About Barclays Group

Barclays is a major global financial services provider with over 300 years of history and expertise in banking and over 147,000 employees and operations in more than 50 countries. We move, lend, invest and protect money for more than 48 million customers and clients worldwide.

Our aim is to provide innovative, valued products and services that help our customers and clients achieve their goals in life. As well as banking for personal and business customers, we offer wealth management and investment banking services.

Structure

We do so through two customer ‘Clusters’. One is Retail and Business Banking (RBB); the other, Barclays Corporate, Investment Banking and Wealth Management (CIBWM). Both operate through a number of Business Units.

There are two other major areas of the business: Group Centre and Absa. Group Centre is our head office and home to key support functions. Absa (Associated Bank of South Africa) is one of South Africa’s largest financial services businesses, in which Barclays holds a controlling stake.

Our strategy is to achieve good growth over time by diversifying our business base and increasing our presence in fast-growing markets and segments. It’s a strategy that’s stood us in good stead at a difficult time for many of our competitors. 2010 saw us generate a record income of over £31bn and post total pre-tax profits of over £6bn.