Viking Bank

History

In August 1988 in USSR had begun the period when state banks of industry-specific branches were transformed into the commercial banks. During that period the first private commercial bank - Viking Bank - was established as an experiment (at the beginning the Bank's name was "Patent"). From that moment had commenced the era of formation of a new banking system in new Russia. At that time there was no law regulating banking activity and the first Charter of the bank was developed on the basis of the Cooperation Act. Viking Bank was given the General Banking License No.2 on August 26, 1988. License No.1 was given one day before to the Union Bank in Kazakhstan that went bankrupt. Consequently, the Viking Bank is the First Commercial Bank on the territory of the post-Soviet Russia. The main strategy of the bank's development from the moment of its establishment was based on the work with the real sector of economy and on the principle of comprehensive approach and wholesale banking service.

Executives

Victor Halansky – Chairman of the Board of Directors ScD (Economics), Professor of VAK (Higher Attestation Commission), Honoured Economist of Russian Federation.

He started his career in 1960 at the Leningrad electric machine building plant; he worked his way up from a time-study engineer in the workshop to a Deputy General Director. Since August, 1988 - Chief Officer at the Main Department of Promstroybank USSR in the Leningrad region. 1988 - First Deputy Chairman of the Management Board of Promstroybank USSR Since 1990 - Chief Officer at the Main Department of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation in Saint Petersburg. 1996 - 1997 - Counsellor to the Central Bank of the Russian Federation at the Main Department of the Central Bank in Saint Petersburg. Since 1997 - First Deputy Chairman of the Management Board of Viking Bank. Since 2000 - Chairman of the Board of Directors of Viking Bank. He has been one of the organizers and genuine participants of the annual International Banking Congress held in Saint Petersburg since 1992. Since 2003 - Director of St. Petersburg Banking School (College) under the administration of the Central Bank.

Academician of the St. Petersburg Engineering Academy. Academician of the International Academy of Investment and Construction Economics.

Author of more than 30 scientific works, learning and teaching materials in economics, finances and banking business.

Alexey Ustaev – President, ScD (Economics). For his work Alexey Ustaev was awarded a great number of honours, among which there are «Banker of the Year 2013" (National bank award), the Highest Award of Northwest Banking Association ("Banker’s Star"), Honorary Title "Honored banker" (the highest award of the Russian Banking Association).

Since 1984 he had worked in Lengidrospetsstroj, there he took part in the construction of the city's protective facilities with floodwalls. 1987-1988 – CEO of the Soviet-Swedish company "Viking" and Chairman of the co-operative "Vera". In 1988 he founded the first Russian commercial bank "Viking". Since then he has been its Chairman of the Management Board, and president.

Member of Council of the Northwest Banking Associations Member of the Diplomatic Club Academician of the St. Petersburg Engineering Academy President of the St. Petersburg Chess Federation President of the Association of the Chess Federations of the Northwest Federal District

Author of 20 scientific works in banking and finances business.

Membership

"Saint Petersburg Stock Exchange, CJSC";
"Moscow Interbank Currency Exchange, CJSC";
Russian Banking Association;
Northwest Banking Associations;
International Payment System VISA;
"Northwest Credit History Bureau, CJSC";
System of the compulsory insurance of deposits held by individual persons;
Saint Petersburg commerce and industry chamber;
ROSSWIFT (Russian National SWIFT Association)

Core business areas

Investment financing of the companies in the real sector of economy is a core business area for Viking Bank. Bank has designed its own system for servicing corporate clients - industrial undertakings - that allows to protect business from external risks. For that purpose a two-level model has been developed, it includes professional team of financial experts working in Viking Bank, purposefully organized and engaged on the outsourcing base highly specialized companies rendering services of legal, economic, fiscal, consulting and IT support for business and ensuring economic security and insurance of the undertakings. Bank as a part of this model monitors borrowers both on the stage of loan granting and during realization of business plan with due regard to changing market conditions. This system has become a basis for implementation of a new approach to organization and control of the loan granting process in the Viking Bank. Bank has refused to play a role of passive supplier of loans and become a rightful partner interested in the improvement of financial state and business expansion of the clients. Bank actively cooperates with companies of varied industries: consumer goods, hotel, trade, service, development and many other segments of economy. Viking Bank acts as a surety for representatives of small and medium-sized business as Bank takes part in the programme that is arranged by the Credit Assistance Fund for Small and Medium-sized Business. Viking Bank provides individual persons with package of modern banking products and services. The Bank supports development of regional science, culture and healthcare system. The Bank permanently analyses its clients needs, develops and offers new services, implements modern effective technologies. Individual clients of the Bank can send and receive wire transfers, effect payments to corporate entities, exchange foreign currency, set up accounts in various currencies, control the accounts with the help of Internet-banking, operate bills, use all types of plastic cards and services for storage of funds, jewellery, securities, documentations and other valuable assets in safe deposit boxes, make deposits in roubles and foreign currencies, perform all types of payments.

Social policy

Viking Bank actively participates in various social programmes, assisting vulnerable segments of population, supporting of sports, education and science. Charitable programmes of the Bank: financial support of the Ballet and Theatre School named after L.Jacobson, Regional Children's Clinical Hospital, Orphanage No.8, Orphanage No.6, Residential Care Facility for blind and visually impaired children named after K.Grot, Volosovo Orphanage No.1 of the Volosovo District, the Shelter-care Facility "Krokha". 1995 - 2009 - payment of allowances for families that have physically handicapped members and dependent children, then – for families with physically handicapped members. Since 2006 – financial aid to the Research and Development Institute of Children's Orthopaedics named after G.Turner. Since 2007 - Support of the Association of the Chess Federations, Northwest Federal District. This Association unites Chess Federations of 10 Northwest regions and is considered one of the largest chess organisations in Russia. The Bank finances and organizes sports events on various levels - from competitions for children and championships for veterans to large-scale international tournaments where the most prominent chess players take part. Since 2009 under the patronage of the Bank effectively functions Chess School of the Northwest Federal District. 2011 – Banking scholarships for the prominent students of the leading universities of economics in Saint Petersburg. In 2011 Valentina Matviyenko, Governor of Saint Petersburg, highly praised Viking Bank represented by Alexey Ustaev, Chairman of the Board of Viking Bank, for active participation in charity and support of aid programmes for children.