Uniastrum Bank and OPORA Russia ink cooperation agreement

Predicated on the signatories’ mutual commitment to promote small and midsized business interests in Russia and to work together to address ongoing SME concerns, the agreement aims, among other objectives, to provide the nation’s entrepreneurs with affordable banking solutions on easy terms.

Uniastrum Bank and the All-Russian Non-Governmental Organization of Medium and Small Business, OPORA Russia, are joining forces with a view to improving the funding options available to Russia’s small and midsized enterprises, while simultaneously working for amendments in the country’s legislation governing SME access to banking services. By means of joint information and analysis, research, promotion and educational programs, the Bank and OPORA Russia are looking to increase the financial literacy of SME owners and personnel.

“Our common cause is to lend support to small and medium-sized business,” Eugene Tutkevich, Chairman of Uniastrum’s Management Board, said at the signing of the agreement. “By bringing together SME owners around the country, OPORA Russia is making an immense contribution to the establishment of an auspicious environment in which the nation’s business community can grow and prosper. For the record, let it be said that Uniastrum’s unswerving commitment to honing its small and medium-sized lending programs is intrinsic to its strategic development objectives.”

Uniastrum continues to play an active part in the government-sponsored SME lending program operated by the Russian Bank for Development, which enables business owners to access credit at preferential rates. Meantime, the Bank’s partnership relations with regional administrations and foundations are expanding. In H110 total loans disbursed by Uniastrum Bank to small enterprises surged 78%. Thanks to its proactive operations in this area, Uniastrum ranks among Russia’s Top-10 SME lenders, according to figures released by RosBusinessConsulting news agency.

CB UNIASTRUM BANK LLC was established in 1994. Uniastrum is a universal lending institution offering a comprehensive range of financial products and services, with particular focus given to the retail sector and small and medium-sized businesses. Uniastrum is one of Russia’s Top-30 systemically important banks, as ranked by the Central Bank of the Russian Federation, and places among the country’s Top-20 based on the size of its branch network. It is Russia’s 44th largest bank by asset size, 37st by loan portfolio volume, 32th by overall retail deposits, and 13th by total auto loans. In 2003-2007 it was the 14th biggest dynamic-growth bank, according to ratings released by RosBusinessConsulting news agency. Uniastrum’s financial statement for October 1, 2010 showed the Bank’s total assets at Rb 134 bn, with equity capital amounting to Rb 8.99 bn. Uniastrum Bank is a deposit insurance scheme participant. On May 31, 2010 Moody’s Investors Service affirmed the Bank’s long-term global foreign and local currency deposit rating at Ba2 with a stable outlook, while Moody’s Interfax Rating Agency affirmed its national scale rating at Aa2.ru. Uniastrum’s regional network currently numbers around 220 offices (including 43 branches) in 48 Russian regions. Since October 31, 2008 Uniastrum Bank has been a member of the Bank of Cyprus Group.

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