ICICI Bank

web: http://www.icicibank.com

ICICI Group offers a wide range of banking products and financial services to corporate and retail customers through a variety of delivery channels and through its specialised group companies, subsidiaries and affiliates in the areas of personal banking, investment banking, life and general insurance, venture capital and asset management. With a strong customer focus, the ICICI Group Companies have maintained and enhanced their leadership position in their respective sectors.

ICICI Bank is India's second-largest bank with total assets of Rs. 3,997.95 billion (US$ 100 billion) at March 31, 2008 and profit after tax of Rs. 41.58 billion for the year ended March 31, 2008. ICICI Bank is second amongst all the companies listed on the Indian stock exchanges in terms of free float market capitalisation*. The Bank has a network of about 1,308 branches and 3,950 ATMs in India and presence in 18 countries.

ICICI Prudential Life Insurance Company is a 74:26 joint venture with Prudential plc (UK). It is the largest private sector life insurance company offering a comprehensive suite of life, health and pensions products. It is also the pioneer in launching innovative health care products like Diabetes Care and Cancer Care. The company operates on a multi-channel platform and has a distribution strength of over 2,90,000 financial advisors operating from 1956 branches spread across 1669 locations across the country. In addition to the agency force, it also has tie-ups with various banks, corporate agents and brokers. In fiscal 2008, ICICI Prudential attained a market share of 12.7% with new business weighted premium growth of 68.3% to Rs. 66.84 billion and held assets of Rs. 285.78 billion at March 31, 2008.

ICICI Lombard General Insurance Company, a joint venture with the Canada based Fairfax Financial Holdings, is the largest private sector general insurance company. It has a comprehensive product portfolio catering to all corporate and retail insurance needs and is present in over 200 locations across the country. ICICI Lombard General Insurance has achieved a market share of 29.8% among private sector general insurance companies and an overall market share of 11.9% during fiscal 2008. The gross return premium grew by 11.4% from Rs. 30.3 billion in fiscal 2007 to Rs. 33.45 billion in fiscal 2008.

ICICI Securities is the dominant online broker and one of the leading merchant bankers in India. As of March 2008, it had over 300 outlets and more than 1.5 million customers. In fiscal 2008 it has achieved a profit after tax of Rs. 1.50 billion.

ICICI Securities Primary Dealership is the largest primary dealer in Government securities. In fiscal 2008, it achieved a profit after tax of Rs.1.40 billion.

ICICI Prudential Asset Management is the second largest mutual fund with asset under management of Rs. 547.74 billion and a market share of 10.2% as on March 31, 2008. The Company manages a comprehensive range of mutual fund schemes and portfolio management services to meet the varying investment needs of its investors through 235 branches spread across the country.

Incorporated in 1987, ICICI Venture is the oldest and the largest private equity firm in India. The funds under management of ICICI Venture have increased at a 5 year CAGR of 49% to Rs.95.50 billion as on March 31, 2008.

*Free float holding excludes all promoter holdings, strategic investments and cross holdings among public sector entities.

HSBC Bank - The World's Local Bank

Web:http://www.hsbc.com

Headquartered in London, HSBC is one of the largest banking and financial services organisations in the world. HSBC's international network comprises over 10,000 offices in 83 countries and territories in Europe, the Asia-Pacific region, the Americas, the Middle East and Africa.

With listings on the London, Hong Kong, New York, Paris and Bermuda stock exchanges, shares in HSBC Holdings plc are held by around 200,000 shareholders in some 100 countries and territories. The shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange in the form of American Depositary Receipts.

Through an international network linked by advanced technology, including a rapidly growing e-commerce capability, HSBC provides a comprehensive range of financial services: personal financial services; commercial banking; corporate, investment banking and markets; private banking; and other activities.

The HSBC Group has an international pedigree which is unique. Many of its principal companies opened for business over a century ago and they have a history which is rich in variety and achievement. The HSBC Group is named after its founding member, The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited, which was established in 1865 to finance the growing trade between China and Europe.

