OREANDA-NEWS. At the annual Bank of the Year prize-giving ceremony initiated by Banki.ru web portal, Mr. Zakaryan was honored with the title Banker of the Year 2013 for his contribution to banking

On the eve of the ceremony, the Uniastrum President received the award from Elena Ishcheeva, member of the Banki.ru Board of Directors and its Chief Visionary Officer.

“I'm delighted; it's something I wasn't expecting. It's a great honor for us,” Mr. Zakaryan said on receiving the award. “We always strive to do our best, to help everyone we can, be they our clients or society in general”.

Elena Ishcheeva noted that despite Cyprus's financial problems last year which affected, among others, Uniastrum's main shareholder (80%), the Bank of Cyprus, Uniastrum had managed not only to maintain its reputation as a reliable credit institution and avoid a mass withdrawal of customer deposits, but also to solidify its positions on the Russian market thanks to the active position and information transparency of the Russian owners.

Gagik Zakaryan has been awarded a number of prestigious prizes and titles, including Best Banker in 2005 and 2011, Person of the Year 2006 in the Social Responsibility category, the Efficient Bank Management National Banking Award 2007, and a public award. In 2013, he was decorated with the Order of Saint Gregory the Illuminator for outstanding services to the nation and the Church.