancassurer, has been particularly successful in creating shareholder value. In fact, the bank ranks first in the world for total shareholder return over the period 2012-2016. Since the present CEO took over management of the company in 2012, the group’s share price has increased seven-fold. KBC Group is a favourite amongst investors and clients alike for its relentless pursuit of excellence in corporate governance which, in turn, optimises performance.

KBC emerged in 1998 from the merger of two Belgian banks and an insurance provider, though the group can trace its corporate roots to the late 19th century. Today, the bank serves more than ten million customers around the world and employs close to 43,000 professionals whose mission is to “enable and protect the dreams of clients”.

KBC Group has been exceptionally successful in exploring and exploiting the synergies between its constituent parts. It remains the only financial group in the world to offer fully integrated banking and insurance products at no additional charge. Even so, KBC Group ranks first on the list of Europe’s most profitable financial institutions – a position it has held on to for three consecutive years.

After the 2008 financial crisis, the financial group consolidated its global operations, introduced a renovated corporate culture, and fine-tuned its overall strategy. The changes proved exceptionally successful and offer a textbook example of how to properly steer a large corporation towards sustained profitability.

The CFI.co judging also notes that KBC Group maintains a leading technological edge. In Ireland, new customers can open an account in under five minutes via their mobile phone. Accountholders can now also apply online for a personal loan or overdraft facility in just five simple steps. The judges agree that KBC Group constitutes a prime example of a bank that deploys its excellence in corporate governance – and the trust generated as a result – to power its growth and keep up with the financial services industry’s fast-changing landscape. The judging panel is therefore pleased to offer KBC Group the 2018 Best Bank Governance Europe Award.

In Sweden, the engineers of Cimco Marine developed the world’s first truly high-power diesel outboard engine. The OXE Diesel Outboard generated so much demand that the manufacturer had to accelerate expansion plans by turning to the stock market. In July 2017, the company celebrated its IPO and debuted on Nasdaq First North, generating considerable excitement amongst investors who eagerly snapped up its shares. By the close of its first day of trading, Cimco Marine shares had soared by 23% over the issue price, reflecting solid investor confidence in the company’s ability to successfully leverage – and monetise – its technological edge.

The development of the OXE Diesel power plant represents a marine tech breakthrough that called for an out-of-the-box approach to outboard engine design. To increase both endurance and reliability, Cimco Marine engineers decided to ditch the prone-to-failure bevel gears and transfer shafts usually found in outboards with belt technology that allows for high torque transfers and a considerable increase in the engine’s endurance.

Complying with NATO’s single fuel directive and thanks to its unequalled reliability, the OXE Diesel outboard is particularly popular with the military and law enforcement agencies. In order to meet demand from marine and fisheries patrol agencies, Cimco Marine also offers a 150 hp model.

The CFI.co judging panel is always happy to consider nominations of engineering companies that venture into uncharted waters, pushing the technological envelope, and identifying – and meeting – pent-up demand for a product not yet developed. Cimco Marine is such a company. Now that its high power OXE Diesel outboard engine is readily available – and making more than just proverbial waves – its absence can no longer be conceived. The judges are therefore pleased to grant Cimco Marine the 2017 Best Industrial Exporter IPO Sweden Award.

Entering the hotly disputed Top 5 of insurance companies in Italy, Alleanza Assicurazioni has further improved its performance across the board, covering all key metrics. Last year, the company completed the digitisation of its vast distributor network, doubled its NPS (net promotors score) to 17.3%, and significantly increased customer satisfaction indices.

Alleanza Assicurazioni now prepares to introduce Smart Capital – a novel savings account that dovetails with other hybrid products offered by the insurer such as Valore Alleanza which was launched in April 2017 and has already attracted over 27,000 savers who deposited a total in excess of €600 million.

With over €35 billion of assets under management and around two million customers, Alleanza Assicurazioni has positioned itself in the market as the preferred assurer of the younger demographic. The company exudes a modern image which is complemented by a state-of-the-art IT backbone ensuring the smooth delivery of services and facilitating cross marketing efforts that allow customers to design tailor-made packages with both insurance and savings products.

