Sberbank Europe Group Structure and Subsidiaries in Europe

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Sberbank Europe Group has a significant presence in Europe with various subsidiaries and branches. Sberbank Europe AG is the holding company for the group's operations in the region.

Sberbank Europe AG is headquartered in Vienna, Austria, and serves as the parent company for the group's operations in Central and Eastern Europe.

The group's subsidiaries in Europe include Sberbank Austria AG, Sberbank Czech Republic, and Sberbank Slovakia, among others.

History of Sberbank Europe

Sberbank Europe was established in 2012 after Sberbank acquired Volksbank International AG (VBI) for €505 million, which is 1.0x VBI book value (excluding Romania).

The deal involved banks in several countries, including Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Serbia, Slovenia, Ukraine, and Slovakia. Société Générale and J.P.Morgan acted as financial advisors to Sberbank.

Sberbank Europe received a full banking license in Austria in 2013 and fully rebranded Volksbank subsidiaries as Sberbank by 2014.

Early Years

Sberbank Europe AG was established in 2012 after Sberbank acquired Volksbank International AG (VBI) for €505 million.

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The deal involved banks in several countries, including Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Serbia, Slovenia, Ukraine, and Slovakia.

Sberbank Europe received a full banking license in Austria in 2013, marking a significant milestone in its early years.

Organizational transformation and group restructuring were key aspects of the acquisition, with the regional headquarters of Sberbank Europe Group being established in Vienna, Austria.

In 2013, Sberbank Europe obtained its first Fitch Ratings investment grade, a BBB− rating, which was a notable achievement for the young bank.

Fitch affirmed its rating as BB+ with a positive outlook in 2017, indicating a stable financial position.

Sberbank Europe's early years were also marked by significant growth, with the bank launching Sberbank Direct in Germany in 2014, an online direct bank with basic retail products.

Sberbank Direct gained €1.7 bn in deposits by 2015, demonstrating the bank's ability to attract customers and grow its business.

The bank continued to expand its operations, completing the Comprehensive Assessment consisting of the Asset Quality Review (AQR) and the Stress Test conducted by the European Central Bank in 2015.

Sberbank Europe finalized the sale of its Slovak subsidiary in 2016, which helped to strengthen its capital structure.

In 2017, Sberbank Europe completed the sale of its stake in PJSC «VS Bank» (Ukraine) to TAS Group, marking another significant transaction in the bank's early years.

Key Milestones

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Sberbank Europe's history is marked by significant milestones that shaped the bank into what it is today.

In 2013, Sberbank acquired Volksbank International, expanding its presence in Central and Eastern Europe.

The acquisition brought in new markets and customers, setting the stage for future growth.

Sberbank continued to expand its operations in 2014, acquiring 100% of the shares of Volksbank International's subsidiaries in Austria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Slovakia.

This strategic move further solidified Sberbank's position in the region.

In 2015, Sberbank Europe AG was officially established, serving as the holding company for Sberbank's operations in Central and Eastern Europe.

Operations and Structure

The Sberbank Europe Group operates in several countries, including Austria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, and Slovakia.

The group's structure is designed to provide efficient management and oversight, with a strong focus on customer satisfaction.

Sberbank Europe Group is headquartered in Vienna, Austria, and has a significant presence in the region.

Operations Overview

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Sberbank Europe Group AG has a significant presence in Central and Eastern Europe with 187 branches.

The bank employs over 3,800 people as of the end of 2020.

Sberbank Europe Group AG's operations can be divided into three core businesses.

Retail business is a key area, providing mortgages, consumer loans, savings, pension products, and digital banking programs.

Large corporate & investment banking includes corporate, real estate, and acquisition financing, as well as trade finance and treasury products.

Small and medium-sized enterprise business offers liquidity financing, investment financing, treasury finance products, and transaction business support.

These three businesses cater to a wide range of customers and needs.

The bank's operations are designed to provide a comprehensive range of services to its customers.

Sberbank Europe Group AG's focus on these three core businesses has enabled it to establish a strong presence in the region.

Subsidiaries in Europe

Sberbank Europe Group AG had a significant presence in Central and Eastern Europe with subsidiaries in 8 markets.

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The company had a branch in Austria with only 1 location as of 2020.

Sberbank d.d. in Croatia had a much larger presence with 31 branches.

In the Czech Republic, Sberbank CZ, a.s. had 24 branches, but its banking license was revoked in 2022.

Sberbank Direct in Germany offered pure online banking services.

