Deutsche Bank: Russian temptation

Deutsche Bank has started talks with the Russian group UFG to set up a joint venture in investment banking. Although the news comes as a surprise, Deutsche Bank could exploit significant opportunities from the equity portfolio of the Russian bank.

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Deutsche Bank: heading East

Despite recent events causing some paranoia over investments in Russia, Deutsche Bank [DB] is going ahead with the purchase of a minority stake in UFG, the Moscow based investment bank. The Russian investment banking market is expected to grow in the future and Deutsche Bank has done well to ensure that it is positioned to benefit from this growth.

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BNP Paribas: Cetelem finds partner in Russia

Cetelem has picked a strong partner in RSB to secure market leadership in Russian consumer credit. Macro-economic risks remain, but this is a market that is expected to mushroom over the next 10 years so it is well worth getting in early. For Russian Standard Bank, the deal should provide a secure umbrella for growth.

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Credit cards: Russian market set for impressive growth

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Santander: benefiting from the BRIC bounce

The muscular market rallies that have occurred in the domestic stock markets of Brazil, Russia, India and China in 2009 make share sales within these countries an attractive option for capital-hungry international banks. Reports suggest that Santander's Brazil unit is considering the sale of shares in its domestic market, and many more may follow its lead.

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Julius Baer: targeting promising Russian client base through Singapore

Two weeks after Julius Baer alluded to possible new headquarters in Singapore, the firm has launched its Russian wealth management business there. It is not the first bank to spot this opportunity, with UBS, Credit Suisse and BSI already serving Russians through the center, but there should be ample room for all, as the potential for expansion in Singapore and among Russian clients is significant.

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Troika Dialog's new appointment signals increased focus on private banking in Russia

Russian investment company Troika Dialog has appointed Catherine Thibaut, who previously worked for Swiss rival RBS Coutts, as head of private banking. This signals an increased focus among local players on private banking for Russia's wealthy clients. However, although this is a smart move, competition has become increasingly intense for this lucrative customer base.

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Online commerce: creating opportunities for new type of cooperation in combating fraud

The growth in online commerce is creating opportunities for fraudsters and this in turn calls for a new type of cooperation between consumers, merchants, and card-issuing banks. For banks, this means that educating the customer and the merchant is becoming as important as directly targeting compromised accounts, particularly given the magnitude of recent security breaches in the industry.

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Mobile payments in Russia take another step forward but hurdles remain

Smart card manufacturer Giesecke & Devrient and Sitronics Smart Technologies are partnering with Russia's largest mobile operator, Mobile TeleSystems, and Russia's second largest oil company, Lukoil, to launch contactless mobile payments systems at petrol stations, highlighting the growing inroads the sector is making in the Russian market.

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Falcon Private Bank: Middle East provides onshore and offshore growth

Falcon Private Bank is focusing on four geographies to grow its business: Switzerland, China, Russia, and the Middle East. With US tax pressures damaging Swiss banks and Middle East growth prospects high, the bank's strategy should result in growth and a stable future customer base.

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