Interview with a banker

Financiers have a joke: “If, while walking through an autumn park, you stop and listen, you can hear a desperate crunching sound - it’s not the fallen leaves cracking under your feet, but inflation that’s eating up your cash.” As they say, there is only a grain of joke in every joke. It is almost impossible to protect financial savings from inflation. However, you can put your money to work by keeping it on a bank card rather than under your pillow or in your wallet. And if the card also has a cashback function, then there is every chance of being in good profit.

Marina Pushkareva, Head of the Business Development and Projects Department of OTP Bank, spoke about the bank’s work in 2017, new services for individuals and answered questions from the editors of the website “” (website).

The volume of loans issued in July 2017 increased by 25%. Russians issued 24% more goods on credit in July this year compared to the same period in 2016, according to a review by the United Credit Bureau (UCB). In total, in July 2017, more than 2.5 million loans were issued with a total volume of 423 billion rubles. Compared to July last year, the number of loans increased slightly. However, their volume was about 323 billion rubles, which is a quarter less than current figures.

Chairman of the Board of Sberbank in Kazakhstan Oleg Smirnov says about himself and his colleagues: “Bankers are boring people.” We meet at the Argento bar to talk about hobbies. Oleg Evgenievich comes to the meeting with his leg in a cast: “Volleyball,” he smiles. And then: “You know this expression: “The stupidest things are done with a serious face”? You can’t be too serious!”

For him, who headed the Kazakh branch of a bank with a 170-year history 4 years ago and has achieved significant and obvious success over these 4 years, such a balance is a necessity. But you can take both hobbies and interests seriously, even too seriously. “I'm talking about attitude to life. Naturally, business is business; it occupies a large part of the lives of those who are seriously involved in it. But still this is not the main thing. There should be a mix like this - work, family, hobbies. Therefore, when you focus only on work, you lose the feeling of life, there are fewer colors around. In our bank, we spend a lot of time on business, because the bank is now actively developing, we have a huge number of projects and reforms.

“You know the expression: “The stupidest things are done with a straight face”? You can’t be too serious!”

Of course, this significantly affects other areas of life. I catch myself doing this, but I try to make sure that I have some free time.” Hobby? Here he does not consider himself an interesting conversationalist, and this does not look like coquetry, but rather a sober assessment of the situation. One of the bankers he knows, he notes, has a real hobby. He is seriously involved in art, he has a huge library of specialized literature. And everyone knows about it. Maybe there is still a lack of time? But Oleg Evgenievich considers such a definition inappropriate, since it rather speaks of ineffective time management. And you can find time for everything. Absolutely. For example, in recent years he has been finding it to meet friends in the best wine bars. From these meetings, to some extent, his serious passion for wine grew: “One of my close friends became interested in the topic of wine. Before that, I didn’t understand wine, the determining factor, like for many, was the price of it - cheap or expensive. My friend is very seriously interested in this topic and understands the smallest details of the production process. It's not like he infected me. He simply said such a wonderful thing: “You need to drink good wine, you need to start with it.”

Now Smirnov has two dozen books, including the famous wine guide Robert Parker, knowledge of how the left and right banks of the Gironde differ and which millesime is considered the most successful. “There is a classification of wine that has not changed in France since Napoleon. For example, the most expensive wine is, of course, grand cru. I always say, if you want to impress with your wine knowledge, you need to learn the names of the top five Bordeaux wines, know the five Tuscan wines (such as Grand Toscana, Sassicaia, Ornellaia, Sola, and so on). Well, don’t forget about Bordeaux, namely Château Angelus, Château Ausone, Château d'Yquem and so on. This is enough to make an impression, because over time all wine lovers come to the same conclusion: there are only two types of wine - tasty and tasteless: "There are a lot of wines, and I really have been deliberately trying them all these five years, but now my taste has changed. Recently I was treated to a wine with the funny name Kurni, this is Tuscany, and I literally fell in love with it. It is produced very small batches, only 115 thousand bottles. And it is quite difficult to find, I know that this wine is not here, I have never seen it, although I asked in different stores. Some do not know this wine, some know, but they say that they have never had it haven't seen it here."

It is easy to assume that this is the bottle Oleg Smirnov would prefer to have in his personal bar. But not her alone: ​​“My personal top wines, which I would never exchange for any other, are two, three, no, okay, four - Château Ausone, Château l"Évangile, Château Angelus and Kurni. 4 types wines that you can always drink a lot of. Another question is that moderation is needed in everything, as Aristotle said. Therefore, you cannot drink a lot of good wine, because on the second bottle you no longer feel the charm of the wine, its bouquet."