Sberbank Magyarország Zrt in Hungary had 27 branches before it was put into liquidation in 2022.

Sberbank banka d.d in Slovenia had 12 branches before it was sold to Nova ljubljanska banka d.d in 2022.

The company also had subsidiaries in Bosnia and Herzegovina, with Sberbank BH d.d. Sarajevo and Sberbank a.d. Banja Luka having 32 and 27 branches respectively.

Here's a breakdown of the number of branches and services offered by each subsidiary:

Challenges and Future

Despite its success, Sberbank Europe Group still faces some challenges in the future. The bank's reliance on traditional banking methods and lack of digital transformation in some markets may hinder its growth.

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The bank's decision to withdraw from some markets, such as Austria and Hungary, may also impact its customer base and revenue. Sberbank Europe Group aims to focus on its core markets and improve its digital services.

To achieve this, the bank is investing heavily in digital transformation, with a focus on improving its online banking services and mobile app. This will help to attract new customers and retain existing ones.

Sberbank Exiting European Market

Sberbank has completed its exit from the European market with the sale of its Austrian subsidiary.

The sale of Sberbank Europe AG comes over 15 months since Sberbank was targeted by Western sanctions in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Sberbank's Austrian subsidiary will be taken over by an Austrian firm controlled by entrepreneur Stefan Zöchling.

The bank obtained all necessary approvals from regulators to complete the sale.

Sberbank had announced plans to exit the European market shortly after it was targeted by sanctions, as its European subsidiaries faced an abnormal outflow of clients.

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Some of its European subsidiaries, including its Czech subsidiary, subsequently declared bankruptcy.

Sberbank sold its Swiss subsidiary to the investment group m3 Groupe Holding SA in September 2022.

The value of the transaction was $250-425 million.

The U.S. Treasury Department subsequently lifted sanctions on the subsidiary, which was rebranded and started operating under the name Bereke.

Bridging the Gap

Bridging the Gap is a key objective for SBEU, and they've made significant progress since their creation in 2012 after acquiring Volksbank International. Their goal is to build a sustainable bridge between markets in Russia and Europe.

SBEU has become a self-funded and profitable universal bank with a strong focus on retail and corporate customers. This achievement is a testament to their ability to adapt and grow in a dynamic market.

The Backbase platform will be gradually rolled out in several countries, including Croatia, Austria, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Serbia, and Slovenia. This strategic move will help SBEU expand its reach and services in these markets.

An Agile Mindset

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In today's fast-paced business world, staying ahead of the curve is crucial for success.

Having an agile mindset is essential for companies that want to thrive in a rapidly changing market. Backbase's service is built around this principle, enabling companies to adapt quickly to new technologies and market trends.

A quick reaction time is vital for staying ahead, and Backbase will help SBEU meet and exceed customer expectations.

The Backbase platform is designed to provide the latest services to customers and equip companies with the tools to adapt to whatever comes next.

About Sberbank Europe

Sberbank Europe Group is a leading financial services provider in Central and Eastern Europe.

The Group was founded in 2006 by Sberbank of Russia, one of the largest banks in the world.

Sberbank Europe Group operates in 7 countries: Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Serbia, and Slovakia.

The Group has a strong presence in the region, with a network of over 700 branches.

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Sberbank Europe Group offers a wide range of financial services, including retail banking, corporate banking, and investment banking.

The Group's services are designed to meet the needs of both individual and corporate customers.

Sberbank Europe Group is committed to innovation and digitalization, investing heavily in technology to improve customer experience.

The Group's focus on innovation has led to the development of mobile and online banking services.

Sberbank Europe Group has a strong track record of financial performance, with a solid capital base and a stable business model.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened with Sberbank?

Sberbank faced sanctions from the EU and New Zealand in 2022, and many of its overseas subsidiaries ceased operations or changed ownership. The bank's global presence was significantly impacted as a result.

Who are the shareholders of Sberbank?

Sberbank's shareholders include the Bank of Russia, non-resident legal entities, private investors, and resident legal entities. The Bank of Russia owns half of Sberbank's capital, with non-resident legal entities holding over 44% of the shares.

Bertha Hoeger

Junior Writer

Bertha Hoeger is a versatile writer with a keen interest in financial institutions and community development. Her work primarily focuses on banking and microfinance sectors, providing insightful analyses of various Indian financial entities and organizations. She has covered a range of topics, from banks based in Maharashtra and those established in 2019 to private sector banks and microfinance companies.

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