Message from the Chief Executive Officer Throughout 2021, the COVID-19 pandemic has continued to persist with broader impacts. However, since the first outbreak in 2020, we have witnessed sustained efforts from all sectors joining forces to solve problems, mitigate impacts and assist those in hardship. Notably, we have observed acceleration of adaptation and steadfastness in the face of a longer-lasting crisis than expected. So did TMBThanachart; we are entirely committed to changing our ways of working and increasing efficiency so that the COVID-19 situation does not constrain nor affect customer services, corporate social responsibility activities through fai-fah program, as well as the integration mission. We recognize that the Bank’s successful merger is an opportunity to fully synergize and leverage the strengths of both banks, which is instrumental in strengthening the Bank’s continued commitment to customers, shareholders, employees, and society. One Bank, One Goal The integration mission began in 2020 with a series of reorganizations and reinforcement of management teams and employees from both banks to serve a business that has grown double in size. Subsequently, the service channels of the two banks were integrated. And in the last six months of the integration plan in 2021, the new bank and new brand were launched concurrently with system integration and the database migration of retail customers, which accounted for the largest customer segment and was the most challenging procedure. In the midst of COVID-19 pandemic, the safety of our customers and employees has become one of the top priorities of the Bank’s merger mission. We enhanced safety measures at our branches to ensure customer safety while expanding and optimizing online service channels to meet an increasing usage and assisting customers in need of financial assistance. In terms of employee welfare, the Bank expedited work system enhancements that enabled employees to work from home at the highest possible rate. Other efforts included vaccine procurement, insurance welfare benefits and care for COVID-19 infected employees. For frontline customer service staff and those involved in the integration processes, the Bankmade significant actions to alleviate the workload burden and created a safer working environment to reduce the risk of COVID-19 infection, such as separation of operating areas, provision of an alternative working location with full accommodation and Bubble and Seal working facilities. Despite a number of challenges and constraints imposed by the COVID-19 situation, our employees were determined and motivated to overcome impediments and achieved the mission of integrating two banks as one on July 5, 2021, as planned. Under this mission, the Bank successfully merged two banks’ databases, as well as migrating the databases of 4 million customers, a loan base of THB 620 billion and a deposit of THB 470 billion from Thanachart Bank to the TMBThanachart system. Furthermore, the Bank enhanced its efficiency after the merger by reducing IT systems and applications of the 2 banks from over 600 to 290 systems and applications. And with the addition of more than 8,000 employees from Thanachart Bank, TMBThanachart now has a total of over 15,000 employees who are essential forces in delivering better financial experiences to over 10 million customers through over 600 branches, ttb contact center 1428, ttb internet banking and the newly-streamlined ttb mobile application. With strong potential of the new merged bank and significantly increased importance to the country’s financial system and economy, the Bank of Thailand announced shortly after the successful integration that TMBThanachart is identified as one of the Domestic Systemically Important Banks (D-SIBs). Additionally, the Bank later received a credit rating upgrade from Fitch Ratings. Prudent Business Operations for Future Quality Growth With the commitment to all stakeholders and being one of the financial institutions critical to the country’s financial and economic system, throughout the COVID-19 crisis, TMBThanachart has adhered to prudent business practices and avoided aggressive growth during unfavorable economic circumstances that could entail greater risks than at time of normal business environment. This is to preserve the Bank’s financial strength and resources for future quality and sustainable expansion. Form 56-1 One Report 2021 9
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy ODEyMzQ3