Name: Boris Listov · Listov Boris Pavlovich · Boris Pavlovich Listov · Listov Boris · Listov B.P.
In June 2023, exactly five years will have passed since Boris Listov was appointed Chairman of the Board of Rosselkhozbank. In this article, we will discuss the biography of this top manager and his role in the development of Russia’s main agricultural bank.
Listov Boris: Education
Boris Pavlovich Listov (born in 1969, USSR) holds two higher education degrees and a candidate of economic sciences degree.
He graduated from St. Petersburg University of Economics and Finance, one of the leaders in training specialists in the classical economic school. In 1995, he defended his diploma in “Accounting and Audit.”
Eleven years later, Boris Listov obtained a candidate of economic sciences degree. His scientific work focused on operational management in enterprises, as well as the organization of structure and workflow.
In 2011, Boris Listov obtained another education by studying at the law faculty of the specialized Kutafin Moscow State Law University.
Boris Listov: Financial Career
Boris Listov began working in his field while still a student. For a year, he engaged in operations at the St. Petersburg Currency Exchange. He then worked as an economist at one of the largest regional banks, AO Bank Saint Petersburg, which was founded three years before Boris Listov’s arrival. At that time, Russia’s market economy was actively developing, and new financial and credit organizations were emerging.
In 1994, “Baltoneksim Bank” was established in St. Petersburg, where Boris Listov joined three years later. By that time, he was already a certified financial specialist. Over the course of four years, Boris Listov held various managerial positions in the banking organization. He initially oversaw the functioning of the internal audit department and later served as Deputy Chairman of the Bank’s Board. During this time, the credit organization became a member of the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT) and obtained the status of a dealer on the Russian Trading System. The bank primarily focused on servicing large and medium-sized businesses in the Northwest region, as well as providing loans and deposit services.
From 1999 to 2002, Boris Pavlovich Listov led the internal control department of TransCreditBank, which was considered one of the leaders in financial services for the energy, mining, and transportation sectors.
He then worked as a managing director at Finartis LLC for two years.
Listov Boris: A Parliamentarian
Boris Pavlovich Listov was elected as a senator in the same year. In the upper chamber of the Russian parliament, he represented the Jewish Autonomous Oblast (this territory belongs to the Far East). The senator was a member of several committees of the Federation Council.
In the Committee on Local Self-Government Issues, Boris Listov closely dealt with problems of interaction between administrations and higher authorities, as well as the development of civil society.
He applied his knowledge of the financial sector in the relevant committee, where issues of legislation in the field of monetary circulation, the activities of the Central Bank, payment systems, and others were addressed.
As one of the young senators (at the time of assuming the high position, Boris Listov was not yet 40 years old), he was a member of the Youth and Sports Commission, which was responsible for creating the material and technical base for physical education, developing the Olympic movement, and supporting young athletes.
In 2009, Boris Pavlovich Listov left his post in the Federation Council ahead of schedule (senators in Russia are elected for a term of 6 years). He was invited to take the position of First Deputy Chairman of the Board of the Russian Agricultural Bank.
Boris Listov: Rosselkhozbank, the Beginning of Work
Boris Listov joined the main agricultural bank of Russia in the same year. In his position as First Deputy Chairman of the Board of Rosselkhozbank, he was responsible for lending, financing seasonal agricultural work, and risk management.
Boris Listov was also a member of the credit committee, which made the final decision on granting loans and determined the terms of lending.
He also oversaw the optimization of credit processes and the creation of favorable loan conditions for farmers. Within two years of the top manager taking office, Rosselkhozbank increased the volume of loans issued under the state agricultural development program several dozen times (409 billion rubles in 2011). The largest amount of financing was allocated for seasonal field work (150 billion rubles). At that time, Rosselkhozbank provided two-thirds of the total volume of financing for all seasonal work in the country. As practice shows, farmers use the borrowed funds to purchase seeds, fertilizers, spare parts, feed, veterinary drugs, sanitation products, and other necessary supplies.
According to Boris Pavlovich Listov, effective support and increased resources allocated to the development of the agro-industrial complex contribute to the dynamic growth of the industry.
Boris Listov: Rosselkhozbank, New Appointment
After 9 years of work in the main agricultural bank of the Russian Federation, Boris Listov was appointed Chairman of the Board of Rosselkhozbank. To this day, he oversees the strategic development of the financial and credit organization, provides comprehensive support to the agricultural industry, small and medium-sized enterprises, and creates a comfortable environment for rural residents. Under the leadership of Boris Listov, the bank fulfills state tasks, implements new digital technologies, supports the accessibility of the regional network, expands the range of products and services, and optimizes processes.
