Postipankki

The Post Office building in Helsinki, home of the Postal Bank from completion in 1938 to 1955

The Finnish Postal Bank, in Finnish Postipankki, later known as Sampo Bank (Finnish : Sampo Pankki), was a significant bank in Finland. Following the creation of Finland's postal savings system in 1887, it developed into an independent financial institution. It shed its postal identity in 1997, expanded aggressively in the Baltic countries and Russia, and changed ownership to be eventually acquired in 2007 by Danske Bank, thus becoming Danske Bank Finland.

Overview

Postisäästöpankki head office on Fabianinkatu 23, designed by architect Antero Pernaja and completed in 1955

In 1887, Postisäästöpankki (lit. 'Postal Savings Bank') was established as the financial arm of the national Finnish post office, which accepted deposits from the public at post offices. In 1970, it was renamed Postipankki (lit. 'Post Bank'). In 1988, it became a full-service bank, organized as a state-owned limited company.

In 1997, Postipankki absorbed Suomen Vientiluotto (lit. 'Finnish Export Credit'), and the resulting entity was rebranded Leonia Pankki. In 2000, Sampo Group acquired Leonia Pankki. Also in 2000, the group acquired Lietuvos Vystymo bankas (Lithuanian Development Bank, established in 1994) in Lithuania and Optiva Bank in Estonia. ^[1] Optiva had been formed in 1998 by merger of Eesti Forekspank (est. 1992), Raepank (est. 1995) and Eesti Investeerimispank (EstIB).^{[ citation needed ]}

In 2001, Sampo's banking operations were rebranded as Sampo Bank, with reference to the Sampo, an iconic object of traditional Finnish mythology. That same year, Sampo acquired Mandatum Bank, created in 1998 by a merger of Interbank Osakepankki (established in 1988) and Mandatum & Co. (established in 1992).

In 2004, Sampo Bank acquired Maras banka, an Estonian bank established in 1996. In 2006, Sampo Bank acquired the Industry and Finance Bank (known as Profibank) in Russia.

In 2007, Sampo Group sold Sampo Bank to Danske Bank, while retaining its insurance business. At just over €4 billion, it was the largest cash acquisition to date in Finland. ^[2] On 15 November 2012, Sampo Bank was renamed Danske Bank after banking operations were uniformed under one brand. ^[3] Danske Bank Finland was further reorganized as a branch in late 2017. ^[4]

Head office

From 1945 on, Postisäästöpankki built up offices on the southern side of the urban block bordered by Esplanadi, Fabianinkatu  [ fi ], Pohjoinen Makasiinikatu, and Unioninkatu in Helsinki, including the southern wing designed by architect Antero Pernaja  [ fi ] and completed in 1955. ^[5] Sampo Group moved its head office into the complex after buying Leonia Bank, then left, and returned to part of it (Fabianinkatu 19 / Unioninkatu 22) in 2024. ^[6]

Following its purchase by Danske Bank, the bank moved its head office to Hiililaiturinkuja 2 in Ruoholahti, then in the 2010s to Televisiokatu 1 in Pasila.^{[ citation needed ]}

See also

• List of banks in Finland

References

1. "Aktsiate registreerimisprospekt AS Sampo Pank" [Share Registration Prospectus AS Sampo Pank](PDF) (in Estonian). Nasdaq Baltic. pp. 18–19. Retrieved 2019-05-12.
2. "22 - 46/2006 PDF - Suomenkuvalehti.fi". suomenkuvalehti.fi. Retrieved 25 September 2019.
3. "From Postal Savings Bank to today". Danske Bank. Archived from the original on 12 May 2019. Retrieved 2019-05-12.
4. "Danske Bank Plc became a branch of its Danish parent company 31.12.2017". Finnish Financial Stability Authority. 3 January 2018.
5. "Unioninkatu 20, Pohjoinen Makasiinikatu 5, Helsinki; Tapahtumatalo Bank, ravintola Bank, Kiinteistö Oy Unioninkatu 20-22, entinen Postisäästöpankki". Finna.fi. Retrieved 27 March 2026.
6. "Sampo Plc relocates its headquarters to Sponda-owned Fabian 21 office building in Helsinki CBD". Sponda Ltd. 27 August 2024.