The ranking of "Brandz Top 100 Most Valuable Global Brands" has been recently released worldwide. With a brand value of USD 44.44 billion, ICBC came eleventh and became the No.1 financial brand, leading the financial institution in the second place by USD 7.56 billion. This is already the third consecutive year when ICBC remains as number one in the category of financial institutions and reinforces its market dominance as the most valuable financial brand in the world.

Developed by Millward Brown Optimor, the world renowned advertising and broadcasting firm, the "BrandZ Top 100 Most Valuable Global Brands" is the most comprehensive annual ranking of brand value. The ranking takes three critical indexes into account. First, economic value of the brand. Second: brand contribution, or the degree to which the brand plays a role in generating earnings, counting the customer perceptions into the assessment system and calculating the brand value by the impact caused to the customers in making buying decision. Third: Brand multiple, reflecting the recent growth potential of the brand value.

ICBC holding on as the most valuable financial brand in the world fully demonstrates the recognition from the industry and customers to ICBC brand, said an executive with ICBC. The Bank is moving aggressively in all segments and spending conscious efforts on the reform and innovation since its shareholding restructuring and going public. The brand of ICBC is one important element of the Bank's core competence with rich context, strong image and rising value, an epitome of ICBC's financial strength, stable operation, IT innovation and top-quality services. Given the needs of customers for diversified and integrated financial services nowadays, products are easily imitated but not the brand. The potential is huge to earn profit by adding value to the brand. Hence, the high value of ICBC brand manifests the good image and reputation of ICBC in the market, but a strong engine to drive the continual growth of the Bank.

To a commercial bank, the key to its brand is the level of financial services provided to the public, the recognition and degree of acceptance from the customers. In view of this, ICBC is committed to the philosophy of "customer demand is the key, customer service is the basis, customer relation is the link". Brand commitment is implemented in every aspect of banking operation and customer services, covering every step from product R&D, channel set-up, service environment to customer communication, process restructuring and service management. An example, ICBC is the first bank in the country to launch "Customer Experience Room". In the conventional way, customers have to accept or use the products after the launch. Now, through the "Customer Experience Room", customers are allowed to participate in the design of product, give suggestion to improve or innovate during the early phase of product design and production. Another example, ICBC outlets have undergone large scale renovations. The bright and spacious environment, the wide range of financial services, the new and fabulous customer activities let ICBC outlets provide more comprehensive services. Sixty percent of the Bank's retail transaction volume runs through its electronic channel. Round-the-clock and all-inclusive service let ICBC services truly accessible everywhere.

In serving the customers to go global, ICBC's brand also marches on to the international market and is now a "caretaker" for the Bank to compete in the world. While overseeing a continuous transformation from local bank to global bank, ICBC has established a global financial service network spreading over five continents of Asia, Europe, America, Australia and Africa with well-defined hierarchy, reasonable positioning, diversified and highly efficient operation. Leveraging the Group's advantages to build one unified mechanism to push ahead the domestic and overseas business, ICBC is the first Chinese bank to develop and roll out an integrated IT platform for the delivery of high-quality financial services under one standard across the world. As ICBC escalating its global footprint and strengthening its global service capacity and international competitiveness, the brand of ICBC is gaining wider concern and recognition in the worldwide market.

The ICBC executive stated that, banks belong to service sector, services are key to ICBC's survival. ICBC will continue to give back to the community the best-quality services and take all necessary measures to meet the increasing demand for financial services from all customers. The Bank is building a brand of top-quality services to increase the trust and loyalty of ICBC brand from the customers, and to enhance the value of ICBC brand on a continuous basis.