Alfa-Bank Explained

Alfa-Bank should not be confused with Alpha Bank.

Alfa Bank JSC
Native Name:Альфа-банк АО
Type:Joint stock company
Location City:Moscow
Location Country:Russia
Locations:486 offices
Num Employees:26,008 (2020)
Industry:Banking
Financial services
Investment services
Owner:Mikhail Fridman
Pyotr Aven
German Khan
Products:Consumer banking
Corporate banking
Investment banking
Net Income: US$ 1.35 billion (2020)
Assets: US$ 61.85 billion (2020)
Equity: US$ 8.67 billion (2020)
Rating:Ba2 (Moody's), BB+(S&P),[1] BBB− (Fitch) (2021)[2]

Alfa-Bank JSC (Russian: Альфа-банк АО) is the largest of the private banks in Russia.[3] It was founded in 1990 by Russian businessman Mikhail Fridman, who remains the controlling owner. Headquartered in Moscow, it operates in seven countries, providing financial services to 22 million active corporate customers and over 1 million active retail clients as of 2021.[4] On 1 March 2022, Mikhail Fridman and Pyotr Aven left the bank's board of directors[5] after coming under EU sanctions imposed in response to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. For the same reason, the bank has been sanctioned by US and EU authorities beginning in February 2022 and 2023, respectively.

History

Timeline:[6] [7]

1990s

2000s

2010s and 2020s

Charity

Since 2004, Alfa-Bank has been assisting "Life Line", a charity programme for aiding seriously ill children. Alfa-Bank was the first company to organise a collection of private donations to the foundation.[40] Since September 2008, bank customers have the opportunity to transfer cash donations to help children with the help of the Alfa-Click Internet Bank or a conventional bank transfer without a bank commission.[41] [42] The bank also cooperates with WWF,[43] supports most of its initiatives, and also invites its clients to provide financial support to the fund.[44]

The bank operates a volunteer organization called "Give Kindness". The bank collects humanitarian aid for orphanages, boarding schools and social shelters, and also attracts employees as volunteers. Every year, the bank organizes charity events called "Children's Day", "Help Me Get Ready for School", and "Christmas Miracle".[45]

Education

Since 1995, the bank has run the "Alfa-Chance"[46] student scholarship programme, which gives school graduates from various regions of Russia the opportunity to receive higher education at leading universities in the country. Since 2008, Alfa-Bank, in cooperation with HSE, has run a programme to provide nominal scholarships to first-year students from Russian regions (except Moscow and St. Petersburg) who have won prizes at All-Russian School Olympiads and the HSE Multi-Profile Olympiad.[47] In total, the "Alfa-Chance" program involves about 17 higher education institutions. The bank operates the Alfa Fellowship Program, which enables young specialists from the United States, Great Britain and Germany to undergo an internship in Russia.[48]

Culture

Alfa-Bank plays an active role in developing cultural and educational activities, primarily to support national art. On 7 June 2000, the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation and Alfa-Bank signed a cooperation agreement, under which the participants agreed to work together to organise joint cultural events and creative projects. Every year, exhibitions and concerts are held with the support of a bank in Russia. In addition, Alfa-Bank participates in the organisation of exhibitions and concerts by Russian cultural figures abroad. For example, on 18 February 2000, a concert by the Moscow Virtuosos Symphony Orchestra conducted by maestro Vladimir Spivakov was held in London. It was the orchestra's first performance in London for 10 years. The presentation was sponsored by Alfa-Bank.Alfa-Bank and the Moscow Literary Fund run a scholarship support programme for writers, aimed at motivating authors to create new works of literature: prose, poetry, drama, translations, and books for children.[49]

The bank is also one of the co-founders of the "Big Book" National Literary Award.

Alfa-Bank periodically sponsors or participates in the organisation of concerts by foreign stars in Russia, including Bono (2010), Elton John (1995, 2001, and 2007), Aerosmith (2007), Sting (1996, 2001, and 2006), Whitney Houston (2004), and Paul McCartney (2003 and 2004). Some of the singers invited were performing in Russia for the first time.[50] [51] [52] [53] Alfa-Bank also organises an electronic music and technology festival called Alfa Future People. Headliners have included stars of the world electronic scene such as Paul Oakenfold, Avicii, Skrillex, Pompeya, Tesla Boy, and Infected Mushroom, among others.[54] [55]

In July 2014, Alfa-Bank announced the launch of the City Tours with Alfa social project. The Bank provides financial and organisational support to the country's best museums, as well as tour bureaus supporting the development of city tours in Russia.[56]

