Annual Report

Annual Report 2010

Manangement Report of the Bank and Group Management Report for 2010

In 2010, the global economy recovered from the severe crisis much faster than expected. The German economy also recorded exceptionally dynamic development. According to calculations by the German Statistical Office, gross domestic product (GDP) grew by 3.6 percent in 2010, and hence at a faster pace than at any time since German reunification. The surprisingly strong upswing also had a positive impact on the labour market. With an annual average of 40.5 million people in jobs, employment was higher than ever before. During the second half of the year, the number of people out of jobs was at times below the three million marker.

Dr. Helmuth Markov

Chairman of the Administrative Board of InvestitionsBank des Landes Brandenburg
Minister for Finance of the Federal State of Brandenburg

The financial and economic crisis has certainly left its impact on Brandenburg's budget and still calls for comprehensive consolidation efforts. All the same, Brandenburg's government is still determined to establish a competitive, knowledge-based business sector in the federal state. The most important pillars are the strengthening of entrepreneurial spirit, the ecological modernization of the regional economy, the promotion of the federal state's innovative potential and the addition of new, revolving finance instruments to its support portfolio. Brandenburg is on the right track and has the support of professional partners, including Investitionsbank des Landes Brandenburg (ILB). With its responsible and future-orientated business policy, ILB is helping to implement the federal state's policy goals.

Last year, ILB once again outdid its record 2009 result and Brandenburg can be proud of its business development bank. This kind of positive result certainly deserves special mention. ILB's policies and profile benefit the development of the regional economy, municipalities and the federal state of Brandenburg as a whole. The determined promotion and development of Brandenburg's strengths is paying off. Last year, the European Union's Committee of the Regions selected the federal state of Brandenburg as "European Entrepreneurial Region 2011" out of 35 competing regions from all over Europe.

In 2010, Brandenburg was also honoured for its dynamism, coming out tops in a widely recognized scientific ranking in Germany. Be it business, the labour market, social affairs or wealth – no other federal state developed as well as Brandenburg in the years 2006 to 2009. At the beginning of 2011, the European Commission awarded the title of "Region of Excellence" to Brandenburg, thus honouring it for its efforts in the interest of sustainable, innovative and integrated growth. These awards show that Brandenburg is on the right track. Dr. Helmuth Markov Chairman of the Administrative Board of InvestitionsBank des Landes Brandenburg Minister for Finance of the Federal State of Brandenburg