‘Simplicity is our great asset and we will go on communicating that as a team in everything we do for the customer.’

Dear reader,

Are you familiar with the film Groundhog Day? As I wrote this, the same feeling overtook me that Bill Murray had in that film; everything seemed to be the same all over again and there was no escape. We called 2022 volatile and unpredictable, and these are definitely terms that we can take out and dust off again to describe 2023. The war in Ukraine continues in all its intensity. The threat on the European borders may therefore have intensified even further, and international relations were on high alert in the rest of the world as well (in Gaza and elsewhere). What’s more, the same major challenges persist in our everyday life here: floods caused by climate change, criminality and fraud, social disadvantage, strict rules on energy and renovation etc.

A changeable world like this needs a solid bank like Argenta, which creates clarity for our customers. Argenta is strong and prepared for the future. We are absolutely determined to reach our 100th anniversary. Achieving that means we have to remain true to what makes us stand out in the market. Following Marc Lauwers’ retirement, we started 2023 with a new CEO at the helm. I am firmly convinced that, with Peter Devlies, we have the vision and capabilities on board to hone Argenta’s strengths even further in the coming years. Simplicity is our great asset and we will go on communicating that as a team in everything we do for the customer.

Argenta wants to contribute to an inclusive society. We want everyone to be in a stronger position to tackle the financial challenges in that unpredictable world. For this reason, we are committed to financial literacy. Explaining complex concepts in simple terms, making ourselves as accessible to questions as possible. This is something we have committed to for years with our 387 branches, and it is something that will remain unchanged. Spaargids hasn’t presented us with the ‘Best Branch Network’ award three years in a row for nothing. This is an achievement of which we can be justly proud and for which we give all our branch employees a huge pat on the back. An inclusive society also means that you give when you can. So many employees are involved in Warm Argenta, a collection of initiatives for charity that have developed over seven years into a broad spectrum of activities and fund-raising campaigns. My warm thanks to everyone who worked for these good causes with boundless energy.