while its European presence is represented by a lone branch in London. Overall, it operates a network of over 1,700 branches and outlets (including subsidiaries, associates and joint ventures) and employs around 80,000 people.
 The bank first made its foray in Kenya in January 1911, with 2 branches; one at Treasury Square in Mombasa and the other on Kenyatta Avenue in Nairobi. It later spread to other towns as it aggressively sought a slice of the local banking sector that was then in its nascent stages. The result is an excellent franchise, with a network of 32 branches strategically located across the country, 84 Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) and 1,040 employees. With 25% local shareholdings, Standard Chartered Bank has remained a public quoted company on the Nairobi Stock Exchange since 1989.

Being the oldest foreign bank in Kenya, it enjoys a market share estimated at 27%, and is the country’s third biggest lender by market value. In terms of assets, it is among the top five in the country, with an asset base in excess of Kshs 81 billion. In 2010, it carried out a rights issue to raise funds to purchase Barclays bank’s custody business for US$ 3 million. As a result, customer assets worth US$ 6.2 billion were transferred to the firm.

In terms of profitability, the bank churned out a profit of Kshs 5.34 billion for the year ended 31^st  December 2010, which was a 13% increase from Kshs 4.73 billion earned the previous year. However, this was way below the industry average of around 50%.Its market share has recently slid by 3.4% to Kshs 260 amid concern that its profitability is lagging behind that of its competitors.

Image Source : MyStocks