Post Bank is going against the grain with plans to hold a total of 18,000 branches across Russia within two years. The lender is using legacy outlets from its Leto Bank and Russian Post origins to increase its reach, with a low-cost model that mixes ATMs and mobile transactions. Stefanie Linhardt reports.

As the man at the top of Russia’s biggest bank, Sberbank president and chief executive Herman Gref, presides over an institution with ambitious long-term fintech plans. He talks to Stefanie Linhardt about the challenges to its overseas operations and dealing with the fallout from the rouble’s collapse.

As the Russian economy recovers, the new equilibrium brings fresh challenges to the financial sector. Stefanie Linhardt finds out how the management at many of the country's leading banks are adapting to this environment at the International Financial Congress in St Petersburg.

As Russia contemplates a restructuring of its creaking pensions system, investors expect a positive effect on the securities market with the introduction of private individual pension capital accounts. However, the market is still immature and many decisions on reform are still to be made. Stefanie Linhardt reports from the International Financial Congress (IFC) in St Petersburg. 

Jiri Smejc, chief executive of Czech lender Home Credit, tells Stefanie Linhardt why China represents a vital step outside its central European comfort zone.

The flotation of Russian toy retailer Detsky Mir on Moscow’s stock exchange was a significant moment for the country’s capital markets, which have been quiet in recent years. Joanne Hart reports.

The Russian government is committed to creating a strong fintech community to rival other global innovation hubs, and domestic banks are playing their role in providing start-ups with know-how and backing, writes Heather McKenzie. 

After a contraction in investment levels since 2014, Russia’s first renminbi-denominated bond could signal the beginning of a new age of Chinese interest in the country’s financial potential. Stefanie Linhardt reports.

A sluggish economy, high interest rates and greater scrutiny are hitting Russia's banks, especially smaller institutions, with some opting for consolidation as a way to survive, as Stefanie Linhardt reports.