No, he doesn’t have a collection yet, but he has an idea to buy a wine cabinet. It’s unlikely to seriously invest in wine, which in 10 years will double in price. To do this, you need to take this hobby... too seriously. Rather, in order to have your favorite wines at hand. And the opportunity to spend free time on something else. For example, reading. It's not even really a hobby anymore. Rather, a vital necessity, but a pleasure. “Without pathos, I am very grateful to German Oskarovich Gref, who in 5 years has made a real revolution in the minds of employees. Self-improvement is our professional competence, and German Oskarovich, who himself is constantly developing, demands this from us, and I believe that this is a very good requirement, this is the capitalization of employees. Our internal portal has the President’s Library, and he actually chooses books for this library himself. Moreover, it is clear that the lion's share of these books are about business, but there are others. For example, Ayn Rand’s legendary novel “Atlas Shrugged,” this is a very famous writer originally from Russia, I recommend it, I read it during my vacation in a week, it’s very interesting.”

Rand's book about the true "Atlanteans" of our time, on whose shoulders the main components of the successful development of society - production and creativity - rest, caused a controversial reaction after its publication in 1957. But after the crisis of 2008, interest in it was revived; they were looking for answers to questions that had arisen. So the staff training strategy of the president, the leader of Sberbank, is really wise. But there are other books that Oleg Smirnov likes no less: “Sometimes I am carried away by some recently published bestseller. From the last one - I read “Shantaram”, a thick book, they gave it to me with the words “You will definitely not sleep.” And I have accumulated so many books on business! I decided, I’ll open the first page and take a look. As a result, I didn’t come off for a week. I also liked James Clavell, the son of a naval officer; he lived in Hong Kong for a long time. His books “Shogun” and “The Noble House” about Hong Kong in the 60s were very impressive. I read several books about Genghis Khan, and this topic fascinated me. Mostly I try to read e-books, it saves time, you can go anywhere and read it. But when I decided to buy Vasily Yan’s three-volume book about the great conqueror, I could not find it on sale. This book must be ordered in advance. Apparently this topic is very popular at all times.”

Books, wine plus fitness - quite a gentleman’s set. What hobby would Oleg Evgenievich like to instill in his son? The head of Sberbank in Kazakhstan is loyal - let him get carried away with what will be interesting. But at the same time he hopes that his own interests will be passed on to his son. Most likely it will. It’s not for nothing that six-year-old Vanya is already asking: “Dad, what do you need to do to work at Apple?”

Semyon Arkadyevich felt uncomfortable, which happened to him very rarely. On his long way up the career ladder, he had to find himself in different situations, from difficult to hopeless. He always came out of difficult situations with benefit for himself, and from hopeless ones with minimal losses. Thanks to such resourcefulness, which he privately called mental alertness, at his current 45, Semyon Arkadyevich held the position of development director in one of the largest banks in his native fatherland. He, of course, had an excellent understanding of his business, but was more of a manager than a strong professional. But many of the decisions he made in moments of crisis, which seemed ill-conceived and incorrect, turned out to be the most successful in strategic terms. The bosses preferred to explain this by Semyon Arkadyevich’s intuition and encouraged him in every possible way, but Semyon Arkadyevich did not care about the opinions of his envious subordinates.
What was now bothering this unsinkable mastodon, financial tycoon, practically an oligarch? Pure nonsense - an upcoming interview with a journalist from a popular glossy magazine. Was this the first interview in his life? Oh no! He gave several hundred interviews at countless press conferences, even the film crew of the Vesti program came to his home, and the curious presenter poked her impeccably shaped nose everywhere.
In an interview scheduled for today, Semyon Arkadyevich was supposed to congratulate the bank’s depositors, business partners and all other readers of the popular glossy magazine on the upcoming New Year, wish them to courageously face any difficulties in these difficult times, remain true to their honor and traditions (that is, continue to invest money to his bank) and so on in the same spirit.
But there was one detail that inspired Semyon Arkadyevich’s glorious intuition with considerable concern. The meeting was arranged by his secretary Allochka, and after informing him about the success of negotiations with the publishing house, she clarified that the journalist, or more precisely, the journalist, was her close friend. And, closing the door behind her, she grinned so carnivorously that Semyon Arkadyevich simply needed to urgently recover. Which is what he did in his private toilet right behind the wall of his office. It didn't feel much better, however.
For several years now, Allochka has been the only thorn in Semyon Arkadyevich’s hardened ass. This red-haired lady, 25 years old, who brilliantly graduated from the Financial University, from the first days of her work at the bank attracted his close attention, which soon grew straight into concern. And it happened in the most prosaic way, clearly etched in the tenacious memory of Semyon Arkadyevich.

