Thirty years ago, Banca Transilvania opened its Arad branch with a small team, a lot of enthusiasm and big plans. Today, BT, Romania’s largest bank, is the financial partner for roughly a third of the companies in our county and for more than 135,000 people in Arad. In a conversation about the past, present and future, Bogdan Andrica, Branch Manager, BT Arad, talks about how banking and the local economy have evolved, the lessons learned from entrepreneurs and the role a bank plays in community development.


BEGINNINGS AND TRANSFORMATION

How has the profile of BT Arad’s customer changed over the past 30 years?

Thirty years ago, banking largely meant access to the products and services available at the time; today it means experience, trust and relevance. Our customers have changed along with the world around them. They are far better informed, more connected to banking, and they look for solutions that support their personal and professional plans. I think the biggest change is in customers’ expectations, which constantly pushes us to be faster, more efficient and better.

What did banking look like in Arad in 1996?

Banking in Arad reflected Romania’s banking sector at the time. It moved at a completely different pace, meant trips to the branch and a lot of patience. Everything was on paper, many processes were manual, transactions were carried out exclusively at the counter, and customers came to the bank mainly to open current accounts, make deposits or take out loans.

Banks, however, also financed the first plans, the first investments and the first generations of local businesses — and that was felt in Arad as well. Banks were among the first points of contact for customers with the emerging market economy in Romania and encouraged — with everything they had then — the Romanian entrepreneurial spirit.

For Banca Transilvania, which was one of the new players in Romania’s banking market at the time, 1996 marked its entry into the Arad market and the opening of its 12th location nationwide. Opening the BT Arad Branch was more than territorial expansion; it meant a presence in a dynamic, entrepreneurial local market, with advantages including its geography.


BT ARAD, PART OF THE COMMUNITY, TODAY

What does the BT Arad Branch look like in numbers today?

In numbers, the BT Arad Branch serves approximately 15,000 companies and over 135,000 retail customers. In practice, one in three companies in the county banks with us. Alongside the digital banking solutions we offer, we’re consistently close to our customers through the 15 locations we have in the county. Eight of these are in Arad, and the other seven are in the county’s most important towns — Ineu, Chișineu Criș, Lipova, Sebiș, Sântana, Pecica and Nădlac. Across the whole Banca Transilvania Group, we are over 180 colleagues in Arad, plus approximately 100 more at the Processing Center, who make sure all branches and ATMs are supplied with cash.

Is there a number you’re proudest of?

We have surpassed RON 4 billion in customer deposits and RON 2 billion in loans extended. Our deposit market share confirms the trust customers in Arad place in Banca Transilvania, and we are very grateful for that. The fact that roughly one in four RON saved in the county is held as deposits with BT validates the relationship we have built over time with the local community. On the lending side, we continue to see significant room for growth.

In the past five years, more than 2,300 families in Arad have built or bought a home with financing from our bank. We have extended loans that in total exceeded EUR 100 million. Behind these figures are thousands of personal stories and families who have chosen to build their future in Arad.

Arad’s economy is dynamic, entrepreneurs continue to invest, and we aim to be even more present in their projects. We’re pleased with what we’ve achieved, but we believe there is still room to grow together with Arad.


ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND THE LOCAL ECONOMY

What traits do you see in entrepreneurs who have built successful businesses?

After 30 years of BT standing alongside entrepreneurs in Arad, we’ve seen that successful businesses were built by those who knew how to overcome obstacles. If I were to name two qualities I consistently find, they are discipline and resilience.

I’m very glad that Arad has a mature business community made up of people who understand that success takes time. Arad offers a favorable environment for economic development: we have good infrastructure, motorway access, industrial parks, a major rail hub and an advantageous geographic position. Western influence and proximity to several European capitals have, over time, contributed to the community’s economic and cultural development.

How has BT contributed to the development of local businesses and to Arad’s economic growth?

I believe our most important contribution has been staying close to local entrepreneurs at every stage of their business development, including during difficult periods when access to finance makes the difference between stagnation and growth. In the last five years, Banca Transilvania has provided small and medium-sized companies in Arad County with approximately RON 2.7 billion in financing. These resources turned into investments, capacity expansions, new technologies, working capital and jobs. Beyond the numbers, this is about businesses that have grown, entrepreneurs who had the courage to invest, and a local economy that has become stronger and more competitive.

Our portfolio today is a faithful snapshot of Arad’s economy: agriculture, transport and logistics, construction, trade, services, real estate development and early-stage entrepreneurial ventures. We went where entrepreneurs invested, created jobs and built projects for the future.


ABOUT PEOPLE AND COMMUNITY

What is the bank’s most important contribution to the development of the local community?

Beyond banking, the most important contribution is to community development. The local economy grows when people grow — when their skills and opportunities grow.

In Arad, we get involved in local projects that support education, sports, the environment and social inclusion. From Căsoaia Bike Run & Fun and Eu sunt Verde, to Cărturarii Moderni and Tinerii învață Tineri, we contribute to a community that is more active, better educated and better connected. At the same time, through Banca Transilvania’s national financial education program, Finanțe pe Înțelesul Tuturor, we reach schools and universities to help children and young people better understand their relationship with money and make better financial decisions.

If you were to sum up the relationship between BT and Arad in a few words, what would they be?

BT and Arad means growing together. For 30 years we have developed alongside the people and companies of this city, and what binds us today is our shared history and the conviction that the best chapters are still ahead of us. Arad has grown, BT has grown, and the story goes on.