Shareholders from Russia and Belarus met in the hotel “Europe to resume the work in 2010 and to approve the directions of bank development in 2011. These are the representatives of such well-known companies as OJSC “Gazprom, “Gazprombank (OJSC), OJSC “Beltransgaz, JV OJSC “Brestgazoapparat.
PRESS RELEASE
For Belgazprombank 2010 was rich in bright events in the sphere of business relationships and it passed under the sign of the 20th anniversary since the date of its creation. There are only few Belarusian banks which can cite such a long history of activity at the financial market of our country. In the judgment of independent analysts, for the last two decades OJSC “Belgazprombank has become one of the most successful joint projects of the leading enterprises of Belarus and Russia – a universal financial and credit institution, it includes 8 subsidiaries and more than 60 points of bank services in all the regions of Belarus. Cutting-edge technologies, leadership in mastering of new financial services allowed the bank to take strong position in servicing customer segment of the middle class.
According to the major performances the bank is in the top ten of the largest financial institutions of the republic. For the 1st of January in the banking system of the country OJSC “Belgazprombank takes: the 6th place for the collective investment fund (142 million dollars); the 6th place for the profit amount (30,6 million dollars) – profit for one employee comprises 25 thousand dollars; the 7th place for the assets holdings (958 million dollars) and for the owned capital (206 million dollars).
Start of work with the largest industrial enterprises of the Republic of Belarus became one of the most important events of the year in the sphere of business relationships. The bank, specifically, settled bargains with such giants as Belarusian Metallurgic Plant (137 milliard rubles), Mozir Oil-processing Plant (92 milliard rubles), PA “Belorusneft (134 milliard rubles), PA “Gomselmach (24 milliard rubles), Grodno PA “Azot (88 milliard rubles). Thereby, 2010 became a turning year both in terms of readiness of the bank to propose competitive services to large-scale customers, and in terms of psychological readiness of the enterprises themselves to recognize bank as a real competitor to the system-forming state banks, which traditionally render services this segment of the market.
One more achievement of the year is successful introduction to the market of the newest independent directions of the credit block – commercial and project financing. In the conditions of the most severe competition Belgazprombank won a series of tenders for commercial financing such enterprises as Slutsk Sugar Refining Plant, Plant “Multipack, Grodno and Zhabinki Sugar Plants. There are also among the most significant projects therу are –financing of building of the network of “Almi and “Eurotorg hypermarkets, large logistic centers.
Record results in the previous year were reached within the boundaries of the program “Micro crediting. 1857 loans for the amount of almost 50 million dollars were issued; it comprises 174% compared to the level of 2009. “Belgazprombank still reserves here unchallengeable leadership.
2010 became a year of development for subdivisions of retail business – business processes improved, product line renovated, quality of customer servicing rose. Nowadays the conditions of individual crediting in Belgazprombank are one of the most attractive for customers. Since September 2010 the system of internet-payments arranged by individuals with bank plastic cards started to function in experimental mode. In the first half of 2011 customers will get an opportunity to use Internet-banking.
Introduction of banking-informational system “Forpost was a long-expected event of the year. With its implementation there appeared an additional opportunity not only for increase in the amount of retail operations but also for creation of the integrated product line, which is adjusted and modeled by the specialists of the bank, with improvement of quality of customer servicing.
In 2010 bank realized a project for acquisition of license for commercial acquiring of bank plastic cards Visa. The availability of a full list of licenses for emission and acquiring of the two international payment systems (Visa, MasterCard) allows Belgazprombank to propose services for installation and maintenance of payment terminals and for holding operations with plastic cards MasterCard and Visa.
In total for the 1st of January Belgazprombank counts about 400 thousand customers – individuals (a year ago there were 300 thousand). Retail credit backlog made up 460 milliard rubles. The backlog of the involved funds from individuals exceeded 480 milliard rubles.
Bank’s infrastructure in servicing bank plastic cards increased: now the amount of automatic cash terminals comprises 67 units, there are 400 units of self-service systems, terminals.