Alleanza Assicurazioni is recognised for its early adoption of a workforce management platform that enables the company’s consultants to quickly respond to customer demand. The company also moved into the mobile internet universe with a fully digital and dematerialised cycle management of customers who may now complete nearly all transactions online via mobile devices. Already now, two out of every three customers transact their business with the insurer online.

The CFI.co judging panel commends Alleanza Assicurazioni on its remarkably consistent performance. The judges agree that the company’s determination to excel in customer service helps underwrite and sustain its corporate growth. The judging panel is pleased to offer Alleanza Assicurazioni the 2018 Best Insurance Solutions Provider Italy Award.

Present in London, Lagos and Dubai’s International Financial Centre (DIFC), The Access Bank UK is a premier financial services provider. It is part of one of the largest banking groups of Nigeria, Access Bank Plc, which has geographical footprint spanning eight countries in West Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa and UK.

The Access Bank UK squarely aims for the top and has imbued its staff with a sense of pride in being part of Africa’s most respected financial institution. At The Access Bank UK, the pursuit of excellence in corporate governance and superior operational performance are linked by a finely tuned human resources framework that encourages innovation, skills development, and personal growth. This has been externally recognised by their accreditation by Investors In People Gold Standard. As a result, staff turnover rates are amongst the lowest in the industry.

The Bank maintains a number of partnerships with educational and professional institutes to allow apprentices to acquire skills and develop their aptitudes. This way, the Bank ensures its continued access to an exceptionally promising talent pool.

The Access Bank UK enjoys a well-earned reputation for structuring complex trade deals covering multiple jurisdictions. The Bank has its corporate roots in trade finance and offers exporters and importers in both the UK, Sub-Saharan Africa and the MENA region a full and competitive suite of services that unlocks the buoyant markets of Sub-Saharan Africa and enables the seamless processing of trade-related documentation.

The CFI.co judging panel has followed the corporate trajectory of The Access Bank UK for a few years and notes that the bank maintains its leading edge. The judges are pleased to offer The Access Bank UK the 2018 Best Africa Trade Finance Bank Award.

Taking the know-your-customer into new territory, Arche Associates subscribes to the philosophy that wealth management needs to be a fully transparent and friction-free conduit that allows clients to reach a future crafted to their personal needs and aspirations. Ideally, the wealth manager dissolves into the background as the unseen hand that gently shapes resilient portfolios.

Based in Luxembourg, Arche Associates maintains three separate companies that each serve a different customer demographic with the same relentless dedication to excellence and the cultivation of trust. Arche Wealth Management, Arche Family Office, and Arche Private Advisors benefit from synergies and shared expertise whilst maintaining a differentiated approach to the design of investment portfolios.

Known and celebrated for their attention to detail, finesse, and professionalism, the advisors at Arche Associates manage a number of thematic investments that seek to optimise exposure to especially promising sectors and industries. The firm is recognised for spotting trends early on and carefully building up positions long before the overall market wakes up. Arche Associates maintains a spotless track record for finding alpha within the customer’s carefully assessed risk parameters.

Arche Associates has registered strong growth on the back of its innovative client-focussed approach to wealth management, establishing long-term partnerships with customers in order to allow for the steady appreciation of the capital entrusted to the firm.

The CFI.co judging panel fully agrees that wealth management revolves around the twin core values of trust and transparency. Arche Associates has taken these timeless principles to the next level by adding a vital third ingredient – segmentation by investor demographic. No two investors are quite alike. By recognising this simple yet often ignored fact, Arche Associates has set itself apart from the herd. The judges are pleased to present Arche Associates with the 2018 Best Wealth Manager Luxembourg Award.

Founded almost twenty years ago on the premise that the rapport between clients and their banks usually offers plenty room for improvement, Vallstein of The Netherlands has developed WalletSizing – a comprehensive bank relationship management (BRM) system that increases transparency by monitoring and reporting costs to determine, amongst other parameters, the return on solvency.

