• International financial organizations
• Auditors
• Social organizations
• Rating agencies
• Subsidiaries

International financial organizations

European Bank for Reconstruction and Development was organized in 1991, when the communistic regime was being destroyed in the states of Central and Eastern Europe and the former soviet bloc countries needed support in order to establish new private sector on democratic conditions.

Today the investment tools of EBRD are used for the purposes of establishing the market economy and democracy in 27 countries from Central Europe to Central Asia. EBDR is the largest investor in the region, and besides its own funds, it attracts considerable amounts of direct foreign investment. It is owned by 60 countries and two international organizations. EBDR finances projects of the banks, enterprises and companies by investing funds in both new productions and already operating firms.

Probusinessbank has been cooperating with EBDR since 1996. The partnership relations include joint efforts in before export financing of the Russian companies and SME credit granting process. At the end of August 2003 EBDR opened a credit line to Probusinessbank for the amount USD 10 million for the purposes of financing export and import operations of its customers under Trade Facilitation Program, with participation of 65 European banks.

In December 2003, the Board of Directors of EBRD signed a credit agreement, pursuant to which Probusinessbank was provided with a convertible subordinated loans for the amount USD 14 million for 6 years with possible prolongation for 3 years. The funds received will be spent on implementation of regional location strategy of Probusinessbank by acquiring the control shares stocks of the leading credit institutions in the constituent entities of the Russian Federation.

International Financial Corporation Organized in 1956, today the International Financial Corporation (IFC) is the largest multilateral institution which grants credits and shared financing for projects in the private sector of developing countries.

IFC assists the stable development of private sector by: financing the projects in private sector of developing countries and assisting the private companies of developing countries in attracting the financing at the international financial markets. The aims and objectives of IFC, included into the Group of organizations of the World Bank, are to assist the stable inflow of investment into the private sector of the developing countries for the purposes of decreasing the scale of poverty and increasing the living conditions in these countries. IFC includes 175 member-states, which jointly determine its policy and approve investment projects. To be admitted to IFC, a country must be a member of International Bank for Reconstruction and Development.

Probusinessbank has cooperated with the International Financial Corporation since 1997. In November 2001, the Bank received a subordinated loan for the amount USD 5 million from IFC. This project is actually the first banking investment of IFC in Russia and it proves higher trust from the western investors on the Russian banking system on the whole and on the activities of Probusinessbank in particular.

Black Sea Bank for Trade and Development. The Black Sea Bank for Trade and Development (BSBTD) was organized in 1998 by eleven member-states of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization: Albania, Armenia, Azerbaidzhan, Bulgaria, Georgia, Greece, Moldova, Romania, Russia, Turkey and Ukraine; it was established as a regional intergovernmental financial organization for assisting in economic development of the founder-states and boosting regional cooperation. BSBTD is located in the city of Thessaloniki (Greece).

In 2002 Probusinessbank and BSBTD entered into an agreement on renewable credit line for the amount USD 3.5 million. Probusinessbank was chosen as a financial intermediary of Trade Financing Program of BSBTD in Russia. In 2003 the credit limit was increased up to USD 5 million. The credit line includes pre-export financing and credit granting process to purchaser.

American Express Bank American Express Bank has been the main correspondent bank for Probusinessbank since 1997.

Auditors

Auditor – Deloitte and Touche CIS.

License for auditing activities No. E 002417 was prolonged till November 6, 2012, by Order of the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation No. 676 as of October 31, 2007.

Certificate on membership in Non-Commercial Partnership “Audit Chamber of Russia” as of May 20, 2009, No. 3026. Legal address: 125047, Moscow, Lesnaya street, 5

The latest audit was performed on May 13, 2011.

Social organizations

Association of Russian Banks is a non-state non-commercial organization, which combines commercial banks and other credit institutions, as well as organizations the activities of which are related to the monetary and credit system of the Russian Federation.

The Chairman of the Management Board of Probusinessbank, A.D. Zheleznyak, is the Chairman of the Security Committee of the Russian Bankers’ Association.

Russian Trade System (RTS). RTS Stock Exchange is the largest and most popular in Russia electronic trading platform, on which about half of the total amount of trading on the Russian securities market is performed. As an electronic trading system, RTS was organized in the middle of 1995 for the purpose of combining the isolated regional markets into the commonly organized securities market.

The organization performs regular monitoring of the financial position of Probusinessbank, including planned and unplanned checks of the primary accounting documents of the Bank by their experts.

