SEB banka
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Banking, financial services |
| Predecessor | AS Latvijas Universālā banka |
| Founded | September 29, 1993 in Riga, Latvia |
| Founder | Consolidation of 21 non-privatized branches of Bank of Latvia |
| Headquarters | Riga , Latvia |
Area served | Latvia |
Key people | Ieva Tetere (Chairman), Ints Krasts, Arnis Škapars, Māris Larionovs, Kārlis Danēvičs, Jeļena Cīrule |
| Owner | Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken (SEB Group) |
| Parent | SEB Group |
| Website | seb |
SEB banka—previously known as Latvijas Unibanka and later as SEB Latvijas Unibanka—stands as one of Latvia’s foremost banking institutions and operates as a fully owned subsidiary within the Swedish SEB Group. Its primary rivals in the Latvian market are Swedbank, Luminor, and Citadele.
Since the inception of European Banking Supervision in 2014, SEB banka has been classified as a Significant Institution and is therefore subject to direct oversight by the European Central Bank.
History
The bank originated on 29 September 1993 under the name AS Latvijas Universālā banka, formed through the consolidation of 21 non-privatized branches previously part of the Bank of Latvia. The institution underwent privatization in 1994 and was reconstituted as a joint-stock company in 1995, adopting the title Latvijas Unibanka. In 1996, its shares were introduced on the Nasdaq Riga stock exchange, with significant investments from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and Swedfund International AB.
In the aftermath of the 1998 Russian financial crisis, Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken (SEB) entered as a stakeholder in January 1999. By 2000, SEB had secured majority ownership and progressively increased its holding to 98%. Complete acquisition was finalized by 2004, prompting a rebranding to SEB Unibanka in 2005 and subsequently to SEB banka in 2008. Up until that year, branches utilized a Uni- prefix in their names, accompanied by branding that incorporated a stylized Möbius strip.
The bank’s initial headquarters were located at Pils iela 23 near Doma Square within Riga’s Old Town. In 2004, operations moved to the contemporary SEB Financial Center situated in Valdlauči, close to Riga.
Reacting to geopolitical events in 2022, SEB banka reduced its presence in Russia and contributed EUR 200,000 toward humanitarian aid for Ukraine.
Operation
The leadership team at SEB Latvia’s Management Board consists of six individuals: Chairman Ieva Tetere; Ints Krasts, responsible for Large Corporate Banking; Arnis Škapars, overseeing Retail and SME Banking; Māris Larionovs, managing AML and Compliance; Kārlis Danēvičs, directing Credit and Risk Control; and Jeļena Cīrule serving as Chief Financial Officer.
Patron of the University of Latvia
Since 2008, SEB banka has acted as a silver-level patron of the University of Latvia Foundation, providing financial support for scholarships and academic conferences.