Russia entered the year 2008 accumulating big potential for the growth of its economy. Changes in political business environment may mark a new period of financial, industrial and socioeconomic transformation.

«Development of lending – is the key of the economic growth in Russia. Therefore, we should seek for expansion of crediting rather than increasing the volume of the state financing”- said Garegin Tosunyan at the press-conference in the press center of “Komsomolskaya Pravda».

Expansion of crediting is one of the important issues that will be highlighted at the Congress of Association of Russian Banks on April 2, 2008. Congress participants will sum up and work out a future strategy for development of Russian banking system.

Discussion on Banking Retail will be held on April, 3-4 at the IV Financial Conference “Banking Retail in Russia” organized by Association of Russian Banks and LBS International Conferences.  

Financial Conference is the annual meeting of Russian and the CIS banking community that will bring  together around 200 participants: state officials, heads of banks, top-managers, representatives of financial, insurance, mortgage, collection companies and loan brokers.

 Key issues to be addressed include:

• Retail Banking market and perspectives for growth in 2008
• Sources for Retail Lending financing  
• Consumer lending: how to remain a key player in the Russian banking market?
• Product development and customer service
• Development of Retail Banking in regions of Russia
• Development of Institutional Infrastructure of Retail Lending
• Financial  Education of a Customer

Speakers from the Russian State Duma, Bank of Russia, Vnesheconombank, VTB 24, Sberbank, Bank Uralsib, Bank of Moscow, Raiffeisen Bank, UniCreditBank, Alfa-Bank, Vozrozhdenie Bank, Rosbank, FASP, VISA International will convene the conference.