Citi today announces its Zero Fee Bank Account was voted the #1 in the MasterCard - Bank of the Year 2008 Competition. In addition to capturing the top spot in the Best Deposit Account Award Category, Citi also took top honor with winning the Best Bank for Corporate Social Responsibility in Hungary, a category launched this year.

"Our ambition, first and foremost, is to delight our clients with our continuous innovations and provide them products and services that best support them in achieving their financial goals," said Batara Sianturi, Citi Country Officer for Hungary. "The MasterCard Competition provides a great opportunity for us to get measured on how we're doing relative to our peers and show our customers our achievements in our endeavour to provide them the best solutions. We are also very proud to win the competition in the area of corporate social responsibility with our long-term financial education and social enterprise supporting programs. These wins underscores the work of our team being done each day to keep customers at the center of all we do while supporting our communities in achieving their goals."

Citibank's Zero Fee Bank Account launched in March is Hungary's first free bank account package that provides the customers with comfort and freedom in managing their finances to a never experienced extent. Customers selecting the Zero Fee Bank Account Package receive a free Citibank MasterCard or Maestro debit card, with free CitiAlert service in the first year. Unlimited domestic cash withdrawals from all ATMs across the country and Citibank branches are free, and all local currency domestic bank transfers are gratis. In addition, the bank does not charge any fee for the set up and execution of all local currency regular and permanent direct debit and standing order transactions as well as for all time deposit related transactions. The bank offers a free overdraft limit to all customers whose monthly single incoming minimum amount requirement of HUF150,000 is a regular salary payment. The product was well-received by existing and new customers as well as the media.

Citi has also been recognized for their long-term financial education programs, targeting elementary, secondary school and university students, aiming at providing them with modern, technology-based curriculum resources and innovative teaching strategies that increase students' knowledge and skills in economics, finance and English. In addition, Citi launched an enterprise building program for NGOs in partnership with NESsT providing advisory and financial support to social enterprises and this year they are launching a similar program for small businesses. The bank has also been acknowledged for their employees taking part in the programs as volunteers providing lectures and advisory services.

Further wins by Citi Hungary

Citi ranked #3 in two award categories, including:

• The Best Electronic Bank of the Year
• The Most Sympathetic Bank of the Year

About the MasterCard - Bank of the Year Competition

MasterCard - Bank of the Year Competition has been established in 2002 in Prague, Czech Republic. The organizer of the program is FinCentrum, a financial advisor company based in the Czech capital, while main sponsor is MasterCard Worldwide. The organizers apply rules, voting and application methodology of the competition in exactly the same way in every participating market - Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovenia and Ukraine. Consequently the awards of the professional categories are given by the anonymous voting of an independent 100-member professional jury made up of business leaders, economic journalists and university teachers. The Banker of the Year award is decided by voting of bank CEOs themselves, while The Most Sympathetic Bank of the Year is selected by the voting of the general public. In 2008 awards have been given for the first time in the category of The Best Bank for Corporate Social Responsibility. Organizers have set up a special jury for this category with leading reputable NGOs. In Hungary MasterCard - Bank of the Year Competition has been organized since 2006.