OREANDA-NEWS. April 08, 2013. A Sberbank delegation, headed by CEO and Chairman of the Board Herman Gref took part in the Ex-Im Bank Annual Conference. Ex-Im Bank of the United States is a state bank, providing national export support and programs. This conference traditionally is the central event for Ex-Im Bank as well as a platform for discussing the entire range of issues related to financing of the American goods and services export.

At the event Sberbank announced an agreement between Sberbank Group represented by Sberbank Leasing and Boeing for the order of 12 Boeing-737 aircrafts for further operational leasing to Sberbank’s corporate client Transaero.

During the course of the conference a meeting between Herman Gref and Chairman and President of Ex-Im Bank USA Fred Hochberg was held, which resulted in both sides’ confirming mutual interest in developing the partnership in the sphere of export financing from the US to Russia and Sberbank’s other countries of operation.

Herman Gref also spoke at the panel session on infrastructure development.

“The implementation of large scale infrastructure projects is important for Russia on the whole, as it is for Sberbank as the country’s largest bank spearheading the Russian economy, since economic development is impossible without efficient infrastructure, - said Herman Gref. – In the light of our new business directions, via financing in particular, Sberbank is becoming an active user of this infrastructure. Efficient airports and appropriate utility systems are essential for the aircraft operational leasing services, direction area we have begun to develop”.

“If Russia acts as a consumer of goods and services of the U.S. companies within the infrastructure development projects, we can support it by using highly effective financing instruments jointly with Ex-Im Bank of the USA", - said the head of Sberbank.
In June 2012, Sberbank of Russia and Ex-Im Bank of the United States signed a Memorandum of Understanding in order to increase volume of Russian-American trade and investments.