OREANDA-NEWS. In the first 9 months 2013, the SME loan portfolio of Bank Petrocommerce increased by 245% to RUB 7.4 bln. Therefore, according to Expert RA, Petrocommerce became the most dynamically growing bank in the SME segment. The number of borrowers doubled as compared with the beginning of the year and exceeded 1,200. Strict requirements to the borrowers' business, a smooth underwriting and monitoring system enable the Bank to sustain a very high level of the SME loan book - in 3Q 2013, overdue loans accounted for 0.03%. The share of loans to SMEs in the total loan book of Bank Petrocommerce increased to 4.7% (as at year-start, this business segment constituted 1.4% of the Bank's loan portfolio).

Loans for specific purposes (acquisition of real estate, equipment, vehicles, technical refurbishment and innovations, working capital) constitute a substantial part of the Bank's SME loan book. The portfolio mainly comprises medium-term loans. The regional composition of the loan book is formed in proportion with the SME lending development at the Bank's branches.

"It took us two years to build this new business area and reach a sustainable profitability level", says Victor Okopny, Head of SME Lending Department. "Our current objective is to strengthen the Bank's market positions by enhancing the quality of services, creating new products, including those not related to credit, and providing financial advisory services to SMEs".