Incorporation of the Bank

On the 12th December 1991, 25 years ago the National Bank of the Republic of Belarus registered the Charter of the joint Stock Company Commercial Bank of Foreign Economic Activities of the Republic of Belarus and granted its General Operational License. Today the Bank is among the top five banks in Belarus.

First Regional Branch

Belvnesheconombank opened its first branch in Gomel back in 1993. Today the Bank’s branch network comprises 18 full-service regional branches and 15 cash and settlements centers.

Today Gomel Branch is a full-service banking institution offering a wide range of financial products to individuals and corporate customers. It holds leading positions among other banking representations in the region.

Pioneering the Documentary Business in Belarus

Early in 1992, Belvnesheconombank became the first in Belarus to issue an international Letter of Guarantee and the first Letter of Credit. Today the Bank is one of the foremost local banking institutions in trade finance and documentary business for cross-border transactions.

Emission of Europay, MasterCard Cards

In 1996, the Belvnesheconombank pioneered the emittance of international payment Europay, MasterCard card products. Today the Bank services 268 thousand bank cards. The first Visa, MasterCard payment card was also issued by Belvnesheconombank in 2002. Currently the Bank offers 4 credit card solutions to its clientele.

Cooperation with Western Union

Since 1996 the Bank has been the sole direct Western Union agent in Belarus. Currently the Bank has 10 partner-banks. To date the Bank executed a USD 73,933, 437.00 worth of 148,394.00 payment transfer transactions. In 2003, the Bank championed the market in terms of Russian Rouble WU transfers.

Going Mobile

In 2004, Belvnesheconombank availed its customer of a mobile phone access to their accounts to execute payments through the Bank’s Mobile-Bank solution.

Internet Bank

A further leap forward was made in 2007 when the Bank became the first to introduce an Internet self-service ATM and info-kiosk solution to its customers.

Internet-Bank service provides the following options to its users:

• the service can be activated in any ATM or info-kiosk bearing ‘CBC’ logo;
• payments for utility services, Internet and other services on the menu of RASCHET system;
• replenishment of deposit accounts held with Bank BelVEB in Rouble, US Dollars or Euro in a round-o’clock mode;
• replenishment and withdrawal of demand deposits including ‘Handy Deposit’;
• repayment of any loans and credits granted by Bank BelVEB;
• access to WEBMONEY WMB, EasyPay;
• money transfers via BLIZKO system;
• payments within ‘At your choice’ option;
• free of charge statements of account;
• blocking of you payment bank card in cases of loss or theft.

Major Shareholder

A pivotal role in the Bank’s life played the year 2007 purchase of the majority equity stake by Vnesheconombank. Today the Bank’s mission is to support business initiative of its customs targeted at intensified economic relations between Belarus and Russia.

Restyling

In 2012, OJSC Belvnesheconombank adopted a new abridged trade name of OJSC Bank BelVEB and new corporate colors - blue-green and orange-red which are currently used in the design of all Bank’s premises.

Full name of the Bank remained Open Joint Stock Company Belvnesheconombank. Appropriate amendments to the Bank’s Charter were registered with the National Bank of Belarus on 29 March 2012.

Additionally the Bank’s logo was redesigned and new designs of official documents and advertising materials were introduced in line with the Bank’s Development Strategy for the years 2011-2015.

Foreign Investments

Bank BelVEB alone attracted an over 1 billion US Dollars in foreign investments into the economy of Belarus.

Support to Large Corporate Customers

The Bank was instrumental in implementing large-scale undertakings such as complex financing of JSC Minsk Automobile Plant (MAZ) - the managing company of BelavtoMAZ Holding, OJSC BELAZ - the of BELAZ-Holding, OJSC MINSK MOTOR PLANT Holding Managing Company, investment projects of Pharmaceutical Factory BORISOVSKIY ZAVOD MEDICINSKIKH PREPARATOV JSC, JSC Savushkin product, OJSC Dairy World and many others.

Project of Belarus Nuclear Power Plant Construction

Vnesheconombank and Bank BelVEB were assigned the capacity of agent-banks under the investment project of Belarus Nuclear Power Plant construction.

