Alpha Bank London, the UK subsidiary of Greece's Alpha Bank, is in the midst of a transformation aimed at repositioning itself as a "community-based, digital retail bank".
Led by CEO Greg Ellison, the lender is channeling significant investment into new technologies and the rollout of a core banking platform designed to operate primarily through online and mobile services.
The strategy focuses on building closer ties with specific communities that have distinct needs and strong networks. Among these are the Greek diaspora in Britain, small and medium-sized enterprises seeking more personal relationships with their banking partners, as well as consumer groups that have traditionally been underserved by mainstream financial institutions.
The transition, however, comes at a steep cost.
Operating expenses more than doubled in 2024, rising to £8.4 million from £3.9 million the previous year. Spending on IT systems reached £2.38 million, reflecting the core banking upgrade and new software licenses. Fees to external providers climbed to £2.03 million, while office costs surged to £2.84 million from £1.22 million, driven by reorganization and investment in infrastructure.
These outlays weighed heavily on profitability. Pre-tax earnings fell to £3.2 million from £8.3 million in 2023, while the cost-to-income ratio deteriorated to 86 percent from 63 percent a year earlier. Revenues, by contrast, showed only a modest increase, edging up to £22.3 million in 2024 from £21.9 million in the previous year.
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