Vassilis Psaltis

Alpha Bank chief executive officer Vassilis Psaltis pointed to further expansion and acquisitions in Romania in a joint interview with CEO of Italian bank UniCredit, Andrea Orcel for Bloomberg,

The two CEOs, who have created the third-largest bank in Romania, said they believe in Romania's prospects and see plenty of value there.

Alpha Bank, Greece's third-largest lender by market value, on Monday posted a 24% rise in first-quarter net profit on higher interest income.

Alpha Bank, which is 9% owned by Greece's HFSF bank rescue fund, said net profit came in at 162 million euros, up from €131 million in the first quarter last year.

Alpha Bank's management has designed a strategy to reduce nonperforming loans and transform the group so that it can "turn the page," the lender's CEO Vassilis Psaltis tells Kathimerini, stressing that the Greek economy is on a steady growth path and that the international investment community is regaining faith in the country's prospects.

The management at Alpha Bank is targeting the full restoration of the lender's profits and has drafted a strategic plan aimed at streamlining its financial figures through the securitization of bad loans worth up to 12 billion euros.

Alpha Bank has added two new positions, chief legal officer and head of international operations, to its executive committee, Greece's fourth-largest lender said on Thursday.

The bank appointed Sergiu Oprescu as general manager of its international network, and Nikos Salakas as chief legal and governance officer.

US and British investors bought the bulk of Alpha Bank’s 1.2-billion-euro new share issue, it said on Friday, providing further evidence that foreign investors are warming to Greece.