Uralsib Explained

Uralsib
Type:Joint-stock company
Industry:Banking
Predecessors:-->
Successors:-->
Founded:1993
Founders:-->
Hq Location City:Moscow
Hq Location Country:Russia
Areas Served:-->
Owners:-->
Net Income:RUB 172.589 million (2020)[1]
Assets:RUB 505.592 billion (2020)
Equity:RUB 409.196 billion (2020)
Num Employees:10750
Num Employees Year:2021
Rating:B2 (Moody's) (2020) B/B (S&P) (2021)

Uralsib (Russian: ПАО «Банк Уралсиб») is a Russian commercial bank, headquartered in Moscow. According to Russian Forbes, as of 2022, it was one of the country's largest banks with the net asset value of approximately 530 billion rubles.[2]

Uralsib is a successor company to Bashcreditbank (since 2001, known as Ural-Siberian Bank)[3] founded in 1993 by Bashkortostan's government.[4] [5] The bank was created by merging Ural-Siberian Bank and Avtobank-NIKoil in 2005.[6] The latter was Nikolai Tsvetkov's company closely affiliated to LUKoil. In 2013, it employed 19,342 people.[7]

Uralsib is said to have been "roiled by mismanagement", with its founder Tsvetkov agreeing to step down in 2015 in return for a bailout, as the bank was on the verge of bankruptcy and having its banking license revoked.[8] During his time as chairman Tsvetkov became known for his application of New Age philosophy to company management, which included requiring all employees to read books by a self-help guru and holding spiritual seminars to determine promotions.[9]

An 82% stake in Uralsib was sold to Vladimir Kogan in November 2015 to avoid bankruptcy.[10] As part of a rescue plan, Russia's Deposit Insurance Agency also agreed to a $224 million rescue package for the bank.[11] In 2016 Uralsib was ranked as the second least reliable bank in the country by the Russian version of Forbes.[12] In June 2017 Moody's raised the credit rating of Uralsib from Caa1 to B3, reflecting the bank's return to operational profitability.[13]

After the death of Vladimir Kogan in 2019,[14] his shares were inherited by a widow, Lyudmila Kogan. The supervisory board of Uralsib is headed by the eldest son of Vladimir Kogan Yevgeny Kogan.[15]

At the end of 2019, the bank reported a net profit of 12.8 billion rubles (approx $170 million) and an increase in capital to 94.3 billion rubles (approx $1.27 billion).[16]

At the beginning of 2021, The Banker placed Uralsib on the third line of the Top 50 Russian banks (and on the first line in terms of profitability).[17] In April 2021, Uralsib Bank entered the Forbes rating of the best banks in the world; it took 13th place among Russian banks.[18]

In February 2024, the Bank of Russia announced the early termination of measures to prevent the bankruptcy of Uralsib and that the bank’s stable financial position had been restored. Uralsib shares on the Moscow Exchange reacted to this message with a sharp increase (more than 20%).[19]

Activity

Uralsib Bank has the status of a Principal Member of the international payment systems Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Union Pay and the Russian payment system Mir. Bank "Uralsib" performs the function of a third-party processing center of the PS "Mir".[20]

On December 12, 2022, Uralsib completed the purchase of Citibank retail loan portfolio.[21]

On July 24, 2023, the Russian credit rating agency NKR upgraded the rating of Uralsib Bank to A.ru with a “stable” outlook. The assessment took into account the bank's high capital adequacy and low risk appetite.[22]

Sanctions

Uralsib Bank was sanctioned by the United States and the United Kingdom on 24 February 2023 in relation to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.[23] Increased in December 2023 by the UK to include a prohibition on correspondent banking relationships.[24]

Sanctioned by Canada on 22 August 2023 for association with the Putin regime.[25]

Management

Board of the bank as of February 2021:[26]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Public Joint Stock Company "BANK URALSIB". Consolidated Financial Statements. Year ended 31 December 2020. 2021-04-20.
  2. Web site: 100 надежных российских банков — 2022. Рейтинг Forbes. Елена Тофанюк. ru. 2022. Forbes.ru. April 24, 2022.
  3. Web site: "Уралсиб" активно слился. Ильшат Гайнуллин, Гульчачак Ханнанова. ru. April 16, 2005. Kommersant. April 24, 2022.
  4. Web site: Наследие "Башкредита" . Евгений Маврин. ru. April 20, 2017. Kommersant. April 24, 2022.
  5. Web site: Банк Уралсиб . ru. 2022. Forbes.ru. April 24, 2022.
  6. News: Two Banks Plan Merger After a 'Rigged' Sale. 28 August 2017. The Moscow Times.
  7. News: UralSib Reportedly Planning 20% Staff Reduction. 28 August 2017. en.
  8. News: Russia's Uralsib brought down to earth as bank puts UK unit up for sale. 6 April 2017. bne IntelliNews.
  9. News: New age beliefs fail to help Russian lossmaking Uralsib bank. 28 August 2017. Financial Times.
  10. News: 4 November 2015. Putin Ally Secures $1.3 Billion in Unprecedented Bank Rescue. 2020-07-22. Bloomberg.
  11. News: UPDATE 3-Russian tycoon Kogan takes 82 pct of Uralsib Bank in c.bank rescue. 28 August 2017. Reuters. 2015.
  12. News: Кредит доверия: рейтинг надежности банков. 6 April 2017. Forbes Russia.
  13. Web site: Moody's upgrades Bank Uralsib's deposit ratings to B3 from Caa1; outlook positive. Moodys.com. 28 August 2017. 5 June 2017.
  14. Web site: Умер владелец "Уралсиба" Владимир Коган. Юлия Выродова. ru. June 20, 2019. RBC.ru. April 24, 2022.
  15. Web site: Инвестором в рамках санации банка "Уралсиб" стала Людмила Коган. 2020-04-16. RBK.
  16. Web site: ПАО "БАНК УРАЛСИБ" сообщает о результатах деятельности за 2019 год в соответствии с МСФО. 2020-04-22.
  17. Web site: Top 50 Russian Banks ranking: resilience tested by the pandemic. 2021-02-01. The Banker.
  18. Web site: World's best banks. 2021-04-13. Forbes.
  19. Web site: Акции Уралсиба взлетели после сообщения о завершении оздоровления банка. ru. 2024-02-16. Banki.ru.
  20. Web site: рынок процессинга – технологичный, инновационный, конкурентный . 2022-07-12 . nbj.ru . ru.
  21. Web site: Uralsib Bank closes deal to buy Citibank's retail loan portfolio. tass.com. 2022-12-12.
  22. "Агентство НКР повысило рейтинг Банка Уралсиб до A.ru со «Стабильным» прогнозом". vbr.ru [in Russian]. 23 июля 2023 года.
  23. Web site: Targeting Key Sectors, Evasion Efforts, and Military Supplies, Treasury Expands and Intensifies Sanctions Against Russia . 25 February 2023.
  24. Web site: Financial Sanctions Notice 15/12/2023 . 15 December 2023.
  25. Web site: Russian entities from the military-industrial, financial and nuclear sectors Country: Russia . 23 August 2023.
  26. Web site: Правление. ru. 2021-06-10.