OREANDA-NEWS. January 6, 2010. At an extraordinary shareholders' meeting PAO MEGABANK new members of the Supervisory Board were elected Alexander Saveliev from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and Lars Oermann from KfW Entwicklungsbank. On the future plans of cooperation with MEGABANK told Savel'ev, L. Oermann, as well as another representative of the KfW Entwicklungsbank Lorenz Gessner.

- What for you personally and for your financial institutions means this event?

Alexander Saveliev

- For me as a representative of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is another interesting project. I know MEGABANK since 2007, initially worked on his project lending. Becoming a member nabsoveta bank, I want to help him develop strategically.

Lars Oermann

- I first visited Kharkov and MEGABANK. I've got a very good impression. We in Germany say that in Ukraine there are only elections, and the influenza crisis. I have not seen any flu or crisis. An interesting city, very pleased with the combination of different architectures.

The bank also left a good impression. I note that I saw here a lot of innovative approaches, interesting products, which offers MEGABANK its customers. Especially noted for a system of single Settlement Center: I have nowhere else so did not meet.

We as the German Bank for Reconstruction and Development believe that the economic crisis - it's a chance, so now more than ever convinced that will not go away from this market and will actively assist MEGABANK develop and strengthen their positions. Yesterday's event (the election of L. Oermanna and Savel'eva members nabsoveta MEGABANK - Ed.) Is just a confirmation of our financial support MEGABANK.

- Do you have any new proposals that you would like to bring to the work MEGABANK?

Savel'ev

- At the operational level, I have already made a proposal. Speaking about the strategic plans, I was referring to the macroeconomic situation. In principle, the crisis has seriously crippled and yet will continue to affect the banking system of Ukraine. On the one hand, this period is very complex, on the other - is the period of opportunities, including for MEGABANK. I note that the general background of economic crisis in Ukraine "MEGABANK" takes a fairly strong market position. That is why the Bank chose him as a partner.

Lorenz Gessner

- We work with MEGABANK since 2008 - when we first gave him credit. Today, we are already participating in the capital of the bank (possess 15%) - this is the confirmation of strategic cooperation. Ie in many respects it is evident that our commercial relations between the countries.

- Recently, the EBRD and KfW allocated MEGABANK to credit funds for small and medium businesses. Why do you bet it is on this segment of the business?

Savel'ev

- The main objective of the Bank - is to strengthen the market economy of the countries with which the bank operates, including with Ukraine. Small and medium business and is considered an important component of a market economy. Support for small and medium business - is the strategic task of the EBRD.

In addition, lending to small and medium businesses - a commercially attractive steady, including a crisis in the economy, type of business.

L. Gessner

- Our goal - to help Ukraine, and in her face MEGABANK to support the economy in a difficult period and give people access to financial resources. We do not want to during the crisis of shortage of funds suffered small and medium businesses, which, in our opinion, is the backbone of any economy. We believe that developing countries need to start from that sector of the economy. KfW has done in Russia, and it came out very well.

- Do not you see you the possibility of other types of lending, such as a mortgage?

Savel'ev

- We have been lending programs for retail business, mortgage, and we plan to develop them further. But in this matter so far prevented problems of macroeconomic properties. Lines on mortgages, which are provided to local banks should be in local currency, and provide 15-year credit lines in UAH is currently not possible. Current economic realities force us to slightly revise its policy on the mortgage. I think that we will return to this in the short term, may resume the provision of mortgage lines in the currency, such as Ukraine, Russia. In addition, we will work actively with regulators, the Ministry of Finance to speed up the development of capital markets to provide long-term loans in local currency.

L. Oermann

- We are working on project lending to small and medium businesses.

- You are probably familiar with the products MEGABANK. Which of them, in your opinion, the most attractive?

Savel'ev

- It's a complicated issue in the sense that all products should be good for a certain segment. I am sure that in MEGABANK it is. I would have considered the question in another plane - in terms of work with client segments. I know that MEGABANK enough to work effectively with agro-industrial complex, and in this we see the great advantage of the bank.

L. Oermann

- I have already said that CSC - this is a very interesting product. In addition, a number of programs interested in lending for small and medium businesses.

Savel'ev

 - As for CSC MEGABANK, I do not view it as a banking product, even though he works within MEGABANK. Rather, this product is calculated. But anyway, I fully agree that this is a unique product, we will be watching with interest for its further development and that help in every way.

- Why, of all of the Kharkov regional banks, the EBRD and KfW have chosen for cooperation is MEGABANK? And is there any other banks at the regional level, with which you cooperates?

Savel'ev

- Banks, with whom we cooperate, I would divide into three groups. The first - a bank subsidiaries of Western banks, with them we are working quite actively. The second group - this large system-banks with the Ukrainian shareholders, the third - a small and medium-sized niche banks. MEGABANK falls into the third group. In 2009, exclusively for objective reasons, most new transactions with us happened to the "daughters" of Western banks.

Among the banks of the second and third groups we have, unfortunately, very few partners, although we continue to actively seek new partners in this segment. Check out Our MEGABANK we were simply because of our collaboration with him lasted since 2007, we know that bank is well, we are always impressed by his strategic policy, in particular, conservative. Many medium-sized banks have succumbed to a wave of optimism for the retail lending business and began to shape this direction, not always having adequate resources and technologies for the successful implementation of this type of business. MEGABANK in this regard was one of the rare exceptions, and we are impressed conservatism Bank in this regard, in particular, a clear understanding of the Bank's management strengths and weaknesses.

It is hoped that MEGABANK for us - not the latest draft with the average bank in Ukraine.

L. Gessner

- Initially, we considered MEGABANK as a potential client. For us it is important that it was financially stable bank with a well-functioning, a clear structure. Also we are looking for is the average bank, which has good representation in the regions: in MEGABANK has branches in all regional centers. In addition, we searched the bank, which would be credited the small and medium businesses. I note that we are very impressed with the openness of the bank.

In MEGABANK, from regional banks we cooperate with the Odessa bank "Pivdenny. Also, our partners are "Ukreximbank" and "ProCredit Bank", but this is a large bank managers.

- MEGABANK conducts re-branding has already approved a new logo. How do you evaluate it, if you like the new image MEGABANK?

Savel'ev

- I'm not a specialist in this area, so shall make a personal opinion. New symbols MEGABANK struck me as more modern. I think that in this respect, it most closely matches the strategic objectives set by the bank. The old symbolism really was a bit outdated, including in terms of colors.

L. Oermann

- Excellent initiative. I am sure that this is done in time: a new image marks a new stage of development MEGABANK. New Face of the bank now looks more like the West Bank.

- What is your assessment of the global financial crisis? Now there are many predictions that it would be yet a third wave of economic crisis.

Savel'ev

- I would not do global generalizations. But the crisis has shown that different countries have different ways to be ready: some states are so poorly led economic policies that were in a very difficult situation. If we talk about Eastern Europe, in Ukraine the situation is really worse than in most other countries, and this is largely due to the dependence of the economy from certain industrial segments, which gave much of the gross domestic product. Accordingly, as soon as global demand for these products fell, Ukraine found itself in a difficult situation. At present, the rapid entry of Ukraine from economic crisis is partly hampered objective political uncertainty. For Ukraine there are different expert opinions from rather negative to moderately optimistic. I personally hold more of the latter. My personal opinion - the projected third wave of the crisis should not be, if not unexpected macroeconomic shocks, but will be achieved political stability.

L. Oermann

- It is difficult to make predictions: we do not undertake to predict that we will have in Germany 3 months, six months. We believe and hope for the best.