Brian Lehane

Corporate Account Manager @Handelsbanken

Northampton, GB

Founded in 1871, Handelsbanken is one of Sweden\'s leading banks with over 750 branches in 24 countries, and more than employees. Handelsbanken commenced operations in the UK in 1982 and now has over 160 branches providing highly personalised Corporate and Private banking services. Handelsbanken operates with a solid Capital Base and was rated the safest bank in Europe, and the fourth safest bank in the world, according to Global Finance’s ranking of over 500 banks worldwide (Source : Global Finance September 2022). Global Finance’s “World’s 50 Safest Commercial Banks” is an annual ranking of the 50 safest commercial banks worldwide.Providing a truly local banking approach through the ‘church spire’ principle, I was part of the team responsible for launching the Northamptonshire branch in 2007. I focus on providing banking and funding solutions in the mid-to-large Corporate market with a specialism of real estate financing to professional property investors and transactors. Handelsbanken’s approach is based on a decentralised model empowering local branches to make decisions and take responsibility for growing the business. There are no sales targets and, correspondingly, no bonuses paid with a focus on building long term relationships. In 2022, Handelsbanken was rated top for customer satisfaction and loyalty for the fourteenth year running, in an independent survey of British banks’ personal and business customers (EPSI Rating 2022).