The branch was given flagship status as it is designed based on the so-called “CORE” concept, an acronym for “consumer-oriented retail environment.” Only one other Citibank branch in Taiwan is designed based on the CORE concept, and that is the branch in Banciao, Taipei County.

“We base the design on components of Mother Nature,” said Victor Kuan, Citibank country business manager. “The place is spacious and well-lit, giving customers a fresh feeling as they go about their banking business.”

The branch has six floors occupying 700 pings of space. The first floor is for regular banking customers, while the second and third floors are for Citigold Select and Citigold customers, respectively, and are characterized by enhanced privacy and comfort features.

Citigold customers are those with a minimum balance of NT$3 million, and Citigold Select customers are those with a minimum balance of NT$15 million.

The new Hsinchu branch replaces the old one originally located in downtown Hsinchu City, near the famous Eastern Gate area. The new branch is now located in Jhubei City, the location of the Hsinchu County Government.

The new branch is some 10 to 15 minutes’ drive from the world-famous Hsinchu Science-based Industrial Park (HSIP), whose employees account for a major portion of Citibank’s Hsinchu customers. While the new location is further away from HSIP than the old one, Kuan said from a holistic point of view, the new location is better as it neighbors several parks and a cultural center in the area, and has plenty of parking space.

And, given the sophistication of Hsinchu residents, many of whom are high-tech gurus and professors of prestigious universities in the area, location is not a problem as all banking services are easily accessible via phone and the Internet, Kuan said.

To celebrate the opening of the new branch, Citibank Taiwan announced a new service, Citigold Global Access, to VIP customers. With Citigold Global Access, Citigold customers may enjoy the following when traveling abroad: preferential exchange rates, free international calls to Citibank Taiwan specialists, and unlimited entry to Citigold lounges in several parts of the world.

According to Sunil Kaul, head of Citibank’s Asia Pacific retail banking, who also attended the opening ceremony yesterday, Citigold Global Access is one of the many reasons that Citibank is a leader in wealth management. Citibank’s global connections due to its status as a multinational conglomerate allow a wide range of financial tools and products found in no other local banks in Taiwan, he said.

At the same time, Citibank has over a century of experience in Asia and 43 years of experience in Taiwan, giving it a profound knowledge of the Taiwanese culture and a competitve edge over other foreign banks on the island, Kaul said.

Subscribe to The China Post and save.  Click hereSharePrintEmail

Write a Comment

Enter your comments - 800 characters max

Receive China Post promos

Respond to this email