On 1 February 2012 an interbank framework agreement was signed in Moscow between Vnesheconombank and Bank BelVEB.

On 28 June 2012, the Ministry of Finance of Belarus, the Ministry of Energy of Belarus, Nuclear Power Plant Directorate and Bank BelVEB signed a multiparty agreement on utilization and repayment of the loan facility extended for the power plant construction.

On 16 August 2012 the Bank issued the first Letter of Credit for the amount of USD 184 million to reimburse the initial construction stage costs of JSC Atomstroyexport, Russia.

Financial Backing of Belarus-Russia Economic Integration

Proportion of financial tools earmarked for Belarus-Russia trade reaches a near 50% of the Bank’s gross loan book.

New Office Building

In 2012, the Bank’s headquarters moved from Myasnikova Street to a new building at Pobediteley Avenue.

On 16 August 2012, the official ceremony of opening a new office building took place.

Among honorable guests there were Chairman of the National Bank Nadezhda Ermakova, Member of the Supervisory Board, member of Venesheconombank’s Board, Director of EXIAR export credit agency Piotr Fradkov, Chairman of the Board of Bank BelVEB Pavel Kallaour, Heard of Central District of Minsk City Vladimir Kuharev, representatives of commercial banks and large customer-enterprises.

‘Dialogue’ Sculptures

The Bank has embarked on a unique project of decorating the vicinities of its offices with sculptures by K. Selikhanov. The first ‘Dialogue’ – a bronze 2.6 meters high and 3.5 meters wide sculpture - was unveiled in 2013 at the Bank’s headquarters. The sculpture – two handshaking figures- is an artistic rendition of the interrelation between the bank and its customers and an allusion to the idea of a customer-centered approach.

In 2012, the Bank put into practice its idea of the aesthetic equipment of the Banks neighboring areas. It was decided that sculptures of Konstantin Selikhanov – holder of Minsk City Citizen of the Year title and a member of Minsk City Arts Council – will decorate the vicinities of the Banks offices across the country in Borisov, Brest, Vitebsk, Gomel and Grodno.

‘Brand of the Year’ Award

Many a time Bank BelVEB was acclaimed as the best socially responsible bank in the country’s Brand of the Year contest.

On 21 January 2011, the first award ceremony of the ‘Brand of the Year’ contest took place.

Already in 2012, OJSC Belvnesheconombank became the prizewinner in two nominations ‘Socially Responsible Brand Name’ and ‘Heritage Patron’.

In 2014, the Bank also became the foremost socially responsible bank of the year in the sub-nomination ‘Private-State Partnership’.

Best Customer Support Service

In 2015, Belarusian Banking Association declared the Bank’s call-center the best banking customer support service.

The IV ‘Polite Banks’ Contest was conducted by the Banking Association from 1 July to 30 September 2015 via telephone conversations with banks’ employees.

A board of judges decided upon the winner-bank based on the results of several stages, where different features were assessed such as politeness, responsiveness, competence and attention to customer’s needs.

Best Quality Services Bank

News agency Bankir.ru in 2013 and the local finance news internet portal Infobank in 2013 and 2015, prized the Bank as the most customer-friendly bank in Belarus.

In 2015, Infobank portal awarded the Bank the title of ‘Customer Expertise-2015’.

F. Skaryna Book Collection

In December 2013, Bank BelVEB and the National Library of Belarus launched a joint project of printing the first facsimile complete works of Francysk Skaryna – the first Belarus book printer and one of the first book printers in Eastern Europe. The project will be finalized in 2017 – the year of the 500th anniversary of book printing in Belarus.

On 26 December 2013, in the Round Meetings Hall of the National Library, during the official ceremony, Chair of the Board of Bank BelVEB Pavel Kallaour and Deputy Director of the National Library of Belarus Alexander Susha signed into printing the first volume of complete works by Francysk Skaryna.

This project was initiated by Bank BelVEB and timed to the 500th anniversary of book printing in Belarus that will be celebrated on 6 August 2017. It would be impossible to successfully implement the facsimile printing without active participation of the National Library – the largest and foremost books storing institution.