In essence, WalletSizing turns the tables by allowing customers a comprehensive and detailed view of their banking relationships, including – crucially – the importance of their business to financial services providers and the revenue derived from that. Thus, WalletSizing enables users to precisely ascertain the cost-benefit ratio of their banking operations.

Deploying the knowledge-is-power adage, WalletSizing users are able to effectively gauge their bank’s overall performance and – if needed – negotiate a better overall deal. However, the software aims to optimise the client-bank relationship rather than squeeze the last penny out of it. WalletSizing allows customers to pinpoint the ideal equilibrium between costs and benefits, and construct a relationship that produces a win-win scenario for both parties.

Uniquely, WalletSizing considers hidden revenues and capital requirements under the evolving rules of the Basel Accords. It also includes a complete set of benchmarks. WalletSizing redefines, and vastly expands, the traditional assessment of banking costs and fees, and propels treasury management into next-gen territory.

The CFI.co judging panel commends Vallstein on producing and fine-tuning a product that moves way beyond spreadsheets to create actual value for clients and banks alike. It puts an often-misinformed relationship on a solid equal footing. The judges are happy to note that since last year Vallstein has continued to update and expand its products which are now indispensable in any corporate setting that values efficiency. The judging panel declares Vallstein winner of the 2018 Best Bank Relationship Management Solutions Global Award.

Italy’s CheBanca! leverages the power of technology to simplify its front office procedures and thus vastly improve the customer experience. Deploying data analytics, artificial intelligence, and robot advisory techniques, CheBanca! has managed to streamline both internal and external processes, saving on operational costs, slashing processing times, and improving the overall quality of its services.

Recognised in Italy and abroad for its innovative, if not revolutionary, approach to retail banking, CheBanca! – the human digital bank – has succeeded in preserving a personal touch. Though its back office operations are driven by marvels of technology, the bank’s customer-facing business is all about providing account holders with products and services tailored to meet their needs. In fact, thanks to its use of advanced analytics, CheBanca! is often able to anticipate customer needs and offer timely solutions.

CheBanca! has, in a way, reinvented the wheel and as such represents an interesting business case. The bank was designed from the ground up as a technology-driven financial services provider. CheBanca!’s operational structure is such that new IT developments can be easily incorporated in order for the bank to maintain its leading edge. CheBanca! was set up in 2008 and is part of Mediobanca, one of Italy’s largest financial groups.

The CFI.co judging panel notes that CheBanca! has ditched convention to embrace invention. It not merely pushed the envelope but did away with the container altogether and rewrote an entire business. Even more importantly, the bank has consistently registered solid growth and captured a significant share of the market. The judges are delighted to offer CheBanca! the 2018 Most Innovative Digital Smart Bank Italy Award.

Displaying both resilience and determination, Caixa Económica Montepio Geral – one of Portugal’s oldest banks – has survived and indeed prospered throughout the ages thanks to its ability to quickly adapt and meet shifting market conditions with aplomb and a keen eye for opportunity.

Founded in 1840 and headquartered in Lisbon, Caixa Económica Montepio Geral traces its corporate origins to a mutual savings entity. Today, Montepio stands at the apex of a business group that also includes insurance, fund and asset management, and property management companies. The Montepio Foundation, one of Portugal’s most recognised charitable institutions, channels the group’s corporate social responsibility programmes and initiatives.

In January, Montepio’s management revealed a much higher than expected capital ratio, beating market expectations with the bank’s Tier 1 ratio significantly exceeding the tighter requirements that only come into force later this year. The achievement allows Montepio to consolidate and expand its activities. The bank continues to play a major role, as it has done for many decades, in the development of Portugal’s business environment, placing particular emphasis on supporting young entrepreneurs and start-ups.

Deeply rooted in the country’s corporate establishment, Montepio is able to close the generational divide between young and established entrepreneurs, coupling ambition and drive with experience and knowledge for superior results that help underpin the country’s economy.

The CFI.co judging panel congratulates Montepio on its hands-on approach to business development. The judges agree that the bank is peerless when it comes to navigating the buoyant Portuguese economy. The judges declare Caixa Económica Montepio Geral winner of the 2017 Best Heritage Bank Portugal Award.

