UniCredit is targeting central and eastern Europe to drive growth in its markets and investment banking division over the next couple of years, as the bank accelerates the integration of businesses to create what it describes as a European regional specialist.

In its capital markets day presentation UniCredit, Europe’s fourth largest bank, outlined its growth plan through this year to 2010 that focuses on driving regional business where it is already active while taking an opportunistic approach to the rest of the world.