That day, driving up to the main office, he noticed a pretty girl with red curls escaping from under a sports cap, quickly walking towards the bank. Later, her then gait, without knowing it, was cheekily parodied by Dima Bilan in his famous video. And then Semyon Arkadyevich had not yet thought whether the impossible was possible or impossible. He simply admired her free, graceful movements, the feeling that she was not walking on the ground, but was smoothly flying over its surface. And he wished to himself to someday meet such a beauty. Someone - now Semyon Arkadyevich was not sure who exactly - heard his silent plea.
Just a few minutes later, having parked the car in the parking lot, he came face to face with a girl at the door of the main bank building. He held the door, gallantly letting the girl go forward. And he said something like: “Oh, I didn’t know that there were such lovely creatures in our bank!” She turned around and flashed a desperate smile: “I didn’t know that such a big boss could be such a sweet gentleman!” Noticing his bewilderment, she explained: “I’ve only been working for the first week, and in your department. That’s probably why you haven’t seen me before. But they already showed you to me, they said that you are very capable, but very... - here she hesitated - very lonely. I mean... you have no friends." her dark green eyes looked at him a little slyly, but at the same time with understanding. “It’s no fun communicating with all these office rats, is it? And I’ll soon become the same, with columns of numbers in my eyes.” And before he could come up with an answer, she smiled at him again: “Ciao!” - and went to the wardrobe.
Semyon Arkadyevich, in accordance with his position, was entitled to a spacious office, in which, of course, there was room for a wardrobe. That's why he undressed in his office - he habitually threw his coat into the arms of Maria Adolfovna, his permanent secretary. Maria Adolfovna’s memory stored a myriad of information accumulated over the long 67 years of her life, and never failed, for which the practical Semyon Arkadyevich appreciated her.
But he couldn’t just let this girl go so easily? We need to look at it again, he decided and headed to the common wardrobe. The girl had just found a free bench and was unbuttoning her coat.
“Let me defend the honor of the male half of our team,” he said, approaching her from behind. She turned around and smiled at him, like an old friend: “Oh, it’s you again! Well, your help will be very useful, otherwise I’m afraid of being late. We have such a strict boss!”
Semyon Arkadyevich, a very punctual person, really insisted on strict adherence to the daily routine. “Of course,” he answered her, “such young beauties have nothing but wind in their heads, they should walk all night, and what kind of work can we talk about after that?”
Her smile slowly faded, she turned away and did not say another word. Semyon Arkadyevich stood like a pillar and gradually filled with paint. Really, why did he offend the girl? She was actually in a hurry to get to work, literally flying. And he's like that with her...
He began to look for some words... apology, repentance... but they just wouldn’t come out of his mouth. He's not used to apologizing, what can you do? But you still need to say something, she’ll leave now, that’s all. And Semyon Arkadyevich could not stand leaving problems unresolved.
Here luck smiled on him. The girl had long since taken off her coat, but could not cope with the clasp of her boot. And so, despising age, Semyon Arkadyevich, who saw his chance, clumsily dropped to one knee and said: “Let me help you!” began to pull the poor zipper up and down. And, of course, he immediately broke it off completely, leaving the boot half unfastened.
Their eyes met, and Semyon Arkadyevich completely disappeared. Fell into the quagmire of the swamp green of her eyes. In the wormwood of the pupils.
He would have continued to sit like a tree stump, but she - oh happiness - smiled and asked: “Well, are you in trouble again?”
Tempered by intrigues and verbal battles, meetings and conferences, the vaunted “living mind” of Semyon Arkadyevich gave up. He stood on his knees in front of yesterday’s student and was silent, like a naughty boy. And the most amazing thing is that he was not thinking about how to get out, but about how to fix this damn lightning. And how, in the end, to remove these stupid boots from her.
“Do you want some advice?” she asked in the most ordinary tone in which one would offer sauce to a neighbor at the table. “Practice on the second boot, and then together we’ll try to cope with the first.”
So he did. Gently grasping the other leg near the ankle, he slowly pulled the zipper down and removed the boot.
Her leg in a light gray stocking was perfect. Never before had he seen such smooth lines, such graceful curves, such a balance between tenderness and strength. The rounded calf turned into a slender ankle, and the small, high-instep foot ended in an even row of toes hidden in the haze of nylon.
Apparently, the girl knew about the impression she was capable of making, and allowed Semyon Arkadyevich to enjoy the spectacle.
Several minutes passed in complete silence.
But still it was necessary to know the honor. You can’t disrupt your work routine like that, even under such a plausible pretext. She told Semyon Arkadyevich about this.
Semyon Arkadyevich didn’t even move.
It was clearly not worth expecting any intelligible actions from him, so she carefully took her foot out of his hands, put the other one in them, still shod in a half-unfastened boot, and ordered him to hold it tightly. He was capable of this, his hands firmly grabbed the boot by the toe and under the heel.
The girl pressed her stockinged foot against Semyon Arkadyevich’s chest and strongly pulled the other leg towards her.
An intense struggle with the product of Italian shoemakers ended in a brilliant triumph for the Russian team. True, Semyon Arkadyevich almost fell on his back. But the happy resolution of the delicate situation in which he found himself clearly had a beneficial effect on his mental activity. So, on his own initiative, he grabbed and very gently put her leather shoes on the girl’s feet, picked up the ill-fated pair of boots and assured their owner that by the end of the day the functioning of the zipper would be restored in full, he would take the matter under personal control.
The girl thanked him and assured him that next time she would wear lace-up boots and thanks to this she would avoid the possibility of being late again.
And finally, smiling sweetly, she said that she was very glad to meet him, and introduced herself: “Alla.”

