EBRD and Hansabank agree on long-term partnership in Russia

Swedbank subsidiary Hansabank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) today signed an agreement whereby EBRD buys a 15% holding in Hansabank Russia (Hansabank OAO). EBRD will pay up to 13 million euros for the above mentioned holding. EBRD and Hansabank Group have been co-operating in Russia since 2002, when EBRD purchased a 25% holding in Hansabank’s leasing company – Hansa Leasing Russia. Today Hansa Leasing is the leading lessor of railway freight cars in Russia. “Hansabank gets a trusted partner with long experience in Russia and a profound knowledge of the local market while EBRD becomes a shareholder in a fast growing and reliable organization in Russia” said Druvis Murmanis, Chairman of the Board of Hansabank Russia. Hansabank expanded to the Russian banking market in September 2004 after acquiring a small, Moscow-based corporate bank. In June 2005 Hansabank recapitalized the bank with 79 million euros and three months later opened the first bank branch in Moscow. The bank offers a wide range of banking services to corporate clients and their employees. Hansabank will also open branches in St. Petersburg and Kaliningrad before the end of 2005. For further information: Veronica Roytman, Marketing Director, Hansabank (ОАО), phone: +7 (095) 777 63 63, veronica.roytman@hansagroup.com Henrik Kolga, Head of Communications, FöreningsSparbanken, tfn: +46 (08) 5859 2779, henrik.kolga@fsb.se