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LGT Reportedly Open To More Acquisitions After ABN AMRO Deal

Tom Burroughes Group Editor 23 December 2016

LGT Reportedly Open To More Acquisitions After ABN AMRO Deal

The CEO of the Europe-headquartered private bank may not be done yet with acquisitions.

Liechtenstein-headquartered LGT, which in December bought the Asian private bank of ABN AMRO, is looking to make more purchases, the South China Morning Post reports, quoting Prince Max von und zu Liechtenstein, chief executive of the bank.

As reported at the time, LGT said expected to see its assets under management in Asia rise to over $40 billion from the ABN AMRO transaction.

“If you look at the private banking industry, we continue to see the strongest growth in Asia, both short and long term, so it makes sense for us to continue to invest here,” the CEO is quoted as having said.

Prince Max is the younger brother of the current Crown Prince in the tiny European state.

“This overall strategic rationale is not new, we have been looking at acquiring in Asia for a while, but at present, because more people are selling than buying, the pricing has become more attractive,” he was quoted as having said.

LGT declined to comment when asked about the report by this publication.

“If you review our development since the financial crisis, we have made an acquisition globally every two or three years, though this is our first in Asia,” Prince Max, reportedly said, adding: “We are very much looking to continue to grow in the region, predominately through organic growth, but if we see the right opportunity to create value through a good acquisition, we will do it.”

As noted by this news service, the Asian region has seen a flurry of foreign firms selling off Asian wealth businesses, such as Barclays, Societe Generale, ANZ, Royal Bank of Scotland and ABN AMRO. While some non-Asia players, such as UBS, Credit Suisse, Julius Baer, Citigroup and LGT are making a point of going after business in the region, some firms have not been able to reach sufficient scale and have chosen to leave. (To see an editorial comment on the matter, see here.)

 

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