An airline for discerning millennials, Air France offshoot Joon took to the sky last December serving short- and medium-haul European routes from its Paris hub at Charles de Gaulle airport. Joon emulates the gentle approach pioneered by British low-cost carrier EasyJet, shunning the abysmal customer practices common at carriers situated at the bottom of the market.

Joon was set up to relieve parent company Air France from the need to compete on price on routes to popular holiday destinations. Later this year, the company starts long-haul flights to Fortaleza (Brazil), Mumbai, Mahé (Seychelles), and Cape Town using four rebranded Air France Airbus 340s. It also expects to incorporate the widebody Airbus 350-900 into its fleet.

Though on course to compete for passengers with Norwegian, to date the only other low-cost long-haul carrier, Joon for now seeks to exploit routes to destinations not yet fully discovered by the travelling public. The carrier also offers full onboard connectivity to get the attention of iPhone-addicted youngsters and introduced an alternative inflight menu including vegan food options. In keeping with its youthful branding, Joon employees sport tight jeans and body-hugging polos – and carry a genuine smile.

The CFI.co judging panel commends Joon on its corporate branding, recognising the exercise goes much deeper than just the customer-facing image. Joon is an attempt to engage with travellers, anticipating their needs and broadening their horizons – all that with a distinctive French touch. The judges agree to declare Joon winner of the 2018 Best Airline Branding Europe Award.

As one of France’s largest insurance brokers, SIACI Saint Honoré manages the entire risk chain using a holistic approach to best serve – and empower – its clients. Though offering solutions in all segments of the market, the firm is particularly known for its coverage of industrial risk and social protection with an emphasis on human resources management and cross-border mobility.

Employing well over 2,200 professionals, SIACI Saint Honoré maintains a full-circle vision of risk that is easily adaptable and scalable to the needs and requirements of corporations whose footprint spans multiple jurisdictions. The firm partners with its customers to form long-term relationships that allow for the implementation of bespoke solutions. SIACI Saint Honoré takes pride in its ability to offer the exact amount of coverage in any situation, enabling customers to focus on running their business.

The firm was an early adopter of a streamlined model for all its internal processes that includes short lines of communication. This allowed SIACI Saint Honoré to maintain its operational nimbleness even as the firm’s business volume increased significantly. The company currently serves over 3,500 corporate and more than 2.5 million individual customers. SACI Saint Honoré is the main insurance broker for the civil engineering and logistics sectors. Thanks to both its expertise and experience, the company offers ready-made solutions that dovetail with industry needs and can be put into place at short notice.

The CFI.co judging panel agrees that a good insurance brokerage acts as an unseen – and regrettably often also underappreciated – partner to corporate success and personal development. SIACI Saint Honoré understands that more than most. The judges find that the firm’s outstanding performance merits recognition and declare SIACI Saint Honoré winner of the 2018 Best Insurance Brokerage France Award.

The name evokes a certain je ne sais quoi. Valentino, the landmark Italian fashion house named after its founder, has redefined and perfected style since the early 1960s with a perfect melange of suave subtlety and luxurious extravagance. The company’s designers unfailingly set the tone in the fashion world with collections that push the boundaries of convention and explore new frontiers without ever going over the top.

The brand received wide acclaim from the specialist press at the 2018 Paris Fashion Show, the industry’s flagship event, where even critics not usually given to handing out praise broke with tradition and penned raving reviews citing exquisite colour juxtapositions – always arresting but never jarring. Reaffirming ownership of its signatory house style, Valentino’s creative director Pierpaolo Piccioli showcased in Paris a haute couture at its most dreamily elevated without ever coming close to – or even within striking distance of – the caricatures often trying to steal the show with appeals to the extremely ridiculous or utterly impractical.

The fashion house has generated a great deal of excitement on the trading floor as well in anticipation of its possible float. Owned by a Qatar-based privately-owned investment company, Valentino has reportedly mulled offering up to 25% of its share capital on the Milan Stock Exchange. Though the IPO has been suspended for now, investors recognise exceptional value due to Valentino’s well-established reputation for excellence in corporate governance.

