Construction of theatres, hotels and office blocks are planned or under way in the city centre, as industry is moved in favour of tourism and services.

Foreign corporations are already moving into St Petersburg but the city is trying to make itself even more attractive through investor-friendly tax policies, simpler bureaucracy and better infrastructure. Jules Stewart reports.

Being Europe’s fourth-largest city by population, St Petersburg is highly attractive to foreign banks, which are snapping up local players, and bringing in huge amounts of capital to offer in loans to corporates and consumers. By Jules Stewart.

Yury Molchanov, deputy governor of St Petersburg, explains what the city is doing to attract investors.

Russia’s most European city is attracting more investment, through its trade links, port facilities and range of successful industries, writes Jules Stewart.

Although there is talk of Rusal floating, its finance chief Vladislav Soloviev tells Edward Russell-Walling the aluminium giant does not need to tap the capital markets just yet.

Russia is beginning to tackle more fundamental problems with its economy. With advice from Germany’s KfW, it is boosting its banking system. Ben Aris reports from Moscow.

Investors cannot wait for the expected wave of IPOs among Russia’s top-end banks in 2007. Ben Aris profiles four dynamic players flirting with flotation.

The completion of the merger between Rosbank and 1stOVK bank has made Rosbank one of Russia’s top three privately owned retail banks. Rosbank chairman Alexander Popov talked to The Banker about his plans.

After setting up his own sales finance company in the Czech Republic and then travelling the world for eight years working for GE Capital, Petr Smida took up his post as Alfa Bank’s CEO two years ago. Here he gives his first extensive interview to The Banker.