The winners of SPEAR’S Russia Wealth Management Awards 2013 – Russia’s first annual awards for key private banking and wealth management industry players – were announced on the evening of December 5 in Moscow. “This marks the fifth year that we are celebrating the winners of the Awards. You can judge the state of the Russian PBWM industry next year by looking at those who won tonight,” said SPEAR’S Russia Editor-in-Chief Andrei Vdovin.

The SPEAR'S Russia Wealth Management Awards gala was held at the Mossovet State Academic Theatre. The event was hosted by Ivan Urgant.

Promsvyazbank was awarded Best Russian Private Bank over 2009-2013, URALSIB | Private Bank was named Russia’s Best Private Bank of the Year, and Alfa Bank won as the Most Innovative Private Bank in the country.

Friedrich Wilhelm Raiffeisen and UBS were named Best Foreign Private Banks for wealthy Russians, the former in Russia and the latter abroad. Rietumu Banka held on to its leadership position among private banks in the CIS and the Baltic states for the second year in a row.

Alfa Capital was first among asset management companies, while Oracle Capital Group was best among family offices. QB Finance won in the Start of the Year nomination.

The fifth SPEAR’S Russia Wealth Management Awards also identified the best professionals in the private banking and wealth management industry in Russia. Dmitry Breitenbikher (Bank of Moscow) was named Private Banker of the Year, and Michael Calvey (Baring Vostok Capital Partners) was recognized as Investment Consultant of the Year. The New Face of the Industry prize was awarded to Svetlana Grigorian (Friedrich Wilhelm Raiffeisen).

Elena Shilina from Sberbank Private Banking was honored as First Lady. Senior Partner and Chairman of the Board of Directors at GHP Group Mark Garber was recognized as PBWM Industry Legend.

Other companies were also recognized at the Awards ceremony. The People’s Choice Award from Acer went to Natalia Kapinos (Absolut Bank). CONFIDERI Advisory Group was named winner in the Russian Breakthrough to the East category. UFS Investment Company was recognized as the Gold Standard of the industry. Also awarded were two Baltic area investment projects in the real estate industry for PBWM customers: Tal Residence in Riga and the Legend Residences in Jurmala. The developer of both projects is R.Evolution.

“I’m sure that many of you here will agree with our choices,” said Andrei Vdovin from stage. “I think that with winners such as these, our industry does have a chance. By the way, their clients can already rejoice: they cannot but like the fact that their money is managed by the best of the best.”

The Judging Panel for this year’s SPEAR'S Russia Wealth Management Awards 2013 included Editor-in-Chief of WATCH Russia Alexander Gafin, private investor David Iakobachvili, Head of Audi Russia Elena Smirnova, CEO of Good Deal Consulting Lidia Kuleshova, Deputy Chairman of the Board, Deputy General Director of Allianz Artashes Sivkov and Partner at Zenith Capital Management Kristel Meos. Editor-in-Chief of SPEAR'S Russia Andrei Vdovin chaired the Judging Panel.

The Awards were organized by SPEAR’S Russia magazine and PBWM.ru with Audi Russia as the General Partner and Acer as the Official Partner. Partners of the Awards were FREYWILLE and Rosan Diamond. PwC was the Independent Consultant.

You can read more about SPEAR'S Russia Wealth Management Awards 2013 on the project’s website.