Moscow Stock Exchange Moscow Stock Exchange was organized in March 1997 in the form of Non-Commercial Partnership.

The Exchange offers the following services: arranges and conducts the initial securities placement, arranges and conducts the securities secondary trading, as well as arranges and conducts property sale on privatization, bankruptcy property sale; auctions for sale of property objects, belonging to Russian individuals and legal entities; auctions for sale of property objects, belonging to non-residents; auctions for selling the pledged property.

Moscow Interbank Currency Exchange Moscow Interbank Currency Exchange (MICEX) was organized in 1992.

Moscow Interbank Currency Exchange (MICEX) is the leading Russian stock exchange, on the basis of which the national trading system was established on all the main financial market sectors – currency, securities and forward – both in Moscow and in the largest financial and industrial centers of Russia. Together with its partners (Settlement Chamber of MICEX, National Depository Center, regional stock exchanges, etc.) the exchange also provides clearing and depositary services to about 1500 organizations which are exchange market participants. In terms of aggregate trading volume (in 2002 – USD 117 billion) MICEX is the largest stock exchange in Russia, CIS countries and Eastern Europe. At present under the authority of the International Stock Exchange Association of CIS countries a project is implemented to establish the integrated currency and securities markets on the technological basis of the national stock exchanges of the Commonwealth.

Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication In 1973 239 banks from 15 countries of Europe and North America established the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (S.W.I.F.T.) for the purpose of establishing an international network for data transmission among financial organizations. Today S.W.I.F.T. is the leading international organization in the sphere of financial telecommunication, which provides swift, safe and absolutely reliable transmission of financial messages all over the world.

At present S.W.I.F.T. users are more than 7000 largest banks and financial institutions, such as brokerage firms, securities companies, stock exchanges, centralized depositaries and others, from 198 countries. S.W.I.F.T. received support from the international financial community, and the conception, formats and rules of financial information transmission suggested and implemented by it got the status of a standard de facto. Daily volume of messages transmitted through S.W.I.F.T. network exceeds 3.5 million of aggregate value more than USD 2 trillion. S.W.I.F.T. is not only the largest world information transmission network, but it also provides special equipment and software for work in the network.

Probusinessbank was registered in S.W.I.F.T. in 1995, and since September 1996, it has actively worked in SWIFT network. The Bank uses all the advantages provided by S.W.I.F.T. system in order to fulfill the tasks set by the bank’s clients in the most efficient way.

VISA International Visa is an electronic payment system, which, being a non-commercial organization, combines 21,000 member-banks all over the world. The banks themselves deal with issue and arrangement of receiving the cards. In spite of widely spread opinion, Visa is not a plastic card issuing company.

Visa performs an intermediary role among the banks and is engaged in arranging settlements and provides technical cooperation among the system participants. Today Visa, which slogan is “The best way of payment in the world”, is the leading trade mark and largest international payment system. Visa and its member-banks hold more than half of the world market of international plastic cards. Surveys constantly confirm that Visa is not only the most well-known trademark among plastic cards, but also one of the most popular trademarks among the consumers.

Probusinessbank is a participant of the Visa International payment system, which develops non-cash payment system using the bank cards not only in Moscow, but also in some regions of Russia. Probusinessbank has been an associated member of Visa International payment system since 2003, which is engaged in issuing and acquiring of international plastic cards Visa Business, Gold, Classic, and Electron.

Master Card Incorporated MasterCard Incorporated Holding was organized in August 2002 as a result of the merger of two companies and payment systems MasterCard International and Europay International into a single organizational structure, and, accordingly, common payment system. Since July 1, 2002, a new holding MasterCard Incorporated appeared on the global card market, which included a subsidiary and main operational unit MasterCard International. In its turn, the operational structure of reorganized corporation MasterCard International included five regional offices; one of them was MasterCard Europe, which was the former Europay International Company.

The merger of the companies and payment systems MasterCard International and Europay International was the climax of the close business partnership which lasted more than thirty years. In 1992 the partners formed a joint enterprise Maestro International, as a result at the markets of lots of countries on-line debit cards Maestro appeared. In 1994 Europay International and MasterCard International together with Visa International organized a work group EMV for the purposes of development of global requirements for microprocessor cards. In 1996 MasterCard International and Europay International signed a new agreement on strategic partnership for 10 years. In June 2001 the beginning of the merger procedure of two companies and payment systems was announced.

