Hovhannes Toroyan: Ameriabank’s ecosystem designed to make customers fully satisfied
YEREVAN, September 29. /ARКА/. Ameriabank’s ecosystem idea is simple: “one-stop shop” designed to make life easier and keep customers fully satisfied and their quality of life improved, which is at the heart of our mission, says the bank's Chief Financial Officer Hovhannes Toroyan in an interview with Forbes magazine that has released a special report focusing on Armenia, highlighting the nation's economic and investment appeal.
He says the bank’s operations are focused on satisfying needs of customers. 'Whenever those go beyond banking, we try to aggregate the best options in the market on our platform, so that our customers get easy access to those. Banking shouldn’t end with a loan or a deposit. For example, when families look to buy a home, in a single platform we help them navigate through every step, from browsing new apartment listings to arranging the mortgage, insurance and even post-purchase needs. Customers are always at the core of anything that we do.'
Elaborating on how Ameriabank supports fast-growing sectors in Armenia Mr. Toroyan says the strength it brings is a deep understanding of the overall economy, businesses and behavioral pattern of compatriots.
'Many in our management team have backgrounds in advisory or real sector, which helps us identify high-potential sectors and the best companies within them. Having the largest loan portfolio in Armenia, we were still able to grow it by more than 35% during last 12 months,' he says, adding that the bank’s growth of 25–35 percent across client segments is powered by this targeted approach and willingness to adapt as markets shift.
'We don’t just provide financing; we partner with clients, share insights and encourage best practices, by integrating ESG standards. We also heavily apply artificial intelligence to understand behavior of our customers and be able to offer them tailored solutions. Our automated models currently account for more than 90% of consumer loans that we underwrite,' he says.
Asked how e ESG & sustainability are integrated into the bank's strategy Mr. Toroyan says Ameriabank was the first institution in Armenia, and one of the first in the region, to issue green bonds.
'We align our operations with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and have selected four SDGs as our focus areas. These principles are built into our lending: we set minimum ESG standards for clients, help them comply and even adjust terms if they fall short. This wasn’t always easy but now more clients see how these measures protect them from risk, strengthen resilience and help them grow sustainably. We also publish annual sustainability reports verified by third parties, and we use every loan as an opportunity to promote responsible business practices. Over time, this mindset shift has become much easier to communicate, and we believe it will become the norm in Armenia’s banking sector.'-0-