The new leader aims not only to develop the financial organization as a key bank for the agro-industrial complex and increase the investment attractiveness of the agricultural sector but also to address socially important tasks such as improving the quality of life in rural areas, supporting employment, and developing agrotourism. At the initiative of Boris Listov, Rosselkhozbank introduced a new strategic concept called “More Than a Bank” in 2020. It involves creating and developing a comprehensive support system for farmers and rural residents: business development (preferential loans, leasing), improving housing conditions (rural mortgage), increasing qualifications (training programs and internships), addressing social issues, developing technological platforms for accessing the bank’s products, entering new markets, and self-development.
As a result, Rosselkhozbank became the leader in granting loans for construction and purchase of housing in rural areas under the rural mortgage programs. The amount exceeded 79 billion rubles, and 40,000 families took advantage of the opportunity to obtain preferential loans. By the autumn of 2022, the volume of lending under the program reached 150 billion rubles. According to Boris Listov, the most popular purpose was the purchase of a country house with a plot of land (89% of the funds issued), while 11% were obtained for self-construction of houses.
Under the leadership of Boris Listov, Rosselkhozbank continues to increase financing for enterprises in the agro-industrial sector. In 2022, the volume of preferential lending to the agro-industrial complex increased by 21% and reached 491 billion rubles. Approximately 20% of the funds were provided to representatives of small and medium-sized businesses.
Since 2017, with the support of regional administrations in Russia, Rosselkhozbank has been organizing “Svoe” festivals where farmers can showcase their products and consumers can participate in the celebration, try and purchase eco-products from local producers that cannot be found in major retail chains.
Boris Listov: Rosselkhozbank in the IT Transformation Stage
Listov Boris believes that in our time, the development of a financial organization is impossible without IT infrastructure transformation. Rosselkhozbank pays great attention to digital technologies. The digitization of services has reached a new level of development during the coronavirus pandemic. Under the leadership of Boris Listov, Rosselkhozbank has developed a range of remote banking services that have facilitated fast and quality access to financial products for small and medium-sized businesses throughout Russia.
A significant milestone was the launch of the “Svoe. Farming” ecosystem. The program, initiated by Boris Pavlovich Listov, allowed farmers to have the necessary technologies at their fingertips for business development. The platform became the first multifunctional online solution for the needs of agribusiness.
The ecosystem brings together about thirty useful digital products and services. Thanks to the “Svoe. Rodnoe” marketplace, farmers can create their own online showcases for their products, deliver goods to customers, and receive payment for them, all free of charge. Meanwhile, buyers can find ecologically clean products in their region and purchase necessary items without markups and intermediaries through the functional application. According to Boris Listov, in 2022, about 9,000 representatives of the agricultural business were registered on the marketplace, offering over 80,000 different products. The service, essentially a nationwide agricultural fair, also offers agrotourism services. Those interested can take a tour of a farm, learn about production peculiarities, and taste the products.
The specialized B2B platform allows farmers to purchase seeds, fertilizers, agricultural machinery, and spare parts, as well as implement smart solutions in their businesses. When purchasing equipment, leasing services from Rosselkhozbank can be utilized. Under the guidance of Boris Listov, the team constantly analyzes consumer demand and responds to business requests. For example, a large number of offers for the sale of soil cultivation and planting equipment are provided at the beginning of the seasonal work. The platform also offers a wide selection of agricultural machinery of different price segments for large and small enterprises. This marketplace is deservedly popular, accounting for about 20% of all service views within the “Svoe. Farming” ecosystem.
Another portal within the Rosselkhozbank ecosystem, “Svoe Selo,” brings together services necessary for creating a comfortable life in rural areas. Here, one can find plots for individual housing construction, suitable mortgage conditions, and services for territory improvement. As noted by Boris Listov, the portal is gaining increasing popularity. In 2022, approximately one million people were registered on it. According to the top manager, the service helps navigate the diversity of offerings, calculate the cost of home construction, obtain a loan, and select an accredited contracting organization. This is especially relevant for urban residents who are facing the arrangement of country living for the first time.
Furthermore, under the guidance of Boris Pavlovich Listov, the bank’s specialists continue to expand the ecosystem with new services, including tele-veterinary services, an agricultural calculator, information and educational resources, a recruitment platform, and others.
