OREANDA-NEWS. October 05, 2012. Board of Directors of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development visited PJSC "MEGABANK". Among the members of the delegation headed by Giorgio Leccesi (EBRD Director, Italy) were the EBRD Directors for European and Asian countries. Such a highly esteemed representatives of shareholders visited "MEGABANK" for the first time, reported the press-centre of MEGABANK.

During the visit the guests attended a unique product of MEGABANK – the Integral Clearing Center established to pay for utility bills and electricity. The ICC serves more than 12% of utility bills payers in Ukraine; its database includes 66 types of services from 1200 enterprises. As it was stated by Yurii Sergeev, the Head of ICC, during the presentation, Kharkiv, where 100% of communal payments are made through the ICC, has the highest level of payment discipline compared to other regions of Ukraine. Foreign guests got acquainted with the ICC system, a single receipt which is sent to every family in Kharkiv monthly.

Then the representatives of EBRD and the MEGABANK’s management discussed the results and prospects of further cooperation. Let us remind that EBRD has been the shareholder of MEGABANK since 2009; it has opened three credit lines to the bank since 2006: two by programs to support micro, small and medium sized businesses (for the amount of USD 20 mln. and USD 15 mln.) and a credit line by energy efficiency program in Ukraine (for the amount of USD 13.5 mln.). Members of the Management Board of MEGABANK, PJSC gave detailed information to guests about how the bank credits Ukrainian companies according to the EBRD programs.

The Head of the Management Board of PJSC "MEGABANK" Elena Zhukova noted that among the priorities of the bank’s credit policy there are both lending to agricultural sector enterprises as well as industrial enterprises which implement energy efficiency technologies. When talking about financial indicators of the bank, Elena Zhukova emphasized that the average annual growth of the loan portfolio of "MEGABANK" for the last 3 years makes 19% (then the average indicator among Ukrainian banks is 6%). As at the 1 September 2012 the bank's assets has reached UAH 4,402 million loan and investment portfolio amount to UAH 3,610 million, bank's capital makes UAH 722 million, current year profit is UAH 6,170 thousand. The bank’s capitalization level is 19% that is rather significant indicator.

The Head of the Management Board said that the bank is implementing 10 international programs of total amount USD 149 mln. Except EBRD, MEGABANK is actively cooperating within credit agreements with Credit Institution for Reconstruction (KfW), the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the German-Ukrainian Fund (GUF), the European Fund of South-Eastern Europe (EFSE), "WorldBusiness Capital, Inc.", the Netherlands Development Bank (FMO).

Elena Zhukova noted that this year the shareholders of the bank approved a long-term development strategy whereby is planned to move away from the universal scheme of business and to implement an expert model. The Head of the Supervisory Board of PJSC "MEGABANK" Viktor Subotin told guests that the basic principles of the bank’s operation are extremely cautious and careful when doing business together with the simultaneous introduction of innovations demanded by the market.

Head of EBRD delegation Giorgio Leccesi said after the meeting that the results of MEGABANK’s activity left him and his colleagues a good impression. He noted that a regional bank, which so far is "MEGABANK", has a good prospect. According to Giorgio Leccesi particularly impressive successes "MEGABANK" has in lending to the agricultural sector of Ukraine, and the recent award of the bank by the Ministry of Agrarian Policy of Ukraine with a gold medal proofs it. Board member also praised the management of MEGABANK, noting that EBRD is deservedly recognized the chairman of the bank Elena Zhukova as one of the most successful women - heads of business (in 2010 Elena Zhukova was awarded by EBRD "For outstanding achievements in the field of business management").