That's how it all started. And then it continued faster and faster, and soon Semyon Arkadyevich completely ceased to be aware of what was happening between him and Alla.
Outwardly everything was orderly. The girl had remarkable abilities as a financial analyst, so in just three months she rightfully became the leading specialist of the group, and in another year she could have applied for the position of head of analysis and forecasts - the largest of the divisions reporting directly to Semyon Arkadyevich. He actually tried to persuade her to do just that, but she stated that she wanted to work closer to him. Semyon Arkadyevich did not dare to object, but in fact was very happy.
Maria Adolfovna, despite desperate resistance, was honorably escorted into retirement, and Allochka took her place.
Here her qualities were finally revealed to the fullest. She was friendly with visitors and strict with the owner of the office. She organized and systematized the stored documentation and wardrobe of Semyon Arkadyevich. She scheduled meetings, negotiations and reports, sometimes without asking Semyon Arkadyevich - but he never objected, because he saw that it was better this way. In general, life began to boil with renewed vigor, and at first Semyon Arkadyevich was incredibly happy.
From the outside everything looked simply perfect. Semyon Arkadyevich was moderately gallant, which, given Allochka’s appearance, was not surprising. The work progressed, the development department entrusted to Semyon Arkadyevich systematically developed itself and, to the best of its ability, contributed to the development of the bank as a whole. The respect of his subordinates grew, but Semyon Arkadyevich’s self-respect, alas, did not. For behind the door of his office, which cut him and Alla off from extraneous noise and glances, he increasingly turned into a slave of his passions, which she skillfully controlled. How? That's how.
On the evening of that day of their memorable acquaintance, Semyon Arkadyevich personally brought Allochka her boots. The lightning, as he promised, worked perfectly: at lunchtime, not daring to ask Maria Adolfovna for help, bashfully hiding the bag of shoes from everyone, he went out into the street and wandered around for a long time in search of a shoe workshop. His legs, unaccustomed to prolonged exercise, were buzzing, the autumn mud stained his elegant expensive shoes and even the bottom of his trousers, and his bald spot was covered with drops of dripping rain and froze. But the thought of how in the evening he would bring her boots back to her, take her foot in his hands, take off the shoe and again see this magical creation of nature and evolution, again hold this warm miracle in his palms - this thought drove him forward, gave him strength to continuing the fight.
And he was able to find a workshop! For urgent work (Semyon Arkadyevich asked to fix everything right now, he will wait), the master charged three times the already high price, but for some reason this did not upset Semyon Arkadyevich today. On the contrary, he, after thinking, asked to sew a new zipper into the second boot. Then the color of the lightning will completely match, and besides, the new is always better than the old, even if it is good.
He simply flew back to the office, not noticing the surprised looks of passers-by. And then he waited on pins and needles for the end of the working day, wondering under what pretext to call Allochka to his place - after all, he couldn’t put her boots on right in the office. And waiting for all the employees to leave meant putting yourself in an awkward position again, because Allochka could just go home right in her shoes. He must somehow let her know that he did everything.
In the end, Semyon Arkadyevich decided that the least of the evils was to immediately go down to the cloakroom after the end of the working day and wait for Allochka there. Of course, he will look stupid, but calling her to him is even worse; ridiculous rumors may arise.
And now the long-awaited evening has arrived. The clock struck 19, everyone began to hastily get ready, some rushing to their favorite TV shows, some just to their favorite people. And Semyon Arkadyevich hurried to the locker room.
There, among the noisy crowd of colleagues, he tried to spot Allochka’s slender figure and her shock of red hair. I couldn’t find it and became more and more nervous, surprising myself and immediately forgetting about my surprise...
Half an hour passed, the crowd of colleagues was replaced by a flock of cleaners, and then by completely lonely figures of the most inveterate workaholics. Semyon Arkadyevich could not find a place for himself. After all, he was still a very punctual person.
And then a helping hand was extended to Semyon Arkadyevich, who was drowning in despair. The long-awaited click of heels was heard, and Allochka appeared before him in all her modest splendor. While he was looking for words to express the emotions overwhelming him, she smiled disarmingly and explained that she was working for being late in the morning. Besides, Semyon Arkadyevich doesn’t want any of his colleagues to see them at such a romantic moment.
Semyon Arkadyevich again, as in the morning, could not find an answer.
It was on that day, as he now clearly saw, that the foundation of their current relationship was laid.
Allochka, dancing a little with impatience, tried to look into the bag. “Well, show me quickly!” - she exclaimed. It was very flattering for Semyon Arkadyevich to see this keen interest of hers. What if she rewards him for his efforts? Well, for example, with a kiss.
He solemnly took from the bag neatly polished boots, sparkling with brand new lightning bolts. Probably, his face was now sparkling with joy brighter than brilliant lightning - he saw that Allochka liked it. She did not ask inappropriate questions - and it was clear that Semyon Arkadyevich was just waiting for the opportunity to help the girl. Allochka smiled slyly, sat down on the bench and handed him a foot in a shoe.
Semyon Arkadyevich, taking advantage of the complete solitude, dropped heavily to his knees and carefully took her leg in his hands. His heart was beating wildly.
He slowly took off his shoe and ran his palms along the foot, as if straightening out possible wrinkles in the stockings. And he froze, unable to break this contact of arms and legs. His head, as if against his will, bowed lower and lower. The mind did not object, it just did not control the situation and withdrew. Semyon Arkadyevich's lips touched her fingertips. The light, almost imperceptible smell of the leather of the shoes and her own skin, the warmth of her body, the smoothness of thin nylon, soft pink nails seem like sparkling mother-of-pearl, hidden by a thin veil of stockings as a treasure...
Allochka again, as in the morning, did not bother him. If he could raise his head and look into her eyes, he would see in them a hellish mixture of satisfaction with his success and disappointment that the struggle was over; contempt and pity for the loser; and also - the pleasure of his posture, his humility, his caresses. She wanted more and more that his tongue would not be interfered with by either stockings or random witnesses - the same workaholics that she looked like to her colleagues. No, it’s too early to force things...
“Thank you, thank you, Semyon Arkadyevich, I can handle the rest myself.”
She took her foot from Semyon Arkadyevich, who had not had time to figure anything out, quickly put on her shoes, threw her shoes into a bag and threw her coat over her shoulders. She walked around Semyon Arkadyevich, still kneeling, from behind, and put her hand on his shoulder. She leaned close to the boss’s ear, whispered quietly and very sexy: “You know, Semyon Arkadyevich, you are very sweet. It’s in vain that they consider you unsociable - you are a very sociable person!”
Allochka ran her hands through Semyon Arkadyevich’s thinning hair, patted his ear and headed to the door.