US Bank

Web:http://www.usbank.com/

U.S. Bancorp (NYSE: USB), with $242 billion in assets, is the parent company of U.S. Bank, the 6th largest commercial bank in the United States. The company operates 2,522 banking offices and 4,844 ATMs, and provides a comprehensive line of banking, brokerage, insurance, investment, mortgage, trust and payment services products to consumers, businesses and institutions.

U.S. Bancorp is home of the Five Star Service Guarantee, which assures customers of certain key banking benefits and services or customers will be paid for their inconvenience. Visit U.S. Bancorp on the web at usbank.com.

Bank of China

Web: http://www.boc.cn

Bank of China，or Bank of China Limited in full, is one of China’s four state-owned commercial banks. Its businesses cover commercial banking, investment banking and insurance. Members of the group include BOC Hong Kong, BOC International, BOCG Insurance and other financial institutions. The Bank provides a comprehensive range of high-quality financial services to individual and corporate customers as well as financial institutions worldwide. In terms of tier one capital, it ranked 18th among the world’s top 1,000 banks by The Banker magazine in 2005.

The Bank is mainly engaged in commercial banking, including corporate and retail banking, treasury business and financial institutions banking. Corporate banking is built upon credit products, to provide customers with personalized and innovative financial services as well as financing and financial solutions. Retail banking serves the financial needs of the Bank’s individual customers, focusing on providing them with such services as savings deposit, consumer credit bankcard and wealth management business. Treasury business includes domestic and foreign-currency trading and investment, fund management, wealth management, value-secured debt business, domestic and overseas financing and other fund operation and management services. Financial institution banking refers to services offered to banks, securities brokerages, fund companies and insurance companies worldwide ranging from clearing, inter-bank lending to agent and custodian services. As a Chinese financial institution with a history of almost a hundred years, the Bank is well known for its continuous business innovations, introducing many brand new products and services in the domestic banking industry, while paying regard to the need for prudence in its operations. It is widely recognized and commended by its peers and customers in international settlement, foreign exchange, trade finance, etc.

Over the past century, Bank of China played an important role in China’s financial history. It was established in 1912 pursuant to the approval of Mr. Sun Yatsen. In the following 37 years until the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949, the Bank served as the central bank, international exchange bank and specialized foreign trade bank successively. As the pillar of the country’s financial industry, Bank of China was committed to serving the public and developing the domestic financial sector. During these volatile years, the Bank strived to expand its presence in the market by prudent operation and aggressive reform, leading the market in many areas of its operations for a long period. Having branched out into overseas market, the Bank opened a brilliant chapter in China’s modern and contemporary banking history.

In 1949, Bank of China became the state-designated specialized foreign exchange bank and substantially contributed to development of foreign trade and the national economy. In 1994 and following the entrenchment of the reform of the financial sector, Bank of China was converted into a wholly state-owned commercial bank. Together with the other three wholly state-owned commercial banks, it constituted pillars of the country’s financial industry.

In 2003, it was named by the State Council as one of the pilot banks for joint-stock reform of wholly state-owned commercial banks. In order to develop itself into an internationally competitive modern joint-stock commercial bank with abundant capital, strict internal control, secure operations, and sound service and performance, Bank of China further improved corporate governance mechanism, strengthened risk management and internal control, integrated management processes and business processes, promoted human resource management reform, accelerated product and service innovation, and steadily pushed ahead joint-stock reform. On August 26, 2004, Bank of China Limited was formally incorporated in Beijing as a state-controlled joint stock commercial bank, turning a new chapter in its history and signaling a huge step forward in becoming a modern joint stock commercial bank with good corporate governance practices.

Bank of China is the most internationalized commercial bank in China. BOC London Branch, the first overseas branch of the Chinese banks, was established in 1929. From then on, the Bank successively opened branches in global financial centers, and has built up its network in 27 countries and regions. Currently, it had over 10000 domestic operations and over 600 overseas operations. In 1994 and 1995, Bank of China became the note issuing bank in Hong Kong and Macao respectively. It was the first among Chinese banks to recruit international experts and to introduce modern business management concepts into its operations with a view to become a premiere international bank.

