Despite press rumours to the contrary, Montepio’s outgoing boss Tomás Correia has stressed again that his bank is doing nicely and is not in any way likely to follow the disaster of BES.
Posting trimester profits of €9.8 million (considerably less than last year’s equivalent €35.5 million), Correia refuted recent Bank of Portugal concerns over what it called “potentially worrying situations” at Montepio that “could lead” to BES-type “conflicts”.
“Montepio has not committed any irregularities,” he told reporters on Tuesday. “There could be procedural errors but not irregularities.”
Indeed he questioned why the Bank of Portugal pushed for a forensic audit, particularly when “90% of the deficiencies highlighted” had been improved upon since 2012.
Nonetheless, Correia is leaving his position at the helm, to ‘separate’ the bank from the mutualist association that he also runs.
