▁electronic ▁bank ing . ▁ ▁P ira eus ▁Bank ▁Group ▁P ira eus ▁Bank ▁and ▁its ▁subs idi aries ▁form ▁the ▁P ira eus ▁Bank ▁Group . ▁ ▁History ▁ ▁Foundation ▁A ▁group ▁of ▁ship own ers ▁in ▁P ira eus ▁founded ▁Ban que ▁du ▁Pir ée ▁( P ira eus ▁Bank ; ▁B P ) ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 6 ▁to ▁fin ance ▁trade . ▁The ▁bank ▁started ▁trad ing ▁on ▁the ▁Ath ens ▁Exchange ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 8 . ▁The ▁Greek ▁government ▁bought ▁the ▁bank ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 5 ▁and ▁transformed ▁it ▁into ▁a ▁universal ▁bank . ▁The ▁new ▁headquarters ▁designed ▁by ▁Sir ▁Bas il ▁Sp ence ▁were ▁built ▁on ▁St adi ou ▁Street ▁in ▁Ath ens . ▁In ▁December ▁ 1 9 9 1 ▁the ▁government ▁priv at ised ▁the ▁bank , ▁which ▁has ▁grown ▁in ▁size ▁and ▁scope ▁since ▁then . ▁ ▁Exp ansion ▁and ▁cons olid ation ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 5 ▁the ▁Group ▁established ▁P ira eus ▁Bank ▁Roman ia ▁with ▁ 1 6 0 ▁branches ▁and ▁one ▁year ▁later ▁Tir ana ▁Bank , ▁the ▁first ▁priv ately ▁owned ▁bank ing ▁institution ▁in ▁Alban ia ▁with ▁ 5 6 ▁branches . ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 9 ▁with ▁its ▁ac quisition ▁of ▁X ios bank , ▁P B ▁took ▁over ▁X ios ' s ▁branch ▁in ▁Sof ia , ▁Bulg aria ; ▁it ▁has ▁now ▁some ▁ 8 3 ▁branches ▁in ▁the ▁country . ▁P B ▁also ▁acquired ▁the ▁small ▁New