OREANDA-NEWS. January 25, 2012. In 2012 the Rostov branch is to mark ten years of operation, during which time Uniastrum has succeeded in solidifying its position on the local banking market. Uniastrum’s Rostov region representation comprises six outlets dispersed throughout Rostov-on-Don, Taganrog, and Novocherkassk.

For some years now Uniastrum has maintained a strong competitive position on the region’s corporate lending market. In 2011, for example, the Bank’s Rostov branch issued loans exceeding a total Rb 1 bn to locally-based small and medium enterprises. In the same period its corporate credit portfolio expanded a healthy 29% and today the branch has a business client base of over 1,300, including some of Rostov’s biggest enterprises operating inside and outside the region and engaged in, among other areas, wholesale and retail trading, manufacturing, logistics, and healthcare. Last year brought heftier demand for long-term business loans, as well as an uptrend in commercial mortgages for office and manufacturing premises. Meantime, Uniastrum continued to strengthen its working relationship with the region’s small business community, FY11 results revealing 70% growth in the branch’s portfolio of loans extended to smaller enterprises and sole proprietors.

Uniastrum’s Rostov branch offers a comprehensive range of retail banking services, the most popular being consumer credit, card distribution and administration, and deposits. Year-on-year its overall credit card portfolio was upsized 22% to Rb 79 mn, while it retail deposit portfolio expanded 50% to around Rb 700 mn. Thanks primarily to the high-quality of their deposit services and to their convenient location, Uniastrum’s outlets in the Rostov region succeeded in boosting their deposit customer count to 5,000 as of January 1, 2012.

“Without doubt we derive a conspicuous advantage from our extensive regional network,” notes Eugene Tutkevich, Chairman of Uniastrum’s Management Board. “Today some 70 percent of our business is in the regions and we remain committed to expanding our activities nationwide, focusing especially on retail operations and SME. It is thanks to our strong regional presence that we are able to build direct relationships with our customers and tailor our business to local needs.”