The CFI.co judging panel notes that Valentino has resisted the urge to stray from its core business. The company has powered its growth organically, leveraging the peerless competencies that made it into the true last emperor of the fashion world – and this emperor is indeed very well clothed. The judges are honoured to offer Valentino the 2018 Best Fashion Corporate Governance Award.

Belgium’s KBC Group, the country’s largest bancassurer, has been particularly successful in creating shareholder value. In fact, the bank ranks first in the world for total shareholder return over the period 2012-2016. Since the present CEO took over management of the company in 2012, the group’s share price has increased seven-fold. KBC Group is a favourite amongst investors and clients alike for its relentless pursuit of excellence in corporate governance which, in turn, optimises performance.

KBC emerged in 1998 from the merger of two Belgian banks and an insurance provider, though the group can trace its corporate roots to the late 19th century. Today, the bank serves more than ten million customers around the world and employs close to 43,000 professionals whose mission is to “enable and protect the dreams of clients”.

KBC Group has been exceptionally successful in exploring and exploiting the synergies between its constituent parts. It remains the only financial group in the world to offer fully integrated banking and insurance products at no additional charge. Even so, KBC Group ranks first on the list of Europe’s most profitable financial institutions – a position it has held on to for three consecutive years.

After the 2008 financial crisis, the financial group consolidated its global operations, introduced a renovated corporate culture, and fine-tuned its overall strategy. The changes proved exceptionally successful and offer a textbook example of how to properly steer a large corporation towards sustained profitability.

The CFI.co judging also notes that KBC Group maintains a leading technological edge. In Ireland, new customers can open an account in under five minutes via their mobile phone. Accountholders can now also apply online for a personal loan or overdraft facility in just five simple steps. The judges agree that KBC Group constitutes a prime example of a bank that deploys its excellence in corporate governance – and the trust generated as a result – to power its growth and keep up with the financial services industry’s fast-changing landscape. The judging panel is therefore pleased to offer KBC Group the 2018 Best Bank Governance Europe Award.

Managing Director: Jon Hall

It sounds so simple, only it isn’t. Online retail banks realise full well that advances in technology may wow customers, but it is the human touch that begets business. The question is how to extract synergies and tangible benefits from digits whilst keeping close to the customer and his or her unique banking needs and expectations. The UK’s Masthaven Bank, on the leading edge of a second wave of disruptor banks seeking to challenge established convention, has put its customers in charge.

Surprisingly, Masthaven Bank refrains from deploying complex and often indecipherable algorithms and credit scoring mechanisms to gauge its accountholders. Instead, the bank’s staff is well-trained to treat each customer as an individual who deserves the benefit of manual underwriting. This way, accountholders are not reduced to an entry on a spreadsheet to be marked according to strict, secretive, and often bewildering rules.

Masthaven Bank has designed a comprehensive range of streamlined products that are easy to explain. The result of this approach is a suite of premier financial products that derive their sophistication from simplicity rather than complexity. Masthaven Bank is thus able to offer its savers a number of flexible account options that keeps the customer in control. The bank’s tailored savings bonds have consistently ranked near the top of Best Buy tables. Remarkably for an online-only bank, the average age of Masthaven Bank’s savers hover around sixty. Customers appreciate the ease with which the bank may be approached – there is no labyrinth of automated message to navigate: callers get connected to a knowledgeable agent each and every time.

The CFI.co judging panel notes that Masthaven Bank also offers second mortgages, bridge financing, and purpose-designed credit lines for small and medium-sized house builders. The judges are particularly pleased to note that Masthaven Bank has redefined the online-only banking by rescuing – and celebrating – the human dimension. The judges agree to declare Masthaven Bank winner of the 2018 Most Innovative Digital Retail Bank UK Award.

The management of renewable energy resources equates to the unrelenting pursuit of efficiency. That, in turn, requires the use of new technologies such as the integration and streamlining of processes via the Internet-of-Things (IoT), big data analytics, and other innovative ways to maximise performance whilst minimising operating cost.

