Hellenic open to ‘cooperation’

Hellenic Bank Pcl (HB) is open to cooperation with any group that will boost shareholder value, said HB CEO Makis Keravnos during the presentation of the Bank’s first half results.

Pressed by the Financial Mirror to clarify whether the cooperation pacts likely to be entered by HB would be of the sort of rumours whereby HB would enter a German led shipping consortium bidding for Universal Bank or the sort whereby a player like the Proton Bank of Greece would take a direct stake in the Bank, Keravnos replied vaguely.

“As long as and provided that such a cooperation would be in the interests of the bank, then we will proceed with it,” said Keravnos who probably added to the confusion rather than provide a clear outline to what is happening in relation to repeated and intense speculation arising from Greece that the Proton Bank will, or wants to make a move on Hellenic.