Banco Espírito Santo

Banco Espírito Santo (BES ) is a commercial bank based in Lisbon, Portugal.

The company's roots date back to the last quarter of the 19th century, the work as a commercial bank was taken after the merger of Banco Espirito Santo and Banco Comercial de Lisboa in 1937. In July 1999 the name was changed to Banco Espirito Santo. " Espírito Santo " is on German Holy Spirit. In this case it refers to the surname of the company's founding family. The company is listed on the Lisbon Stock Exchange in the PSI 20.

The Bank invests its capital, it gains from savings and equity in loans and securities. The company also provides other banking services in Portugal and abroad. The main focus is on the business enterprise, the Bank is also active in retail banking and leasing.

In Portugal, the Bank operates the largest branch network with 482 branches across the country.

Internationally, the company is represented by 27 stores in Spain. The BES has a 20 percent stake in Société Bancaire de Paris and has offices in Lausanne, London, Nassau, Madeira, Madrid, New York. Other offices are located in Caracas, Frankfurt, Johannesburg, Luanda, Milan, Paris, Toronto, São Paulo, Shanghai and Newark.

The main subsidiaries of the company are: Banco Internacional de Crédito, based in Lisbon, Companhia de Seguros Tranquilidade ( the largest insurance company in Portugal), Besleasing, Banco ESSI ( a leading investment bank ) and the ESFG ( an investment company ).

On January 3, 2011, the BES has been recognized by Global Finance magazine for the fifth time in a row as the best bank in Portugal.

Group

Together with its subsidiaries, the BES is part of the Espírito Santo Financial Group ( ESFG ).