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DZ BANK Group - partner in the Volksbanken Raiffeisenbanken cooperative financial network

DZ BANK Group is part of the German cooperative financial network, which is one of Germany’s largest private-sector financial services organizations and comprises more than 1,100 local cooperative banks (Volksbanken and Raiffeisenbanken). The group employs more than 27,000, the network more than 188,000 staff.

Within the cooperative financial network, DZ BANK AG as governing entity of DZ BANK Group functions both as a central institution for more than 900 German cooperative banks and their 12,000 branch offices and as a corporate bank. Therefore, DZ BANK AG is closely geared to the interests of the Volksbanken and Raiffeisenbanken banks, which are both its owners and its most important customers. Using a customized product portfolio and customer-focused marketing, DZ BANK AG aims to ensure that the Volksbanken and Raiffeisenbanken continually improve their competitiveness on the basis of strong brands and a leading market position. In addition, DZ BANK AG performs the function of a central institution for the cooperative banks and is responsible for liquidity management within the cooperative financial network.

Volksbanken and Raiffeisenbanken with over 16 million members and 30 million customers with a 25%-market share are main pillar of the German banking industry and a major force in the German economy. Volksbanken and Raiffeisenbanken as independent enterprises are deeply rooted in regional economic life. Their business strengths lie in a thorough knowledge of the market and personal contact with the people in the region.

The DZ BANK Group includes Bausparkasse Schwäbisch Hall, – a building society, DG HYP – Commercial Real Estate Finance, DZ PRIVATBANK, R+V Versicherung – an insurance company, TeamBank – consumer finance, Union Investment Group – asset management, VR LEASING, and various other specialized institutions. The companies of the DZ BANK Group constitute key pillars in the range of financial products and services offered by the cooperative financial network. The DZ BANK Group sets out its strategy and range of services for the cooperative banks and their customers through its four strategic business lines – Retail Banking, Corporate Banking, Capital Markets, and Transaction Banking. This combination of banking, insurance, home savings, and personal investment products and services has a long and successful tradition in the cooperative financial network.

The focus on the Volksbanken and Raiffeisenbanken is vital in view of the management of scarce resources and the need to meet new regulatory requirements. By focusing more closely on the cooperative financial network, DZ BANK Group’s aim is to exploit the potential of its core activities more fully, particularly with regard to private customers and SME business.

The core activities referred to above are supplemented by complementary activities using existing products, platforms, and services for which DZ BANK acts as a corporate bank vis-à-vis third parties. These activities are not in direct competition with those of the Volksbanken and Raiffeisenbanken.