Probusinessbank is a participant of Master Card Incorporated payment system, which operates efficiently at the market of payments performed using the bank cards.

Probusinessbank has been a principal member of the Payment system 1999, which is engaged in issuing and acquiring of international plastic cards EuroCard.

Moscow Banking Unit was organized in 1989 as a non-state non-commercial organization. MBU activities are aimed at expressing and championing the interests of its members – commercial banks of Moscow Region.

The Chairman of the Management Board of Probusinessbank, A.D. Zheleznyak, is the Deputy Chairman of the Board of Moscow Banking Unit.

Rating agencies

Fitch Ratings is an international rating agency aimed at providing the international credit markets with independent and prospect-focused assessment of creditworthiness, analytical surveys and data. Fitch Ratings has headquarters in New York and London and is included into the Fitch Group. Besides Fitch Ratings, the Group includes Fitch Solutions, a division for distribution of products and services of Fitch Ratings, which provides information and analytic materials and supporting services. The Fitch Group also includes Algorithmics, which is the global leader in solutions for companies’ risk management. The majority shares stock of the Fitch Group belongs to Fimalac S.A., with its headquarters in Paris, France.

Fitch has worked with a wide range of issuers from Russia and CIS for 15 years already and it assigns international and national credit ratings to banks, non-banking financial organizations, insurance companies, issuers of corporate sector, regional and local authorities, and sovereign governments.

Fitch also assigns ratings to issues of debt instruments with fixed income and structured financing transactions. Probusinessbank has been assigned an international credit rating since 1995. The international rating agency Fitch Ratings annually examines the Bank and has a favourable assessment of the results of its financial activities and development prospects.

RusRating is an independent national rating agency organized in 2001. Since the very beginning of its activities, the founder and director of the company has been Mr. Richard Hainsworth, CFA financial analyst, leading expert in the issues related to Russian banking sector. Since 2004 the agency’s strategic partner has been Firebird Management Company which manages the investment funds.

During its activities RusRating Agency operates in accordance with the principles and provisions of the Professional Ethics Code of the Russian Rating Agencies approved by the National Securities Market Association (NSMA). In 2008 RusRating became one of the first rating agencies to be accredited by the National Securities Market Association.

Subsidiaries

VUZ-bank is a comprehensive high-tech dynamically developing regional bank. VUZ-bank is the leader of the Ural retail market of international plastic cards; in 2000 it was the first in Sverdlovsk Region to launch its processing center servicing international VISA cards. In 2002 VUZ-bank was the first in Russia to start issuing international VISA-Smart cards with implanted chip module. In December 2002 VUZ-bank was among the 30 largest issuers of international plastic cards in Russia in terms of total operations with plastic cards.

In March 2003 CB RF approved the transaction of acquiring 94.5% of shares of VUZ-bank by Probusinessbank. Acquiring of the control shares stock of VUZ-bank was a pilot project in implementation of the regional development program of Probusinessbank within the scope of development strategy for 2003-2008 approved at the end of 2002. The strategy is implemented with support of international financial institutions.

The main lines of development of VUZ-bank are the following: increasing the volumes of retail business, implementing the support programs of small business development, extending the services of medium business, including factoring, project financing, and foreign economy financing.

Express-Volga Bank is one of the largest banks in Nizhnee Povolzhie, and it was organized on September 6, 1994. The main objective of the first stage of the bank’s activity was providing the banking services to the divisions of Privolzhkaya railway. Then the bank started to develop as a comprehensive credit institution, aimed at providing a wide range of services to the general public and enterprises of various economic sectors. The main source of growth of the bank’s resource base are individuals’ deposits: Express-Volga has steadily taken the 2nd place among the credit institutions of the region, following the Saratov Office of Sberbank RF in terms of deposits and a number of other main characteristics of its activities. Express-Volga has its locations in such towns of Povolzhie as Volgograd, Ershov, Engels, Balakovo, as well as the network of additional offices in Saratov.

In 1996 the bank started issuing plastic cards of Union Card system. Since 1999 the bank has started to service plastic cards of Eurocard/Mastercard and Visa international payment systems, and in June 2000, the bank started to service plastic cards of “Zolotaya Korona” Russian payment system. Besides, Express-Volga Bank was the first in Saratov Region to start performing Western Union speed cash transfers in Russian rubles.

