About us
Oldenburgische Landesbank AG (or OLB for short) is a profitable and fast-growing universal bank from Northwest Germany. We provide competent and reliable advice and act as a financial partner for our customers throughout Germany and in selected neighbouring European countries. We serve our customers both personally and via digital channels through our two renowned brands OLB and Bankhaus Neelmeyer.
Who we are
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We have been operating as a private bank since our establishment in 1869.
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At the time of its foundation, OLB had the right to issue banknotes and also floated stocks in the Oldenburg region – hence the name “Landesbank” (regional bank).
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The majority of our shares are owned by shareholders associated with the Teacher Retirement System of Texas, Apollo Global Management and Grovepoint Investment Management.
What we stand for
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Our values have not changed in over 150 years: honesty, pragmatism and commitment inform everything we do.
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We help our customers put their ideas into practice, effectively and with reliable results.
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Through our OLB Foundation, which was established on the occasion of the Bank’s 125th anniversary, we have been assuming corporate and social responsibility beyond the banking business since 1994.
What drives us
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We demonstrate that it is possible to generate internationally respectable returns in the German financial industry.
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The Moody’s rating agency has awarded us investment grade status and a positive outlook.
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We aim to deliver European best-in-class returns on a consistent basis: In the medium term, we envisage a cost-income ratio of 40% or lower, a return on equity after tax in the range of 14% to 16% and a Common Equity Tier 1 capital ratio of well above 12.25%.
Our customer business
We serve our customers both personally and via digital channels through our two renowned brands OLB and Bankhaus Neelmeyer. Our business is based on in-depth customer relationships established over a period of many years – in Northwest Germany especially, but also throughout Germany and neighbouring countries. We are a reliable partner for our clients in the Private & Business Customers segment and provide wealth management services to high-net-worth customers through our Bankhaus Neelmeyer brand. The Corporates & Diversified Lending business segment offers customers traditional forms of corporate finance as well as specialized lending services which include, in particular, Corporate Real Estate, Acquisition Finance and Football Finance.
We combine our local presence in Northwest Germany and in selected cities across Germany with advisory services that can be accessed anywhere via digital channels. If required, we also expand our service and suitable products for our customers via cooperation partners and sales platforms. On top of this, we are active in neighbouring countries, particularly on behalf of medium-sized companies, institutional investors and project developers.
Oldenburg serves as the headquarters of OLB Bank, Ludwigsburg handles our sales partnerships and Bremen is the traditional home of Bankhaus Neelmeyer. Our national branch offices support major companies, project developers and investors throughout Germany and neighbouring countries and assist them with the implementation of their projects. Clients rely on our expertise in a range of different fields, from acquisition finance and commercial real estate finance to the financing of wind farms, funds, football transfers and international corporate activities.
At the heart of our regional advisory services are 40 branches in Northwest Germany, including 16 competence centres serving as anchor points for personal customer relationship management services. We are also continuously developing our relationships with our customers throughout Germany via our telephone-based customer service and our attractive online offerings. A significant proportion of our annual IT budget is invested in further improvements to these digital channels which form the backbone of our multichannel sales approach. We are also expanding our business via digital platforms and partners, above all for our core products such as consumer and investment loans and private construction financing.
In a market environment undergoing significant change, we have updated our business model with a clear view of the strengths we have demonstrated in our core business region of Northwest Germany and our expertise in the area of Specialized Lending. Our focus is on two well-balanced business segments which contribute to our earnings in equal measure. We have successfully completed our process of transformation and will not stint in our efforts to ensure that we remain ready to face the future. Our figures confirm that we are heading in the right direction: we are one of the most profitable banks in Europe.
Stefan Barth, CEO