Semyon Arkadyevich was torn from his sweet memories by a conversation muffled by the wall of his office. He unmistakably recognized Allochka’s voice, but the other female voice probably belonged to that same correspondent. His heart sank again somewhere into the depths of his body, but did not have time to reach his heels: the door opened, and two charming young women confidently crossed the threshold of his office. Guest Allochka let the guest pass a little ahead. Semyon Arkadyevich immediately jumped up and, before lowering his eyes to the floor according to the regulations established by Allochka, managed to glance at the figure of the newcomer. Of course, she turned out to be stunning. What else could a correspondent for a glossy magazine and a friend of such a beauty as his secretary be? But besides her beauty, her demeanor attracted attention. Semyon Arkadyevich has seen a lot of glamorous divas, but this one looked more like T-X, the Terminator girl. Behind the sweet smile one could discern adamantium fangs - if he wants, he will tear them, but if he wants, he will let go. Run around a little. To make it more interesting to catch.
Semyon Arkadyevich swallowed convulsively and introduced himself to the guest, invited her to sit down in a chair and asked what she would like to treat herself to. Fresh fruits? Nuts? Or some very tasty cookies. Chocolate. Tea, green and black, three types of coffee, sugar, cream. Or maybe freshly squeezed juice?
Thank you, the guest replied, but she is not hungry yet. And she's not a vegetarian, she likes meat.
She licked her full lips with a sharp light pink tongue and smiled widely, flashing her perfect teeth.
It seemed to Semyon Arkadyevich that her dazzling white fangs were indeed longer than those of ordinary people, and he swallowed convulsively two more times.
The guest sat down in the offered chair, threw one slender leg in an elegant shoe over the other and looked expectantly at Semyon Arkadyevich. Allochka, who was sitting in the next chair, frowned and tapped her nails on the armrest.
Something was going wrong, but he couldn’t figure out what it was.
The pause dragged on, the clouds thickened.
In order to say at least something, Semyon Arkadyevich tried to deliver a speech prepared in advance, repeatedly rehearsed. He took great pride in the clarity of his phrases, the thoughtfulness of his arguments, and the general solidity of his style. He composed this speech himself, Allochka checked it and made a couple of minor corrections. Why is she looking at him so unfriendly now?
The first few words were given with great difficulty, then habit overpowered, Semyon Arkadyevich himself became carried away by the sounds of his voice, which sounded more and more confident...
But then the guest, with a slight movement of her hand, told him to shut up. Her melodious voice was heard again, and Semyon Arkadyevich’s confidence completely left. She had already read all these words, Allochka sent her the full text of his speech by e-mail, and there was absolutely no need to waste time voicing it. Semyon Arkadyevich's voice is far from operatic, and a slight burr does not add to his charm. And that’s not what this is all about. Readers, and especially female readers, of her magazine are not at all interested in quotes and trends in the financial market. His story about the atmosphere prevailing in the team would have found a much greater response. After all, an enterprise is the people who work in it. For example, his secretary Allochka. The person he's been working side by side with for how long? Almost six months? Why not tell about her - young, successful, competent. What is not the face of the bank? And to people, the guest explained, you need to turn with your face, and not with the other part, shyly covered with pieces of paper of some kind of reports and graphs.
Semyon Arkadyevich was confused. Perhaps, with all this touch of sarcasm, the words of the guest (what the hell is her name? It seems Allochka never mentioned this, and today the guest certainly did not introduce herself) had its own meaning.
Well, how can he tell about Allochka so that his crazy passion remains behind the scenes? She will not forgive him for his indifferent tone, and the guest will probably want something fried. Meat. Br-r. Tell him that he idolizes his secretary, that all his thoughts are only about how to give her pleasure, moral and physical? Well, of course, he will fly out with a bang, but does Allochka herself want publicity? Does she need such an outcome? She is unlikely to be allowed to take his place, despite all her competence. A board of directors, a meeting of shareholders - in order to get someone to the top, you need connections. Even in his current position, Semyon Arkadyevich could not do this quickly.
Crap. This is not what they need. The guest needs savory facts about the life and quirks of public figures; Allochka needs... what does she really need from him today?
All hope is in intuition. Help me out, darling, don’t let me get lost!
Having made up his mind, Semyon Arkadyevich felt relief. He got up from the table, went to Alla’s chair, sat down at her feet and began his story...

