The ALM Line combines the features of a business line with those of a competency centre responsible for the management of interest rate risk, current and structural liquidity of the Bank, structural currency risk, as well as determining and managing internal transfer prices for all products offered by the Bank. The ALM Line focuses on both prudential (compliance with external and internal regulations) and optimization aspects (financing cost management and generating profit through management of the Bank’s balance sheet items).
Its operations are carried out through two profit centres, i.e. ALM Treasury and Corporate Center.
One of the key risk management mechanisms in place at the Bank is a systemic transfer of structural risks (liquidity, banking book interest rate and currency risk) from all business lines to the ALM line, which manages those risks centrally. Risk is transferred mainly through the transfer pricing system, which reflects the business financing strategy adopted by the Bank.
Key obligations entrusted with ALM Treasury comprise ensuring a balanced liquidity position accompanied with optimized costs of funding the Bank’s operations and an appropriate structure of assets and liabilities, including sensitivity to interest rate changes. Other units within this function focus on management of an internal transfer pricing system, balance sheet analysis, modelling and measuring liquidity and interest rate risk for the Banking Book, managing issues of debts securities, arranging long-term credit facilities, obtaining new sources of financing, cooperation with business lines supporting sustainable development, coordinating the securitization of non-banking customer portfolio and organizing the work of the Asset-Liability Committee (ALCO).
The year 2020 was a special year due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the activities of companies, the behaviour of individual customers and the financial sector as a whole. The activities of the ALMT Division focused on monitoring the Bank’s liquidity position while maintaining its profitability and ensuring that settlements and customers' access to cash were managed smoothly. The Bank participated in activities supporting the fight against pandemics by purchasing additional issues of bonds issued within the framework of introduced financial shields. Internal product behaviour models affecting the Bank’s interest rate and liquidity risk profiles were adjusted on an ongoing basis. ALMT division worked closely with business lines through regularly organized meetings and consultations in order to optimize the Bank’s product structure and maintain the Bank’s profitability at the maximum possible level in the current macroeconomic conditions.
