Midland Bank biggest bank in the world, the building is currently (2015) under development as a hotel. HSBC UK swift code (all offices in the United Kingdom) being "MIDLGB22" reflects its past as the Midland Bank. The Midland Bank was famous for its golden griffin logo, surrounded by golden coins originally introduced in 1965 on a black, then later blue background, and for its slogan "the listening bank," written by the advertising executive Rod Allen. Advertisements for the bank appeared in the popular computer game "Theme Park". The Midland Bank still traded as Midland Bank, but using the HSBC logo from 1997,
The Sumitomo Bank era, including NEC and Panasonic (Matsushita). In the 1970s, it lost nearly $1 billion in the restructuring of Osaka-based general trading company Ataka & Co., which, combined with the contemporaneous bailout of Mazda, had a major impact on Sumitomo's finances, driving it down from the most profitable bank in Japan to being only ninth-ranked. However, the Ataka and Mazda bailouts enhanced Sumitomo's industry reputation by showing its dedication to customers. It became the largest Japanese bank by deposits until the merger of Dai-Ichi Bank and Nippon Kangyo Bank to form Dai-Ichi Kangyo Bank. In 1986, Sumitomo merged with Heiwa Sogo