In early 2021, Alfa-Bank hired the Russian rapper Morgenshtern as a "youth director". This was preceded by the appearance of a scandalous video in which the Federal Antimonopoly Service found violations of Russian advertising law. The singer's task was to attract 100,000 young new clients. Some experts see this venture as a reputational risk.[57] After an administrative case was initiated against Morgenshtern in April 2021 for drug propaganda, Alfa-Bank disavowed previous messages and called them an "advertising stunt".[58]

Technology

Protection of business reputation

On 21 January 2014, Alfa-Bank and Mikhail Fridman filed a lawsuit for the protection of their business reputation against the chairman of the Yabloko Party, Sergei Mitrokhin, the editorial staff of the Izvestia newspaper and a correspondent from the newspaper. They considered that statements made by Mitrokhin and Izvestia that "Aleksei Navalny is carrying out political orders from the Alfa Group" did not correspond to reality and discredited their business reputation.[64] However, the court refused to satisfy the company's claim against Mitrokhin.[65]

Jones Day

In the United States, the Jones Day law firm represents numerous Russian entities, including Alfa-Bank and Alfa Group.

Sanctions

See main article: International sanctions during the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.

See also: SWIFT ban against Russian banks and 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.

On February 23, 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the beginning of military operations in Ukraine, launching an invasion. This prompted countries to impose severe economic sanctions on Russian individuals, companies, and banks in addition to those placed on Russia in response to the 2021-2022 Russo-Ukrainian crisis. On 24 February 2022, U.S. President Joe Biden announced sanctions on several Russian banks, including Alfa-Bank; the restrictions include "dealings in new debt of greater than 14 days maturity and new equity".[66] Alfa-Bank's press service made a statement in the Russian press that these sanctions would not affect the bank's operations.[67]

In April, Apple removed the Alfa-Bank application from its App Store. Already downloaded versions continued to work.[68] In August, the “Деньги пришли” (Money Came) application appeared in the App Store, replicating the functionality of the official Alfa-Bank application, but developed by a third-party company. Other Russian banks have resorted to similar measures before, but "alternative" applications were cleared out in about a week.[69]

The EU adopted sanctions in its 10th package in February 2023.[70] The UK first imposed sanctions on 24 March 2022, increased in March 2023 and in December 2023 increased them again to include a prohibition on correspondent banking relationships.[71]

