By Andrei Skvarsky. Dutch Foreign Minister Uri Rosenthal has called for European Union-wide sanctions on Russian officials blamed for the death of Hermitage Capital lawyer Sergei Magnitsky if Russia fails to take criminal action against them. “Depending on the outcomes of the Russian judicial investigation, I intend to raise the possibility of further action at… Continue Reading
Tag Archives: Europe
Russia seeks to lift the lid on Swiss bank accounts
By Andrei Skvarsky. The Swiss government has promised to disclose details of some of the Russian accounts in Swiss banks to Russian authorities. Under an agreement planned for this week, Russia would be able to seek such information if any of its citizens with a bank account in Switzerland is suspected of tax evasion or… Continue Reading
Jordan asks to join EBRD
By Andrei Skvarsky. Jordan has asked to join the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development with a view to receiving EBRD funding, the European institution said in a statement. Jordan has now joined Egypt, Morocco and Tunisia in seeking EBRD membership. The four nations are the target of support under the “Deauville Partnership”, launched at… Continue Reading
BNP Paribas replaces chief operating officer in Moscow
By Andrei Skvarsky. French bank BNP Paribas has appointed Palle Larsen as chief operating officer at its Russian subsidiary, having moved him over from a similar job in Paris. In his Moscow-based position Larsen, who is Danish, replaces Kieran MacMahon, who has been transferred to the French lender’s representative office in Turkey, according to Russian… Continue Reading
The Brits are fast fading in Russia as PM Cameron arrives
By Andrei Skvarsky. British banks HSBC and Barclays, along with oil major BP, are fading from Russia just as UK Prime Minister David Cameron arrives in Moscow on Monday to try to reverse a nadir in British-Russian relations. HSBC, Europe’s largest bank, has shut its modest Russian retail network after committing $200m for building it… Continue Reading
VTB Capital hires Ilya Veller from UniCredit for equity sales role
By Andrei Skvarsky. VTB Capital has confirmed to EmergingMarkets.me that it has hired Ilya Veller from UniCredit Securities as senior manager for equity sales at its Moscow office. Veller had a brief six month tenure at UniCredit’s Moscow brokerage, where he headed the special situations group. He previously oversaw sales at Russia’s Aton Capital, which… Continue Reading
Nordic fund CapMan gets chunk of Siberian Web provider
By Andrei Skvarsky. CapMan, a Nordic private equity firm, has acquired 20% interest in Russian Internet service provider Siberian Networks and plans to boost the stake to 25% within months. Siberian Networks projects a turnover of about 15m euros ($21.1m) for 2011. One of the leading Web service providers in Siberia with more than 100,000… Continue Reading
GOLDMAN COMMENT: Swissy never lies
By Jim O’Neil, Chairman of Goldman Sachs Asset Management. In the context of the ongoing challenges in the US, the Euro Area and elsewhere, this week I have chosen to focus on the Swiss Franc currency. Throughout the market mayhem of August, and its subsequent carry over into the start of September, the Swiss Franc… Continue Reading
HSBC hires ex-Intesa manager as head of commercial clients arm
By Andrei Skvarsky. HSBC has hired Sergei Chetverikov, a former senior manager at Italy’s Banca Intesa, as head of the commercial clients division of the British bank’s Russian operation. Chetverikov will oversee a 35-member team based in Moscow and St Petersburg, HSBC said in a statement. Continue Reading
Raiffeisen snaps up Swedbank's Russian retail business
By Andrei Skvarsky. Raiffeisenbank has bought a Russian retail business from Swedbank, a Swedish lender with a global network which is shutting its entire retail operation in Russia. Joining the swelling ranks of foreign banks shutting their Russian retail operations, Swedbank offloaded its retail division in Kaliningrad to Raiffeisenbank and plans to sell off its remaining… Continue Reading