Printed volumes will be granted to the National Library, museums and archives of Belarus, Ukraine, Poland, Germany, the United Nations and UNESCO. They will serve the noble cause of popularization of Belarus cultural heritage and promotion of further historical, language and literature studies.

Charity and Philanthropy

Among many other socially important causes the Bank provides support to Minsk City Oncologic Dispensary. The dispensary is a medicoprophylactic clinic providing a wide specter of services from diagnostic to observing to surgery.

In 2014, the Bank allotted BYR 500 million to buy modern equipment for making early diagnosis and wave conning the pretumor pathologies. The dispensary observes an over 200 thousand of out-patients and provides in-patient care to over 10 thousand people.

In 2015, the Bank donated around BYR 200 million to organize a call-center in the dispensary to process voluminous applications and enquiries.

Folk-Music Festival ‘Kamianitsa’

For 6 years in a row the Bank has been the general sponsor of the folk-music festival ‘Kamianitsa’, that takes place on a beauty spot of the Belarus State Ancient Wood Houses Museum in Ozertso village.

The project is aimed at promotion of Belarusian culture and the support of the Museum that maintains the largest collection of wood houses dated back to XVIII-XX a.d.

An important component of the festives is a fair of national arts and crafts and a ground for age-old and contemporary funs, games and amusement. The festival has several stages that host professional and amateur folk-bands.

Being a socially responsible and socially conscious, the Bank puts great effort to preserve and replenish the national historic heritage, restore historical buildings and works of art and provide financial support to causes and events that stir and promote interest to the country’s history.

Patron of the Arts and Culture

Twice in 2014 and 2015, Ministry of Culture of Belarus awarded the Bank the diploma of the Belarus Patron of the Arts and Culture.

The award ceremonies took place in the National Academic theatre by Yanka Kupala and the National Academic DramaTheatre by M. Gorky.

Jazz Evenings with Bank BelVEB

Starting from 2013 ‘Jazz Evenings with BelVEB’ event has been conducted under the auspices of the Bank.

Jazz Evenings is an intra city project that unites jazz musicians - local and from America and Europe – on the open ground at the Town Hall building. The event comprises three days and three life music free of charge concerts to city dwellers and guests of Minsk City. In 2014, the venue of the event moved to the guest-area of the Hockey World Championship, thus interviening jazz performances into the canvas of the guest amusement agenda.

Icon Restoration

In 2014, the Bank sponsored the restoration of an ancient icon from the Church of Protecting Veil of the Mother of God in Khabovichy village, Kobrin district of Brest region. The unique icon had two layers, the upper depicted the Ascension of Our Lord Jesus Christ and is dated back to XVIII – XIX a.d. and the lower depicted the feast of the Intercession of the Holy Virgin and dates back to XVII – XVIII a.d. After restoration two separated icons took their honorable place among Belarus national treasures.

The icon ‘The Ascension of Our Lord Jesus Christ- the Protecting Veil of the Mother of God’ is a treasure of icon painting and is currently demonstrated in the Museum of Ancient Belarus Culture under the Center of Belarusian Literature and Language Studies of National Science Academy. It was acquired by the Museum in 1970 after the Church in Khabovichy village had closed.

Restoration took over a year of painstaking effort and required costly materials that were financed by Bank BelVEB.

International Christmas Opera Forum

For already five years the Bank is proud to remain the general sponsor of Minsk International Christmas Opera Forum organized by the National Academic Great Opera and Ballet Theatre under the auspices of the Ministry of Culture.

Charity and patronage is an essential part of the Banks mission and the centerpiece of its policy of socially responsibility and community support aimed at preserving and replenishing the national historic heritage.

International Christmas Opera Forum is a grand feast of opera singing, popular among connoisseurs. It provides opera lovers a unique opportunity to enjoy performances of opera stars and musicians with a standing worldwide reputation. The Forum’s program includes best opera performances of famous foreign theatres as well as that of Belarus Great Opera House. The Forum hosted its guests from 20 countries including Poland, Check Republic, Bulgaria, Canada, Georgia, Russia, Ukraine, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Azerbaijan.

Mega gala concert traditionally crowns the closure of the Forum.