See also

References

Notes and References

  1. News: Credit Ratings - 2017. 21 March 2018. alfabank.com. 21 March 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180321192800/https://alfabank.com/corporate/ratings/. 21 March 2018. dead.
  2. Web site: Fitch повысило Альфа-Банку рейтинг до "ВВВ-". ru. 2021-04-01. banki.ru.
  3. Top Banks in Russia - Overview and Guide to Top 10 Russian Banks. Corporate Finance Institute.
  4. Web site: Annual Report 2020. Alfa-Bank. 2021-09-16. 14 February 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220214105419/https://alfabank.com/app/uploads/2021/08/ab_21_105_ar2020_210830a.pdf. dead.
  5. Web site: Milliardery . Forbes.ru . 2022-03-19.
  6. Web site: Bank's History. ru. Alfa-Bank . 2011-03-20.
  7. Web site: Alfa. Bank. 31 December 1998. Alfa-Bank Annual Report 1998. alfabank.com. Alfa-Bank. 21 March 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20110725042452/http://alfabank.com/f/1/investor/financial_reports/annual_reports-ifrs/ab_report1998.pdf. 25 July 2011. dead.
  8. https://alfabank.ru/about/awards/history/1990/ History 1990
  9. Web site: История банка . Alfabank.ru . 2022-03-19 . 30 December 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20171230115646/https://alfabank.ru/about/awards/history/1991/ . dead .
  10. https://alfabank.ru/about/awards/history/1992/ History 1992
  11. Web site: История банка . Alfabank.ru . 2022-03-19 . 30 December 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20171230115555/https://alfabank.ru/about/awards/history/1993/ . dead .
  12. Web site: История банка . Alfabank.ru . 2022-03-19 . 30 December 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20171230115620/https://alfabank.ru/about/awards/history/1995/ . dead .
  13. Лазин А. В. Краткий обзор выпусков еврооблигаций российскими эмитентами. // Финансовый менеджмент, № 3, 2004. Дата обращения: 11 апреля 2011. Архивировано 9 февраля 2012 года.
  14. Web site: История банка . Alfabank.ru . 2022-03-19.
  15. News: Jack. Andrew. Russian newspaper faces $10m bill for defamation. 22 April 2018. Financial Times. 20 October 2004.
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  17. News: Fitch Upgrades Russia's Alfa Bank to 'BB'; Outlook Stable . CbondS Financial Information. 11 December 2007. 2 May 2012.
  18. News: Russia's Alfa Bank asks $400 million from state . Nataliya. Vasilyeva. USA Today. 31 October 2008. 2 May 2012.
  19. News: Russian Bank Secures Online Banking With Aladdin Authentication. IT Business Net. 15 December 2008. 2 May 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20160303233733/http://www.itbusinessnet.com/articles/viewarticle.jsp?id=607199. 3 March 2016. dead.
  20. Web site: Severnaya Kazna integration . 2012-12-17 . dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20121117025218/http://alfabank.com/investor/sk-integration/ . 17 November 2012 . Severnaya Kazna integration
  21. News: Fitch Downgrades Russia's MDM and Alfa; Other Banks on Negative Outlook. CbondS Financial Information. 27 March 2009. 2 May 2012.
  22. News: Russia Alfa Bank launches $1 bln Eurobond-sources . Reuters. 17 September 2010. 2 May 2012.
  23. News: Alfa Bank Eyes Bank of Moscow Stake – report . Reuters. 24 January 2011. 2 May 2012.
  24. News: Euroset, Alfa Bank Launch Loyalty Card Credit Programme . Telecom Paper. 14 March 2012. 2 May 2012.
  25. Web site: Was There a Connection Between a Russian Bank and the Trump Campaign? A team of computer scientists sifted through records of unusual Web traffic in search of answers . Dexter Filkins . Dexter Filkins . 15 October 2018 . . 12 October 2018.
  26. News: Foer. Franklin. Was a Trump Server Communicating With Russia?. 6 April 2017. Slate. 31 October 2016.
  27. News: Bertrand. Natasha. Natasha Bertrand. 10 March 2017. The FBI is reportedly examining why a Russian bank with ties to Putin wanted to reach the Trump Organization during the campaign. Business Insider. 20 April 2017.
  28. News: Larson . Erik . 2022-05-20 . Hillary Clinton Approved Trump-Russia Leak to Media, Her Campaign Manager Says . en . Bloomberg . 2022-05-21.
  29. Web site: Review of Four FISA Applications and Other Aspects of the FBI's Crossfire Hurricane Investigation. 119. Office of the Inspector General U.S. Department of Justice . 4 June 2021.
  30. News: Lichtblau . Eric . Myers . Steven Lee . Investigating Donald Trump, F.B.I. Sees No Clear Link to Russia . . October 31, 2016 . October 18, 2021.
  31. News: Trump Server Mystery Produces Fresh Conflict. Charlie. Savage. Adam. Goldman. The New York Times. 30 September 2021.
  32. Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty
