Alpha Bank is the second largest Greek bank by total assets, and the largest by market capitalization of €2.13 billion (as of December 4, 2018). It has a subsidiary and branch in London, England and subsidiaries in Albania, Cyprus and Romania. Founded in 1879, it has been controlled by the Costopoulos family since its inception.[citation needed] Currently Ioannis Costopoulos, grandson of original founder John F. Costopoulos, and nephew of Stavros Costopoulos, foreign minister in the government of Georgios Papandreou, is the honorary chairman.[citation needed] On January 16, 2015, Alpha Bank requested Emergency Liquidity Assistance (ELA) from the Bank of Greece.