In February 2004 Probusinessbank became the owner of the control shares stock of the bank, at present the share of Probusinessbank is 86.29%. Within the scope of development of the partner program with participation of the main shareholder, Express-Volga Bank will extend the possibilities of financial services of the key client groups:

For large and medium business enterprises – project financing programs (of long-term credit granting process) for development of the current and establishment of new productions, financing of export and import operations and trade financing, factoring, leasing operations refunding and others.

For small business enterprises credit granting programs will be implemented, including according to the simplified application overview procedure, as well as full-scope support programs for development of enterprises through implementation of the non-banking products package.

National Savings Bank National Savings Bank (former Ivanovsky Regional Bank) has been admitted to the Financial Group Life since 2006. Today National Savings Bank is an authorized bank of the Public Sector Workers Credit Granting Program, a reliable partner of each public sector worker. The bank’s services are targeted at the needs of this category of customers: nearly any employee of a public sector organization, notwithstanding the salary amount, can receive an express loan at a rate below the market average. The bank’s credits have all the best characteristics of the financial product, namely fast services, convenient services, and a wide scope of possibilities to use the received funds.

The bank is a partner of the Government of Ivanovskaya Region and Kirovskaya Region, the Mayor’s office of Naberezhnye Chelny and many other municipal authorities within the framework of various regional social and economic development programs.

Gazenergobank Gazenergobank (banking license No. 3252) was organized in 1995 in Kaluga. The Bank provides credit granting services to individual entrepreneurs and large enterprises, as well as services the citizens of Kaluga Region. Its offices are located in Kaluga, Obninsk, Balabanovo, Borovsk, Kondrovo, Lyudinovo, Maloyaroslavets, Sosensky and other large and economically important towns and villages of the Region.

Gazenergobank joined the Financial Group Life in 2008. At present Gazenergobank is at the final stage of admission into the Group, which includes the implementation of the common IT platform and unique corporate culture of the Group. The Bank’s products and services have also been adjusted to the standards accepted within the Group. Today Gazenergobank offers credits, deposits, investment projects and mortgage programs to its retail and corporate customers. Individual customers are also offered the possibility to pay utility bills in the bank’s offices.

Bank24.ru has been operating at the financial services market of Sverdlovsk Region since 1992. During this time, Bank24.ru has proved to be stable and reliable financial and credit institution. The Top-management of Bank24.ru include the banking business experts well known in the business circles. The Chairman of the Management of the Bank is Sergey Lapshin. The development strategy of Bank24.ru is to organize automated bank system providing twenty-four-hour service for customers, which is stated in its name.

In 2008 Bank24.ru joined the Financial Group Life. Bank24.ru was one of the first banks of the Ural to participate in the mandatory deposits insurance system, and it was included into the Register of the banks being participants of the mandatory deposits insurance system on February 24, 2005, under number 716.

Based on the results of 2009, the Internet-banking of Bank24.ru has become the leader of the “Users’ rating” of the Banki.ru portal.

Commercial bank “Poidem!” (since 1995 till 2010 OJSC Investment City Bank, previously CB OJSC “GALS-BANK”) was organized on October 19, 1993. In December 2009 Investment City Bank was admitted to the Financial Group Life. On the basis of the Investment City Bank, a dedicated retail bank was set up – the Bureau of Financial Solutions “Poidem!”. The Retail Express Loan Department of Probusinessbank has been responsible for the implementation of this strategy since 2005. Since admission to the Financial Group Life, serious changes have occurred in the credit organization: additional education for the employees, implementation of new information system, business processes optimization, and new products development. Lightness, flexibility and simplicity of the Financial Group Life have been added to the reliable and large-scale professional Investment City Bank.

Pursuant to the new credit granting method, the credit decision centre has been moved straight to the office, and such a decision is taken by the employee who communicates with a customer directly. By the way, it has become even simpler to receive credit after the implementation of the system which allows customers “building” a financial produce on their own, for example setting the deposit parameters.

In homely offices of the Bureau of Financial Solutions “Poidem!”, in warm and pleasant atmosphere, customers can solve all their financial issues: make a deposit, perform a transfer, and issue a credit. Our financial advisors try to find a custom-tailored approach to each customer, to understand his or her points and needs, and to help solve them. One of the main differences of the “Poidem!” Bureau from other credit organizations is “personal refusal”: if you are refused a credit, you will be told the reason of the refusal by the manager who overviewed your credit application.