-ING Direct seeks to ramp up growth in France.

INTERNET BUSINESS NEWS-(C)1995-2011 M2 COMMUNICATIONS

8 February 2011 - ING Direct, the online banking unit of Dutch banking and insurance group ING Groep NV (AMS:INGA), will boost its presence in France in an attempt to accelerate its growth in the country, French daily Les Echos wrote, quoting CEO Benoit Legrand.

ING Direct is set to open several agencies in France, starting in the second half of 2011.

The bank has decided to upgrade its communication strategy, Legrand said.

ING Direct attracted 40,000 new customers in France in 2010 and increased their total number to 800,000 in January 2011.

The bank extended new loans worth EUR1bn (USD1.3bn) in 2010.

ING Direct, which aims to improve its range of products, plans to start offering mortgage loans in 2012 at the latest.

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