A Brief History of Innovation

The history of Credit Suisse also reads like a history of innovation. The bank has set new standards on many occasions during the 153 years of its existence.

If there is a constant in the history of Credit Suisse, it is a track record of continual innovation. In true pioneering style, Credit Suisse has shaped many of the countless innovations to hit the financial markets over the last 153 years, prompting others to quickly follow suit. For example, Credit Suisse (or Schweizerische Kreditanstalt / SKA as it was then known) was the first large Swiss bank to establish a direct telex connection with New York in 1951. It was to continue its role as the pioneering Swiss bank in a number of other areas, such as opening the first drive-in bank (1962), and launching both the first telephone banking service (1993), and the first internet banking platform (1997).

But the company's history encompasses much more than just technological innovations. In the areas of product management, training and development, marketing, and social commitment, Credit Suisse can look back on a long tradition of pointing the way for others. In the following table we summarize a small selection of these milestones.

A Brief History of Innovation
	The history of Credit Suisse also reads like a history of innovation. The bank has set new standards on many occasions during the 153 years of its existence.