Cătălina Roman: „FITS is one of the few places where competition is not felt, but rather the combined efforts of everyone for the joy and well-being of the community”

This year, CEC Bank is celebrating its 160th anniversary and has proven that it is a sustainable business, over time it has managed to make the changes that every generation has needed, says Cătălina Roman, Director of Identity and Strategic Communication at CEC Bank. We had the opportunity to talk for the first time in Capital Cultural about the bank’s successful partnership with FITS and its integration into the local community. 

Oana Ciucă: What changes has CEC Bank made in recent years to stay close to the community and remain among the top preferences of customers? 

Cătălina Roman: The CEC brand has evolved with the times, with people, and with mentalities. However, the common element in the brand’s DNA has remained social responsibility and involvement in the economic, cultural, and educational development of communities. Much has been done during this time, from the first forms of financial education for children and clients, to supporting small and large entrepreneurs, supporting the economy in the best and most challenging historical moments, as well as local and national cultural events. 

The CEC Palace, one of the iconic buildings in the country and Bucharest, has been a witness and has hosted historical events important for the entire community. It still does.

In the last 5 years, CEC Bank has undergone an extensive transformation and digitization program, which is in continuous movement and evolution. Today, CEC Bank is the third-largest bank in Romania by asset value, has adapted its products and services – some of which are the most competitive in the market, modernized many branches – just these days, the new branch is being inaugurated in Sibiu with a new concept centered around the customer experience. 

We have found that many people express their passion for Romanian brands – CEC being one of them. Our responsibility as a Romanian bank to be present in the community and to bring value in a sustainable way is even greater.

How are you involved this year, as a partner, at FITS? 

Cătălina Roman: We wanted to naturally integrate into the Festival where it made sense, without being intrusive. For the “Not Once” installation (Fabre-Baryshnikov), one of the most awaited moments of the Festival, we thought of “transplanting” the CEC Palace into a reinterpreted artistic form that tells a story without interfering with the installation itself. The two artists, along with their audience, fully deserve to be hosted in one of the most beautiful palaces in Romania. Therefore, “Let the Palace be made!”

Also, having a tradition of collaboration with the Astra Museum in Sibiu, with whom we share many common values and purposes, such as promoting Romanian traditions and bringing them into the present, supporting old crafts reinterpreted and brought into the present, educating young generations for a more sustainable lifestyle – we have designed a spectacular installation with traditional Romanian masks – masks that are also found on CEC Bank cards. You can see the installation “The Bohemians enchant, the villagers enchant the Bohemians” on the Astra Museum Lake during the Festival period and in the following months.

And for those wishing for a different kind of party, we invite you to the “CEC The Sound” after-party on Friday at the Museum of History. Our friends at FITS have entrusted us for one evening with one of the most important “responsibilities”: to create the atmosphere as we know best.

In the economic and educational context, what does the theme “friendship” chosen for this edition of the festival mean for CEC Bank? 

Cătălina Roman: Every year, we are amazed by the festival themes. Most of FITS partners have created lasting friendships over many extraordinary editions, filled with preparation, work, meetings at shows, and on the bustling streets of Sibiu during the city’s most intense 10 days of the year. 

It is one of the few places where competition is not felt, but rather the combined efforts of everyone, organizers and partners, for the joy and well-being of the community and the spectators. The FITS team is one of the most professional we have worked with. The projects were not just for CEC Bank or FITS, but they became our common projects.

 And this year, FITS represented another moment where partners joined hands for the community. We joyfully responded to UniCredit Bank’s proposal to CEC Bank and all the other banks present at the Festival to unite our thoughts and emotions towards a common goal: to bring joy to people. Together, we learned back in 2020 that at the end of the day, the most important thing is to build together for the community’s well-being. And FITS has been doing just that for many years: bringing us together, delighting our souls, and fostering friendships where some might not have expected.