  33. News: Here Is The Money Trail From The Russian "Agent" And Her Republican Partner: Federal investigators say some of the money went to Maria Butina's campaign to help Russia infiltrate American politics. 31 July 2018. BuzzFeed News. Leopold. Jason. Cormier. Anthony. 15 October 2018.
  34. News: Dutch subsidiary of Russia's Alfa-Bank raided in money laundering investigation. 31 March 2018. Reuters. 12 December 2017.
  35. News: Pieters. Janene . Dutch Banks Accused of Aiding Russian Money Laundering Scheme . 31 March 2018 . NLTimes.nl . 21 March 2017.
  36. News: Литова. Екатерина. Чистая прибыль группы Альфа-банка упала впервые за пять лет. Ведомости. 20 February 2020.
  37. Web site: Альфа-Банк Казахстан сменит название. 6 May 2022. www.forbes.kz. 26 February 2023.
  38. Web site: Дочка Банка ЦентрКредит стала Eco Center Bank. kapital.kz. 26 February 2023.
  39. Web site: Назначен глава Eco Center Bank. Дарья. Андреева. 18 May 2022. www.forbes.kz. 26 February 2023.
  40. Web site: Альфа-Банк и "Линия жизни" запустили первую в России корпоративную карту для участия в благотворительности. 2017-12-29.
  41. Web site: Альфа-Банк получил награду за активное участие в программе "Линия жизни". // life-line.ru. 2012-09-07. https://web.archive.org/web/20140726095348/http://www.life-line.ru/eng/issues/38. dead. 2014-07-26.
  42. Web site: Программа спасения тяжелобольных детей "Линия жизни". // alfabank.ru. 2012-09-07. https://www.webcitation.org/6BTpxn8cO?url=http://alfabank.ru/murmansk/society/life-line/. live. 2012-10-17.
  43. Web site: Карта Хранителя Земли. 2017-12-29.
  44. Web site: WWF – спасение тигров. // alfabank.ru. 2012-09-09. https://web.archive.org/web/20121009072732/http://alfabank.ru/society/wwf/. live. 2012-10-09.
  45. Web site: 14 лучших акций бизнеса в #ЩедрыйВторник. 27 September 2017. 2017-12-29.
  46. Web site: Alfa Chance. 2023-08-31.
  47. Web site: Стипендия Альфа-Шанс. 2017-12-29.
  48. Web site: Стратегия Умного Роста. 2017-12-29.
  49. Web site: Альфа-Банк помогает писателям. 2017-12-29.
  50. Web site: Альфа-Банк привез в Москву U2. // finparty.ru. 2012-09-07. https://web.archive.org/web/20121123133019/http://finparty.ru/section/events/15700/. dead. 2012-11-23.
  51. Web site: Альфа-Банк представляет концерты группы Aerosmith в Москве и Петербурге. // bankinform.ru. 2012-09-07. https://web.archive.org/web/20140725042520/http://www.bankinform.ru/news/SingleNews.aspx?newsid=12938. live. 2014-07-25.
  52. Web site: Группа Jamiroquai впервые даст концерт в Москве. // vz.ru. 2012-09-07. https://web.archive.org/web/20140726084747/http://vz.ru/news/2006/6/16/37804.html. live. 2014-07-26.
  53. Web site: 2003-12-17. Уитни Хьюстон даст два концерта в Москве. // newsru.com. 2012-09-07. https://web.archive.org/web/20140725040331/http://www.newsru.com/cinema/17dec2003/houston.html. live. 2014-07-25.
  54. Web site: Самая большая сцена в Европе будет построена в Нижнем Новгороде для фестиваля Alfa Future People. // nn.rbc.ru. 2014-06-23. https://web.archive.org/web/20140609224910/http://nn.rbc.ru/nn_topnews/05/06/2014/928867.shtml. 9 June 2014. dead.
  55. Web site: "В России мне никогда не бывает скучно". 23 June 2014. // kommersant.ru. 2014-06-23.
  56. Web site: "Городские экскурсии с «Альфой": новый социальный проект представил Альфа-Банк. 2017-12-29.
  57. Web site: Рэп в руководство. ru. 2021-03-19. versia.ru.
  58. Web site: Альфа-банк отказался считать Моргенштерна своим сотрудником. ru. 2021-04-17. RBC.
  59. Web site: "Альфа-Банк" выпустил часы со встроенной банковской картой стоимостью 5 тысяч рублей. 7 July 2015. 2017-12-29.
  60. Web site: "Альфа-банк" создал приложение для использования смартфона вместо кошелька. 16 July 2015. 2017-12-29.
  61. Web site: Контакт не нужен. 2017-12-29.
  62. Web site: "Альфа-банк" представил протез с возможностью бесконтактной оплаты. 18 October 2017. 2017-12-29.
  63. Web site: А-Клуб Private Banking. 2017-12-29.
  64. http://www.vedomosti.ru/finance/news/21631571/alfa-bank-i-mihail-fridman-predyavili-mitrohinu-isk-o Альфа-банк и Михаил Фридман предъявили Митрохину иск о защите деловой репутации
  65. News: Михайлова. Анастасия. Альфа-банк проиграл суд Митрохину по делу о финансировании Навального. РБК. 2014-08-26.
  66. Web site: FACT SHEET: Joined by Allies and Partners, the United States Imposes Devastating Costs on Russia . The White House . 24 February 2022 . 25 February 2022.
  67. Web site: Альфа-банк сообщил об отсутствии влияния объявленных санкций на работу банка. ru. 2022-02-25. TASS.
  68. Web site: Приложение Альфа-Банка удалили из App Store. ru. 2022-04-15. banki.ru.
  69. Web site: В App Store появился аналог приложения Альфа-Банка. ru. 2022-08-23. banki.ru.
  70. Web site: EU adopts 10th package of sanctions against Russia . 20 March 2023.
  71. Web site: Financial Sanctions Notice 15/12/2023 . 15 December 2023.