OREANDA-NEWS. The Chairman of Center-invest Bank's Board of Directors, Dr Vasily Vysokov, has won "Banker of the Year" in the regional Person of the Year Awards. Organised by the business magazine Business Quarter Rostov-on-Don, the awards are now in their fifth year. Dr Vysokov won the award for his success in continuing to develop Center-invest Bank, the largest regional bank in southern Russia, and for supporting new entrepreneurs.

In April of this year, Center-invest Bank opened a Financial Literacy Centre, together with Southern Federal University. The bank regularly holds competitions and seminars for entrepreneurs, and it transfers to southern Russia best international practice in banking technologies and energy saving.

Receiving his award amid tumultuous applause, Dr Vysokov said, "It has been an incredible and very productive year. Thank you, Business Quarter. I was able to write and publish, moreover, in both Russian and English, the world's first handbook on transformational banking. This is what banks will be engaged in once they have overcome this latest crisis. But, most importantly, thanks to you, our dear customers and partners, at this challenging time, we have managed to double the number of loan applications and the number of new bank accounts opened with Center-invest Bank. Thank you all very much!"

Dr Vysokov was heavily involved in the economic reforms in the Rostov region in the 1990s and in the first wave of privatisation in southern Russia. For over 20 years he has been implementing programmes to support the country's transition to a market economy. He continues to make a significant contribution to the development of the Rostov region's economic, financial and banking sectors.

On Dr Vysokov's initiative, in 1997 Center-invest Bank became one of the first organisations in the Rostov region to work with small business, offering a range of financial products and comprehensive advisory support to the sector. Today, we are one of the Top 10 Russian banks for SME lending. A regular speaker at many international economic forums and conferences, Dr Vysokov has established lasting business contacts with foreign partners and positioned the Rostov region as attractive for investors.