(Priority Bank is a successful company in the banking industry. Eleanor Casey Louise, a journalist from Asian Times, is having an interview with Sam Morton, the Public Relations Manager of Priority Bank. Mr. Morton is making an introduction about the bank’s development worldwide.)

场景：经理办公室      人物：Mr. Morton、Louise

Louise: Nice to meet you, Mr. Morton. I’m Louise Casey from Asian Times.

Mr. Morton: Nice to meet you, too. Welcome to Priority Bank! Is this your first time here?

Louise: Yes, Thank you.

Mr. Morton: Welcome.

Louise: So, we just start?

Mr. Morton: Sure!

Louise：I’ve heard so much about your bank! It has become the leader in your

industry and from this interview, I hope to know more about your bank and pass your

 key to success to the public.

Mr. Morton: Sure, sure! Thank you for your interest in our bank and I am happy to answer any questions you have.

Louise: So Mr. Morton, I know that Priority Bank is a British international banking and financial services company headquartered in London. What about its business network worldwide now?

Mr. Morton: Well, we operate over a network of 260 branches, including subsidiaries, associates and joint ventures, across more than 40 countries and employing around 12,000 people.

Louise: 12,000 .Well, it’s a very large bank.

Mr. Morton: It is, it is... Yes. we have a primary listing on the London Stock Exchange and secondary listings in the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and recently the National Stock Exchange of India.

Louise: That’s very impressive. Does your bank make profit mainly in the UK or in any other parts of the world?

Mr. Morton: Actually, we don’t conduct retail banking in the UK, and around 90% of our profits come from Asia, Africa and the Middle East.

Louise: So, how does your company globalize to become such an important competitor in the international banking industry?

Mr. Morton: Well, from 1990, the banks decided to merge, and to counterbalance our existing network by expanding in Europe and the United States, while we continue our expansion in the traditional markets of Asia and Africa.

Louise: So from then on your bank began to acquire other smaller banks along the way and spread its networks.

Mr. Morton: That’s right. In 1998, our bank acquired Deli Bank, increasing its presence in private banking and further expanding its operations in India and Pakistan. Now we become the largest foreign bank in India.

Louise: Yes, I can see that from the data I've collected. Your bank has been very successful in India.

Mr. Morton: Yes, in 2003, our bank acquired Korea Development Bank and has since rebranded the branch as Priority Development Bank. We completed the integration of the Bangkok branch in the same year.

Louise: So, in what other Asian countries has your bank expanded its business?

Mr. Morton: To expand private wealth management in Asia, our bank also formed strategic alliances with some local banks in those areas, and acquired stakes in ACB Vietnam, American Express Bank of Bangladesh and Bohai Bank of China.

Louise: And how did the Government of Singapore become the largest shareholder of your bank?

Mr. Morton: Well, in 2006, the Singapore state-owned private investment firm became our largest shareholder, when they bought 14.5% stake of our bank. And in 2007, our bank opened its Private Banking global headquarters in Singapore.

Louise: Ok. So how about Priority’s recent international development?

Mr. Morton: In 2012, most recently Priority Bank and the Agricultural Bank of China strengthened their strategic partnership. Hong Kong has been identified as a potential region for the two banks’ cooperation. The two banks’ declared aim is to cooperate to provide their corporate and individual customers with world class financial products.

Louise :Ok, great. Very impressive! Thank you for taking this interview!

Mr. Morton: You are welcome.