On July 14, 2004, Bank of China became the sole banking partner of Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. The Bank will offer efficient and quality financial services to domestic and foreign customers. It will promote the Olympic spirits and contribute to the success of this magnificent sports event, thereby improving its corporate image and its value to the community.

Bank of China has received wide recognition from its peers, customers and authoritative media for the credit and performance it achieved in past years. It has been awarded “Best Bank in China” and “Best Domestic Bank in China” by Euromoney for eight times; it has been included in the Fortune Global 500 for 16 consecutive years; in addition, it was awarded “Best Domestic Bank in China” by The Asset, awarded “Best Trade Finance Bank in China” and “Best Foreign Exchange Bank in China” by Global Finance, and awarded “the Top 10 Product Service Enterprises in China” by Far Eastern Economic Review; since BOC Hong Kong was restructured and listed in the Hong Kong stock market, it has been the winner of many significant awards, including “Best IPO Investor Relation Award” issued by the Investor Relations Magazine and “ Best Transactions” and “Best Privatization Award” issued by Asian Finance.

In the past century, Bank of China was deeply relied on by customers thanks to its sound operation, strong capacity, advanced products and rich experience. It has built up a splendid brand and established a long-term stable cooperative relationship with its customers. Being customer-centered and market-oriented, Bank of China will improve corporate governance in pursuit of sound benefits, and develop into a leading international bank. Depending on strong capacity, worldwide network, advanced products and rich experience, it is dedicated to offering customers with a full range of high-quality banking services.

Bank of America

web: www.bankofamerica.com

Bank of America (NYSE: BAC TYO: 8648) is the largest commercial bank in the United States by both deposits and market capitalization.

Before 1998, the Bank of America organization that exists today was known as NationsBank and was previously known in earlier years as North Carolina National Bank before being abbreviated to "NCNB" as it branched out of its home base of Charlotte, North Carolina. In 1998, NationsBank acquired San Francisco-based BankAmerica and renamed the corporation "Bank of America".

In addition to its new eco-friendly office tower in Manhattan, Bank of America has pledged to spend billions on commercial lending and investment banking for projects that it considers "green." The corporation, which already supplied all of its employees with cash incentives to buy hybrid vehicles, is also helping its customers be eco-friendly by rolling out a new credit card program in 2007 that would donate money to helping the environment, as well as providing mortgage loan breaks for customers whose homes qualified as energy efficient.[22]

Bank of America has also donated money to help health centers in Massachusetts[23] and made donations to help homeless shelters in Miami.[24]

In 2004 the bank pledged $750 billion over a ten-year period for community development lending and investment. The company had delivered more than $230 billion against a ten-year commitment of $350 billion made in 1998 to provide affordable mortgage, build affordable housing, support small business and create jobs in disadvantaged neighborhoods.

Citibank

Web: http://www.citi.com

Citi is today’s pre-eminent financial services company, with some 200 million customer accounts in more than 100 countries. Our history dates back to the founding of Citibank in 1812, Bank Handlowy in 1870, Smith Barney in 1873, Banamex in 1884, and Salomon Brothers in 1910.

Other major brand names in Citi's diverse portfolio include Citi Cards, CitiFinancial, CitiMortgage, CitiInsurance, Primerica, Diners Club, Citi Private Bank, and CitiCapital.

World Bank www.worldbank.org

Web: http://www.worldbank.org/

The World Bank is a vital source of financial and technical assistance to developing countries around the world. We are not a bank in the common sense. We are made up of two unique development institutions owned by 185 member countries—the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the International Development Association (IDA).

Each institution plays a different but supportive role in our mission of global poverty reduction and the improvement of living standards. The IBRD focuses on middle income and creditworthy poor countries, while IDA focuses on the poorest countries in the world. Together we provide low-interest loans, interest-free credit and grants to developing countries for education, health, infrastructure, communications and many other purposes.