Kaiserwetter Energy Asset Management of Germany manages 28 wind parks and 23 solar power facilities with a combined generating capacity of 470MW. Besides its home market, the company’s footprint extends to Spain, France, and Poland as well. Kaiserwetter has developed a proprietary algorithm for predictive analytics as part of a big data processing push to bring down both capital and operating expenditures. The resulting data allows customers to implement effective risk mitigation policies and reduce downtime.

By combining technical and financial data into a single stream, Kaiserwetter gives its customers access to a cloud-based dashboard that produces an instant overview of their facilities’ performance – from a single turbine to a country-wide series of wind and/or solar parks. Crucially, an integrated data variance model is included to account for meteorological trends and events. This enables operators to immediately finetune their generating plants to ensure optimal performance under any and all conditions.

Last year, the CFI.co judging panel marvelled at the innovations pioneered by Kaiserwetter. As renewables claim an ever larger share of the energy mix, their management becomes more important as well – to operators and investors alike. Kaiserwetter provides both the tools and the solutions that allow wind and solar parks to attain and retain maximum efficiency. The judges are pleased to offer Kaiserwetter Energy Asset Management the 2018 Best Renewable Energy Asset Manager Germany Award.

Nobody doubts that the future of retail banking is in mobile accessibility. Most clients no longer wish to manage their personal finances at local branch offices. Even booting up the desktop computer is often too much of an effort. Traditionalists by nature, retail banks find it hard to keep up with shifting consumer patterns. Mobile banking solutions are layered atop legacy platforms, adapted, and presented as true innovations. Alas, they are not and often feel clunky.

Norwegian mobile payment solutions provider Auka built its system from scratch and in such a way that future developments and breakthroughs may be easily bolted on. Auka’s fully scalable mobile banking platform incorporates the latest real-time P2P payment features and allows consumers to pay for purchases instantly without the need for additional POS hardware. The associated cross-platform app allows users to access their chosen merchant’s mini-shop without ever leaving the application’s secure environment. Merchants benefit from a vast range of easily implemented marketing options such as tailoring their online store to suit the client’s preferences and purchase history.

Auka’s mobile banking solutions are turnkey systems that dovetail with existing IT systems used by financial services providers. The company’s platform is unique as includes the latest features demanded by savvy customers without requiring a full – a complicated and expensive – overhaul of legacy systems.

Banks using Auka mobile payment solutions report significant growth of their customer base and increased levels of customer satisfaction thanks to gaining a competitive edge.

The CFI.co judging panel notes that Auka has partnered with Google to design a robust cloud platform. The judges agree that the Norwegian company has developed an exceptionally resilient platform that takes mobile banking to the next level – and beyond. The judging panel congratulates Auka with its win of the 2018 Best Mobile Payment Platform Europe Award.

Set up in 2004 and today one of France’s leading independent investment managing companies, Montpensier Finance has gained recognition — and acclaim — for bringing together a peerless group of seasoned asset management professionals. The firm has established an enviable track record by deploying analytical and decision-making processes developed and perfected in-house. ESG problematics (Environmental, Social and Governance) are well incorporated in the process to determine stock selection. 

Montpensier Finance is headed by a pioneering investment manager who introduced the multi-management concept to France in 1988 — long before the modality became `de rigueur’. Multi-manager investment products benefit from the diversification of funds spread across different asset classes and markets — each segment entrusted to specialized fund managers — trying to maximize returns. The firm also developed the Montpensier Market Scan (MMS) which enables multi-asset and flexible management teams to rely on the four major drivers of asset allocation: macroeconomic momentum, monetary policy dynamics, market valuation, and market dynamics.

Montpensier Finance has been particularly successful in its mission to outperform the overall market over longer periods. The firm tops €2bn in assets under management and maintains a number of funds tapping into Eurozone, Europe-wide, and global markets and split according to different models adjusted for optimum return in varying categories of risk tolerance.

The CFI.co judging panel notes that Montpensier Finance is a signatory to the United Nations Principles for Responsible Investment (UNPRI). The judges are unanimous in their decision to grant Montpensier Finance the 2018 Best Multi-Asset Fund Manager France Award.