“That’s how we met,” he finished his speech. While he was talking, the guest seemed interested - Semyon Arkadyevich's story lasted about 15 minutes, and she never interrupted him. Allochka was also silent, she just put her foot on his thigh, and the thin heel of her shoe dug painfully into his body. But the gentle fingers of her hands gently twisted his ear, and Semyon Arkadyevich was close to bliss.
And now the guest still silently looked at him with her piercing dark eyes, and his bliss quietly melted, giving way to fear.
Finally she broke the silence. Raising her beautifully arched eyebrow slightly, the guest said that this story seemed exactly the kind she could present to her readers. Semyon Arkadyevich broke out in a cold sweat. But, she continued, the story is clearly incomplete. A romantic dating story serves as an excellent introduction to... what? It’s somehow awkward to cut it off at the most interesting place. What should come next?
Semyon Arkadyevich cautiously suggested that what follows should be a description of his and Allochka’s current relationship.
The guest rewarded him with a mean smile for his insight, and he began feverishly to figure out how to describe their style of work with the least amount of frills. But then the previously silent Allochka intervened.
“Or maybe we should show Ksenia what our working day looks like? Let’s imagine that today we don’t have an interview, but an ordinary Monday, very busy. Personally, I can’t tear myself away from incoming correspondence. And you just have a break in work.”
Semyon Arkadyevich became depressed. All chances to save face disappeared like smoke. What a face... If the person who turns out to be Ksenia... as this name suits her - “stranger”... if the correspondent decides to publish even a small part of what she now hears and sees, this will be a serious blow to the reputation of the bank as a whole . Here you will have to answer with your head, and not only your own. There was only one hope left - that Allochka understood what she was doing, and she had a plan to get out of this delicate situation.
Allochka meanwhile clattered to her chair - as usual, slightly, not at all vulgarly, swaying her hips as she walked. She sat down, crossing her legs and letting her shoe swing freely on her toes. This pose always turned Semyon Arkadyevich crazy. Allochka delved into the papers, and Semyon Arkadyevich, still grunting, but much more deftly than six months ago, crawled under the table and lay down on his back, right under Allochka’s feet.
The heel of her shoe swayed a few centimeters from his lips, but he did not even try to do anything without an order. I just selflessly watched its measured swaying and the light pink face of her heel showing like the Sun from behind the clouds. And, as usual when communicating with Allochka, he soon fell into a kind of trance. He forgot about his worries, about Ksenia, about his native bank. There were only these wonderful legs, and now nothing could distract him from serving them.
Soon Alla’s legs seemed to be getting a little hot. The shoe was dropped directly on Semyon Arkadyevich's head. The sensitive blow of a metal heel on the forehead seemed no worse than a mosquito bite - thanks again to Allochka, it was not for nothing that she spent a whole month training him to worship her correctly. “You don’t have to be afraid of smashing your forehead on the floor,” she never tired of repeating, “it’s better for your forehead to suffer than for your backside because of your lack of zeal.” And soon the forehead acquired the strength of steel...
Meanwhile, Allochka’s foot, freed from the weight of the shoe, soared up and landed with a flourish on Semyon Arkadyevich’s lips. The silent order did not require explanation, and Semyon Arkadyevich set about his favorite task. He gently and enthusiastically licked Alla’s foot, along the entire length accessible to him in his current position. This went on for quite some time, but eventually the foot was taken away. But before Semyon Arkadyevich had time to get upset, she returned to her place, this time free from the slobbery nylon. His beloved naked legs were an infrequent delicacy for Semyon Arkadyevich and were given to him only as a reward for special merits. This means Allochka is happy with him. Well, he will try not to lose face.
And he began to lick the leg with triple zeal.

