Annual Report 2012 26

The SpareBank 1 Alliance

The SpareBank 1 Alliance was founded in 1996. The − SpareBank 1 Ringerike Hadeland ­alliance is a banking and product collaboration in which − SpareBank 1 Søre Sunnmøre the SpareBank 1 banks in cooperate through the − SpareBank 1 Telemark jointly owned holding company SpareBank 1 Gruppen AS. − SpareBank 1 Østfold Akershus An overarching goal for the SpareBank 1 Alliance is to The two jointly owned commercial banks are Bank 1 ensure the independence of the individual banks, and Oslo Akershus AS and BN Bank ASA. In January 2013, regional presence through strong competitive ability, and LO and the affiliated unions profitability and financial strength. At the same time, the increased their holdings in SpareBank 1 Oslo Akershus SpareBank 1 Alliance represents a competitive complete AS to 40.5% and 29.9%, respectively. The increase banking alternative at national level. ­occurred after the acquisition of shares from SpareBank The SpareBank 1 Alliance is collectively one of the 1 SR-Bank ASA, SpareBank 1 SMN and SpareBank 1 largest providers of financial products and services in Nord-Norge. the ­Norwegian market. The alliance has established SpareBank 1 Gruppen AS is the parent company of the a ­national market profile and developed a common Group consisting of: ­strategy for brand building and communications. – SpareBank 1 Skadeforsikring (100%) - which owns The strategic marketing platform also forms the basis 100% of the shares in Unison Forsikring AS for common product and concept development. The – SpareBank 1 Livsforsikring AS (100%) ­marketing efforts are primarily directed at the retail – ODIN Forvaltning AS (100%) market, small and medium-sized companies and unions – SpareBank 1 Medlemskort AS (100%) affiliated to LO. Both the banks and product areas are – SpareBank 1 Gruppen Finans AS (100%) - which ­doing well in the competitive landscape, and profit owns 100% of the shares in Conecto AS trends are good. – SpareBank 1 Markets AS (97.55%) The SpareBank 1 Alliance currently, as at 31/12/2012, The main functions of the Group within the SpareBank 1 ­consists of 15 independent banks, two jointly owned Alliance are twofold: commercial banks and the SpareBank 1 Gruppen. 1. Operate and develop the finance group with The 15 independent banks in the alliance are: ­production and delivery of competitive products • SpareBank 1 SR-Bank ASA and services for distribution among the alliance • SpareBank 1 SMN banks, other banks with distribution agreements • SpareBank 1 Nord-Norge with companies in the SpareBank 1 Gruppen • Sparebanken Hedmark and LO. This work is organised in SpareBank 1 • as well as an amalgamation of several smaller banks ­Gruppen AS, which is owned by: under the name of Samarbeidene Sparebanker − SpareBank 1 SR-Bank ASA (19.5%) ­(SamSpar); − SpareBank 1 Nord-Norge (19.5%) − SpareBank 1 Buskerud Vestfold − SpareBank 1 SMN (19.5%) − SpareBank 1 Gudbrandsdal − Samarbeidende Sparebanker AS (19.5%) − SpareBank 1 Hallingdal Valdres − Sparebanken Hedmark (12%) − SpareBank 1 Lom og Skjåk − and LO/unions affiliated to LO (10%), that are − SpareBank 1 Modum not part of the alliance. − SpareBank 1 Nordvest − SpareBank 1 Nøtterøy-Tønsberg