OREANDA-NEWS. Sberbank and GEFCO Group signed a Memorandum on Cooperation at the 21st Saint Petersburg International Economic Forum. The document was signed by First Deputy Chairman of the Executive Board of Sberbank Maxim Poletaev and Chairman of the GEFCO Group Management Board Luc Nadal.

The Memorandum on Cooperation will serve as the foundation for a mutually beneficial partnership. The companies plan to join efforts to carry out projects in a range of areas, including trade, financial activity, logistics, and development of modern technology.

The relationship between Sberbank and GEFCO will involve developing and deploying financial instruments to support operational and investment activity, and also financing GEFCO Group’s working capital. Sberbank will develop schemes for secure electronic document exchange and support other strategic projects in the interest of both parties. The partnership will also involve researching electronic aggregator platforms for transport and logistics services, and providing advisory services for foreign economic contracts as part of Sberbank’s investment projects. In addition, GEFCO will provide advisory services in the area of managing transport flow and optimisation of solutions that are part of Sberbank-financed projects to develop logistic infrastructure.

"GEFCO Group is one of Europe’s largest logistics operators, and also one of Sberbank’s newest partners," commented Maxim Poletaev. "We welcome this new mutually beneficial partnership and are delighted to offer some of the most modern comprehensive financial solutions to the Group, including in the areas of investment and cutting-edge technology. I am certain that this agreement – the first joint project between the Group and the Russian banking sector – will help GEFCO to achieve its strategic objectives in Russia. Sberbank is ready to provide the highest possible level of service to assist them in doing this."

The Memorandum on Cooperation with Sberbank is GEFCO’s first project that links it to the Russian banking industry. "It is important that we open up new horizons and share our expertise with companies from different sectors. Today we once again had the opportunity to do this. As Russia’s largest bank, Sberbank plays a key role in the country’s financial system, and we are very pleased to have launched a partnership with it. This agreement is a testament to the high level of trust in our company," commented Luc Nadal.