Deploying and showcasing the power of machine-based learning (MBL) technology, eDreams ODIGEO has managed to increase flight bookings by almost 50% last year, offering travellers a highly personalised experience based on a real-time predictive analysis of aggregated and anonymised data which presents a vast range of options and add-ons. Thus visitors to eDreams ODIGEO’s websites and apps are welcomed to an online environment which is perfectly tailored to their personal preferences.

The online travel company, a recognised pioneer of its industry, employs a crack team of some 400 software engineers to design and finetune the eDreams ODIGEO platform and ensure it preserves a leading edge. The gargantuan effort pays off: last year the company saw all its main brands register solid growth with a 10% increase in the sale of ancillary products such as travel insurance, priority boarding, and preferred seating arrangements.

eDreams ODIGEO’s management developed its own approach to IT by seconding software engineers to all of the organisation’s departments in order to gauge needs, identify bottlenecks, and offer solutions. Thus, the entire corporate structure of eDreams ODIGEO benefits from MBL and other innovative technologies that not only offer customers a personalised experience but also streamline internal processes.

The CFI.co judging panel has followed eDreams ODIGEO for a number of years. The company has consistently sought to leverage the power of technology to improve its operational efficiency and offer a superior product to travellers – one based on a holistic approach that includes attention to even the most minute details and leaves nothing to chance. The judges are unanimous in their decision to declare eDreams ODIGEO winner of the 2018 Best online Travel Partner Global Award.

A trade facilitator with a global reach, Euro Exim Bank is a trusted partner that helps businesses extend their footprint by tapping into lucrative new markets and sourcing excellent opportunities. Euro Exim Bank, headquartered and licensed in St Lucia and with a representative office in London, is a specialist in providing financial services to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), regardless of where in the world they are located.

Euro Exim Bank offers a full suite of trade-related banking services such as letters of credit and guarantee, global funds transfers, export letters of credit, and a host of other financial instruments designed to facilitate trade flows. Customers are kept appraised of the latest trends and developments via a monthly newsletter – The Trailblazer – which also highlights various Euro Exim Bank services and shows how SMEs may extract optimum benefit from them.

Euro Exim Bank expends considerable effort to check for compliance with all relevant rules and regulations. A third of the bank’s staff is engaged in ensuring the bank meets and exceeds all demands made upon it as a financial services provider. This also assures customers that Euro Exim Bank is at all times able to quickly respond to their own requirements since the bank continuously updates its knowledge of compliance-related issues in multiple jurisdictions.

The CFI.co judging panel agrees that SMEs the world over can and should benefit from the expertise of a bank specialised in global trade. The judges are pleased to offer Euro Exim Bank the 2018 Best Global Trade Services Bank Award.

A trade facilitator with a global reach, Euro Exim Bank is a trusted partner that helps businesses extend their footprint by tapping into lucrative new markets and sourcing excellent opportunities. Euro Exim Bank, headquartered and licensed in St Lucia and with a representative office in London, is a specialist in providing financial services to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), regardless of where in the world they are located.

Euro Exim Bank offers a full suite of trade-related banking services such as letters of credit and guarantee, global funds transfers, export letters of credit, and a host of other financial instruments designed to facilitate trade flows. Customers are kept appraised of the latest trends and developments via a monthly newsletter – The Trailblazer – which also highlights various Euro Exim Bank services and shows how SMEs may extract optimum benefit from them.

Euro Exim Bank expends considerable effort to check for compliance with all relevant rules and regulations. A third of the bank’s staff is engaged in ensuring the bank meets and exceeds all demands made upon it as a financial services provider. This also assures customers that Euro Exim Bank is at all times able to quickly respond to their own requirements since the bank continuously updates its knowledge of compliance-related issues in multiple jurisdictions.

The CFI.co judging panel agrees that SMEs the world over can and should benefit from the expertise of a bank specialised in global trade. The judges are pleased to offer Euro Exim Bank the 2018 Best Global Trade Services Bank Award.