The winners of Russia’s first SPEAR’S Russia Wealth Management Awards 2009 were announced on November 26, 2009 at Ararat Park Hyatt Moscow hotel. Not only Russian, but also European banks and firms that provide services to HNWIs from Russia were praised.

Alfa-Bank (A-Club) was named Russian Private Bank of the Year. Credit Suisse was selected Foreign Private Bank of the Year providing services in Russia. Pictet & Cie was named Foreign Private Bank of the Year servicing Russian HNWIs outside of Russia. Troika Dialog received the Asset Management Firm of the Year award.

HSBC Private Bank was recognized as the Best Start of the Year. Rietumu Banka was named Best Private Bank in CIS and Baltic States. UFG Wealth Management received the Family Office of the Year award.

Deloitte & Touche was named Tax Adviser of the Year. Dobrovinsky & Partners became the Law Firm of the Year. Ingosstrakh received Insurance Firm of the Year award.

SPEAR’S Russia Wealth Management Awards also praised best of the best among private banking & wealth management experts. Larissa Khomutova of Deutsche Bank received the Investment Adviser of the Year award. Irina Rapoport of Renaissance Investment Management was named First Lady of the Year in Private Banking & Wealth Management Industry. Yakov Galperin of Alfa Capital became the Gentleman of the Year. Finally, Andrei Movchan of Third Rome was named Industry Legend.

Over 500 guests gathered to applaud the award winners. Among those present were top managers of largest Russian and international banks and corporations providing services to Russian HNWIs, as well as representatives of art & culture community. In particular, Chairman of Wimm-Bill-Dann David Iakobachvili, Chairman of TCS Bank Oleg Tinkov, Head of Credit Suisse in Russia Alexis Rodzianko, Head of HSBC Private Bank in Russia Natalia Solodovnikova, Chairman of Troika Dialog Asset Management Pavel Teplukhin, Member of the Board of Alfa-Bank Alexei Marei, Chairman the Management Committee of Barclays Bank in Russia Nikolai Tsekhomsky and many other renowned guests attended the ceremony, which was hosted by Ivan Urgant.

“The Awards founded and presented by such renowned independent publication as SPEAR’S Russia magazine is an important event and prestigious expertise evaluation indicator in our industry”, said Yakov Galperin, Deputy General Director of Alfa Capital.

“SPEAR’S Russia Awards may become the very stimulus that will prompt companies to develop further and further, as winners receive not only awards, honor and recognition, but also an independent evaluation of their work and accomplishments over the past year”, noted Ilya Riaby, General Manager of MasterCard Europe in Russia.

Detailed information on SPEAR’S Russia Awards as well as the full list of winners may be viewed at http://awards.spearsrussia.ru.

SPEAR’S Russia Wealth Management Awards is Russia’s first specialized awards ceremony held to celebrate the achievements of professionals and firms from private banking, wealth management and related industries for their successes, innovations and acumen. SPEAR’S Russia Wealth Management Awards is organized by tradition and analogy with the awards ceremony annually held in London by SPEAR’S UK.

Official partners of SPEAR’S Russia Wealth Management Awards 2009 were Land Rover, Legenda and Sobranie. Partners were Ararat Park Hyatt Moscow, Tissura and Lindt.

SPEAR’S Russia Wealth Management Awards 2009 was monitored by PricewaterhouseCoopers as the Independent Consultant.

SPEAR’S Russia is the Russian version of the most trustworthy and influential European (London, UK) magazine for the world’s richest. Founder – PBWM Media, General Manager – Dmitry Gafin.

Creative and commercial management of the project is provided by MEDIACRAT.