Soon the fairy tale is told, but not soon the deed is done. If, of course, you do it conscientiously.
Allochka stretched out in a chair, exhausted from the desire to cum, but Semyon Arkadyevich, faithful to her own orders, brought her to the very peak and immediately retreated, cooling her with careful kisses of her hips and stomach. And then he again used his virtuoso tongue and made her tremble from the proximity of ecstasy. And only having finally exhausted her patience, Allochka, inflamed to the point of impossibility, snapped her fingers and allowed him to touch her clitoris. He gently pulled this sweet fold into his mouth, rolled it between his lips, and touched it with the tip of his tongue. Allochka howled with delight. She grabbed him painfully by the ears and squeezed him into her womb, squeezed him with trembling hips and began to move her pelvis wildly. Semyon Arkadyevich's tongue, extended to the limit, was tightly enveloped by the walls of her cave and felt the contraction of her internal muscles. Allochka’s pleasure was transmitted to him. He had not been so happy and so free for a long time. At the corner of his consciousness, Semyon Arkadyevich felt discomfort from the fact that he came right in his pants, somewhere further away there were thoughts about Ksenia, who had seen this whole scene and was probably planning to make it the culmination of a stunning article. But now he felt so good that he didn’t think about anything except the blissfully smiling Allochka. Having languidly closed her eyes, his Mistress reclined in a chair, throwing her bare legs over his shoulders. She was so beautiful that Semyon Arkadyevich wanted to die. Then he could forever remember this divine smile, and besides, he would have time to ingratiate himself with the local administration and find a cozy place in paradise for the Lady. Perhaps then in that life she will allow him to become her faithful servant.
Daydreaming, he missed the moment when the languid bliss was replaced in Allochka’s gaze by a sly squint. Raising his eyes, Semyon Arkadyevich met her gaze and again - for the umpteenth time that day - broke out in a cold sweat. Allochka unambiguously pointed her eyes at the guest. What should he do?
Having carefully lowered the Mistress’s wonderful legs to the floor, Semyon Arkadyevich turned to her friend. Ksenia smiled slyly.
“Now I see how you treat your subordinates,” the correspondent cooed tenderly. - “Perhaps you really value your employees. But with guests, it seems to me that you are not so kind. What, you didn’t come to the court?”
What could be the answer to such a direct question? He turned to Allochka in bewilderment, but she only raised an eyebrow questioningly and defiantly shrugged her shoulders. Well, you'll have to extricate yourself. And the Mistress will probably say later that she wanted something completely different from him, and what kind of stupidity did he come up with?
“You know,” Ksenia continued, “the hosts used to try to show honor and respect to their dear guests. "The custom has been forgotten. Maybe at least you will turn out to be a happy exception? Be so kind. Moreover, you know, I got a little wet here, observing your zeal and ardor. And now I especially want to freshen up."
Semyon Arkadyevich became redder and redder. He didn’t even look back at Allochka - and it’s so clear that this is a show for both of them, and his torment is their entertainment. But throwing herself at Ksenia’s feet, and even in front of Allochka’s eyes, seemed wrong.
The pause again threatened to drag on, and Semyon Arkadyevich made a last attempt to free himself. In a slightly unsteady voice, he suggested selecting his deputy for comprehensive communication with the correspondent, a young, very promising person who brilliantly possesses all the necessary information and understands everything perfectly, and is also very good-looking. Ksenia thought for a moment, then decisively shook her head: “Perhaps, his services may be useful, and I will use them later. If our meeting today does not completely satisfy me, the help of your deputy will come in handy. All I need to do is call him, right? Don’t go to You yourself, but invite him to a place convenient for me to fill in today’s gaps.”
Semyon Arkadyevich hastily agreed. He really wanted to avoid a repeat of Ksenia's visit. And the deputy... well, let him also work for the benefit of the enterprise. Since he is so promising. Find out what it is like, the difficult fate of a leader.
But now he had to do the work himself. Ksenia expectantly shook her leg, covered in a dark stocking, and it was clear that her patience was not unlimited. Semyon Arkadyevich sauntered on his knees towards her chair, bent in a bow and asked permission to begin refreshing his feet. Having received this, just in case, he inquired whether the guest had in mind that same biblical ablution, and received only an irritated grunt in response. It looks like his mental rating has dropped another notch.
There's nothing to do, you'll have to lick it.
Carefully taking off his shoe, he leaned towards Ksenia’s leg and, unable to resist, cast a reproachful glance at Allochka. But the Lady just laughed merrily.
Ksenia's foot was smaller and narrower than Allochkina's. Like Ksenia herself, she is shorter and thinner. But her body shape is impeccable. And the smell from him made my head spin almost as much as Allochkin. Eh, come what may...
He first carefully kissed the tips of the fingers, then the top of the foot. I walked with light touches along the edge where the side meets the sole - there the skin is especially sensitive. He took a quick glance at Ksenia’s face - it seemed to have become a little kinder. He again began to kiss her fingers, at times lightly grabbing them with his lips. And he didn’t notice how carried away he was. Soon Ksenia moaned softly and ordered him to lie on his back and take off her stockings. Semyon Arkadyevich crawled under her chair, she put both legs on his chest and gave him the opportunity to get to the fasteners. Having carefully rolled up the stockings, Semyon Arkadyevich was involuntarily amazed at the smoothness and tenderness of her skin. It really felt extremely pleasant to touch her!
Ksenia moved her feet along the curly thickets on Semyon Arkadyevich’s chest and smiled affectionately at him. Taking her foot in his hands, he started with the heel. With wide movements, he licked the slightly salty moisture from her sole and wondered what he had come to. And how difficult it is to stop now - and most importantly, I don’t want to stop at all!
I want something else - to do something truly good. So that later you won’t be ashamed of yourself.
The experience of communicating with Allochka sharpened Semyon Arkadyevich’s natural ability to notice and correctly interpret the reaction of his interlocutor, even if the external manifestations of the reaction were meager and implicit. And now, even though Ksenia was silent and he did not see her face, he felt her excitement in his gut. Or maybe it was his nostrils, greedily absorbing new smells, that caught the light aroma of her desire. Inspired, he began to act more actively, and soon Ksenia began to moan louder and louder. Then she suddenly stood up from the chair and stepped over him. And slowly, looking into his eyes, she lowered herself onto his face.
She wasn't wearing any panties.

