OREANDA-NEWS. May 19, 2011. An initiative of the Government of the Udmurt Republic, the forum will be held on May 19-20 in the city of Izhevsk. Eugene Tutkevich, Chairman of Uniastrum’s Management Board, will address the forum’s plenary session on investing in small and medium enterprise

Concerned with the social and economic development of the Udmurt Republic and ways to expand its industrial, agro-industrial, and scientific potential, the forum will be attended by representatives from federal, regional, and municipal authorities, credit institutions, industrial and agro-industrial companies, scientific institutions, and SME.

The forum program includes a plenary session, an investment project exhibition, investment presentations, and round table discussions dealing with, among other issues, the role of small and midsized businesses in boosting the Urdmurt economy. Today many of the republic’s economically active population are employed in SME enterprise, which, needless to say, means that helping the sector to grow and thrive is paramount if the local economy is to modernize. In keeping with its priority focus on supporting small and medium enterprise, Uniastrum will be playing a key part in the forum’s discussion panels and exhibitions. Visitors to the Bank’s presentation stands will be able not only to learn about the lender’s SME products and services, but also to obtain specialist advice from Uniastrum staff, and apply for loans.

Uniastrum’s Izhevsk branch has been operating for over 6 years, providing a full range of banking services for retail and business customers. Since December 2010 the branch has successfully partnered the Udmurtia SME Credit Assistance Guarantee Fund.

“The Izhevsk Investment Forum has been running for a few years now and is undoubtedly one of the highlights of the republic’s economic calendar,” notes Eugene Tutkevich, Chairman of Uniastrum’s Management Board. “Our investment in small and midsized business goes beyond our specially tailored SME borrower options. Crucially, it is a sustained contribution to the development of the economic life of Russia’s regions.”