OREANDA-NEWS. March 22, 2010. Raiffeisenbank CJSC is celebrating the 2nd anniversary of its presence on the Komi Republic financial services market. The Syktyvkarsky operations office was established on March 12, 2008, in the building of the Torgovy Dvor shopping center, at: 62 Pervomaiskaya Street.

"We opened our office in the Komi capital two years ago. We make it no secret that the launch period was not the most appropriate due to the imminent crisis. Nonetheless, the deliverables achieved by the operations office did not only prove the viability and efficiency of the selected format of presence but also the possibility to operate in all of Raiffeisenbank’s targeted segments. Despite the difficulties with entering the market and the slow asset growth, the office has already some achievements in this direction and also occupies stable positions in raising of liabilities. At present, our Syktyvkar office has a stable, highly skilled team, an adequate infrastructure for servicing customers and also a ramified network of ATMs and is able to meet almost any needs of both corporate and retail customers. The possibility of presence on the local market in the operations office format enabled the Bank to drastically change the format of cooperation with our customers and to be more actively involved in provision of services in the Komi Republic, in close proximity to our customers’ daily operations", noted Alexander Konyshkov, Director, Northwestern Regional Center at Raiffeisenbank CSC.

The Syktyvkarsky operations office provides its customers with a full range of bank products and services (deposits, transfers, bank cards, currency exchange, consumer loans etc.). It also features services provided by Raiffeisenbank’s subsidiaries, such as Raiffeisen Leasing LLC, Raiffeisen Capital Management Company LLC, and Raiffeisen NPF that has successfully operated in Syktyvkar since January 2005 on the basis of Mondi Business Paper Syktyvkar LPK.

Such Raiffeisenbank’s offers as loans, card products, investment and pension programs and also the possibility to use the unique financial services provided by Raiffeisenbank’s Internet banking, Raiffeisen CONNECT, enjoy the greatest demand among the population of the region.

"The Syktyvkar Office was opened just 2 years ago, but it has already achieved rather positive indicators so far. Our plans are ambitious and we strive for high performance in the Komi Republic. Our long-term strategy is being implemented, in particular, in such indicators critical for business as investments into the quality of own presence, into the quality of proposed services and offered products. So far, the network of Raiffeinsenbank’s ATMs is the widest in Syktyvkar. There are 13 ATMs operating in the city, which enabled up to catch up with the Top 5 banks in the region by this parameter in a short term. We are represented in all districts of the city. The landmark investment is made into personnel training, on which Raiffeisenbank has traditionally focused and into which it has put up much money", says Aleksey Novozhenin, Director of Syktyvkar operations office, Raiffeisenbank CJSC.

The operations office operates in the extended-day mode: Monday to Friday, from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., on Saturdays, from 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. There are two Raiffeisenbank CJSC’s AMTs in the shopping center, including the one with the cash receipt function.

Raiffeisenbank CJSC’s Syktyvkar’s operations office is makes part of Raiffeisenbank’s CJSC Northwestern Regional Center that unites all of the bank’s branches and offices in the Northwestern federal district. Raiffeisenbank CJSC’s Northwestern Regional Center unites 5 cities of the bank’s presence, such as St. Petersburg, Kaliningrad, Cherepovets, Syktyvkar, Petrozavodsk. Therefore, Raiffeisenbank has in place 3 branches and 3 operations offices in the Northwestern federal district. At present, the Northern Capital branch is the biggest one in Raiffeisenbank CJSC, with 19 offices in different districts of St. Petersburg. Raiffeisenbank CJSC has some 190 ATMs in St. Petersburg and the Leningrad Region and also 235 ATMs in the Northwestern Federal District. The number of Raiffensenbank CJSC’s offices in the Northwestern federal district is rapidly growing and is now equal to 23 points of presence.
ZAO Raiffeisenbank is a subsidiary of Raiffeisen International Bank-Holding AG. Raiffeisenbank is ranking 9th in terms of assets among the Russian banks based on 2009 results (Interfax-CEA). According to Interfax-CEA, ZAO Raiffeisenbank ranked 5th in Russia in terms of private deposits and 8th in consumer lending in Russia based on 2009 results.