OREANDA-NEWS. October 17, 2011. Sberbank of Russia (“Sberbank”) and WestLB AG, London Branch (“WestLB”) are pleased to announce the completion of a USD50,000,000 bilateral term loan facility arranged by WestLB for Sberbank with a tenor of 4 years. The funds are provided for trade-related purposes in order to finance the activities of Sberbank’s clients. The transaction is another testament to Sberbank’s growth strategy in trade finance area, reported the press-centre of Sberbank.

Sberbank’s Global Head of Trade Finance and Financial Institutions Department, Andrey Ivanov remarked: "The benefit for raising these loans lies within Sberbank’s strategy aimed at financing the foreign trade activities of the Bank's clients, providing them with the most competitive terms and conditions. WestLB has proven itself as a reliable partner of Sberbank, providing long term financing in current market situation."

WestLB’s Head of Origination Russia and CEO of Bank WestLB Vostok (ZAO), Alik Kassner added: “This is the third such trade-related facility, sole-arranged by WestLB for Sberbank within the last 12 months. We are pleased once again to cooperate with Sberbank in the sphere of trade finance. The 4 years tenor of financing proves the trustful relationship with Sberbank, notwithstanding current volatile markets.”

Sberbank: Sberbank of Russia (Sberbank) is the largest Bank in Russia, with approximately 27% of the total assets of the Russian banking system and around 240,000 employees.  The Central Bank of the Russian Federation is the founder and the majority shareholder of Sberbank (over 60% of the voting shares), with the rest of the shares dispersed among more than 245,000 individuals and legal entities.  The Bank has the most widespread branch network in Russia: 17 Regional Head Offices, over 19,000 branches and banking outlets, as well as subsidiaries in Kazakhstan, Ukraine and Belarus, a branch in India and representative offices in China and Germany. Sberbank holds the General License No. 1481, issued by the Central Bank of the Russian Federation.

Corporate website: www.sberbank.ru

WestLB: WestLB AG is a European commercial bank with firm roots in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany?s largest federal state. With total assets of EUR 160.4 billion as at June 30, 2011, it is one of Germany?s leading financial services providers. WestLB offers the full range of products and services of a universal bank, focusing on lending, structured finance, capital market, asset management, transaction services and real estate finance.