The bank continued active work in the direction of development of emoney systems EasyPay. During the year increased the network of sales outlets where emoney is accepted as an instrument of payment, customer’s possibilities increased. Hundreds of thousands of people at the territory of Belarus and Russia have already become members of the system.
Results of work of the emoney system “Berlio are also impressive, during the last year its turnover doubled and exceeded trillion rubles.
In the activity of subdivisions of investment-banking business, first of all it is important to mention essential progress in work with international financial organizations – European bank of reconstruction and development (EBRD) and International financial corporation (IFC) – our largest partners in the sphere of foreign trade financing. Today the bank has an unprecedented possibility to receive guarantees of EBRD in involved financing of commercial interregional deals for a period of 5 years. Moreover, Belgazprombank has become the first bank in the republic, which received the possibility to realize financing of foreign-trade operations of the enterprises of state form of ownership within the boundaries of EBRD and IFC programs.
Cooperation with Gazprombank developed actively. So, for example, within the boundaries of credit line for commercial financing the maximal period of operation was increased up to 3 years, and the credit line for treasury deposit operations increased up to 50 million dollars. Belgazprombank and Gazprombank signed the Agreement for organization of direct foreign-trade financing of purchases by enterprises- residents of the Republic of Belarus of equipment manufactured by machine building enterprises, which are members of Gazprombank group.
In during the previous years the bank significantly increased the amount of credit lines from its old contractors, so this year it managed to attract two new competent investors to the Belarusian market, who possess significant resource potential.
In August Belgazprombank and European fund for countries of Southeast Europe (EFSE), the biggest investment fund in the sphere of micro financing in the world, signed a credit agreement about involvement of 30 million dollars for development of products of housing crediting and for increase of volume of financing of micro and small enterprises in Belarus. Special significance of the present agreement is added by the availability of tranche at the amount of 15 million dollars for the period of 9 years, which is granted for housing crediting of the population.
Last year in November almost two-year cooperation with the Eurasian bank of development (EABD) was crowned with first results – EABD and Belgazprombank signed the major terms of goal-oriented credit line for financing of export-import commercial operations of Belgazprombank’s customers for the amount of 20 million dollars. The appearance of such program widens the possibilities of the bank for financing customers’ operations which are aimed at increase of mutual trade with countries-members of EABD: Russia, Kazakhstan, Armenia and Tajikistan.
During the last year new instruments of placing free short-term resources were mastered: participation in two public sindicated credits was arranged, as well as redemption of incorporeal rights of forfeiting companies for credits, which were provided to banks, took place. The major instruments allowed allocating short-term free resources of the bank on rather attractive terms in the conditions of redundant liquidity.
The first issue of sovereign bonds of the Republic of Belarus has become an important event for the financial market of the republic. This important component of the financial market of the country and the bank proceeded to active holding of operations with these negotiable papers.
For the last year the interest of investors for bonds, which were issued by Belgazprombank, increased significantly. The most momentous is the fact of selling of our bonds to foreign investors for the amount of more then 17 million dollars.
From year to year rendering charitable and sponsoring help acquires more and more systematic and program character. Its active social position has become so significant in the Belarusian society that Belgazprombank was acknowledged as the winner in the competition “BRAND OF THE YEAR 2010 in the competitive category of professional nomination SOCIALY RESPONSIBLE BRABD. This high rating and public acknowledgement of success, which was reached by the bank in this noble field, proves the rightness of the chosen strategy and directions in which funds for charitable aims are allocated. The International charitable fund for children “Shans, international festival “Theater week with Belgazprombank, “Handball Cup of Belgazprombank – are the most impressive and well-known sponsoring and charitable projects of the bank.
“Modern bank for new reality – today this is the philosophy of the bank’s activity in business development and in creation of public relationships. The environment changes in leaps and bounds, sometimes it changes imperceptibly for us. But the main task of the bank remains without changes – to keep abreast of the happening changes all the time and to be in line with the highest expectations of our customers and partners.
Minsk, March 25th, 2011