OREANDA-NEWS. On October 09, 2007 the Extraordinary General Meeting of OKO Bank decided in accordance with the proposal made by the Board of Directors to change the Company's business name and to amend Articles 1 and 2 of the Articles of Association. The Company's new business name will be Pohjola Pankki Oyj in Finnish, Pohjola Bank Abp in Swedish and Pohjola Bank plc in English, reported the press-centre of OKO Bank.

The intention is that the amendment to the Articles of Association be registered in the Trade Register with the new business name becoming officially effective on 1 March 2008. The Pohjola acquisition in 2005 changed OKO Bank's structure and business content dramatically. The name change will bring all operations under a single name and brand.  When used together with the logo and in marketing communication, the shorter form Pohjola will be used.

In connection with the name change, the name of the whole OP Bank Group was changed to OP-Pohjola Group on 12 September 2007. However, the name changes will not affect the names of the member cooperative banks in any way.

A company release about the proposals of the Board of Directors of OKO Bank to the Extraordinary General Meeting was published on 12 September 2007.