Ksenia enjoyed it for more than an hour. At first he simply licked her crotch, and she sat motionless, starting to tremble only on the eve of another orgasm. Then she began to move on his face, sliding back and forth. Then she ordered her to lick the anus, and the contact of her wet tongue with the hot, slightly pulsating hole brought her to a new deafening peak. After him, she wanted to relax, and she sat on his face with all her weight, hugging his cheeks with the smooth, slightly damp skin of her thighs. Semyon Arkadyevich's nose, squeezed into the neatly trimmed curly growth, was filled with the subtle pleasant smell of Ksenia. Allochka smelled stronger and somehow more feminine, and Ksenia... it was more like the aroma of an exotic flower.
Having rested, she decided to play with him a little: pressing her wide-open lips, bright pink from excitement, onto his nose and completely blocking his breathing, she informed Semyon Arkadyevich that now he must show his professional training. The game is called "Deposit Interest". However, the terms of deposits will be slightly changed. “You, Semyon Arkadyevich, put your tongue as deep as possible into my anus and lick it from the inside as best as possible. I rise up and let you breathe... well, let’s say, seven percent of the time during which the quality of your service will satisfy mine high standards. So, the ability to count your clients' time will also come in handy. I wasn't mistaken, the most profitable deposit of your bank promises just seven percent per annum, right? And the rest - even less. So we'll go over everything that's relevant today day for the types of investments. And then you will tell me, and in the correct order, all these investments. If you manage to list everything correctly, the game is over. If not, the second round without a break, and so on until the bitter end. Make sure that this does not become the end and for you. Figuratively speaking, everything is in your hands!"
He and Allochka never got around to such games. Semyon Arkadyevich did not even imagine that this source of pleasure, this lovely lotus flower, which men are so eager to pick, is the focus of female sensuality and sexuality... this, damn it, genital organ can be so cruel. Wet lips gently pinched his nose, completely depriving him of breath. Her wide-open mouth greedily tried to grab at least a sip of air, but Ksenia’s tender buttocks reliably blocked the access to oxygen, obligingly exposing only their smooth silky surface to her lips. The frantically protruding tongue fell into the invitingly open hole of the anus, sliding along the hot, rough walls in a vain attempt to come to a consensus.
Apparently he wasn't convincing enough. The moans and cries of satisfied Ksenia coming from outside reached his consciousness too late, he could no longer be happy with them and fell into the velvet-black depths before Ksenia got up.

“Why, Semyon Arkadyevich, did you merge your party so quickly? I was preparing for a long-term relationship that would bring pleasure to both parties, and you, one might say, cowardly resigned all powers and declared yourself bankrupt. This is not suitable. It seems to me that you "They owe me something. How do you plan to pay it off?"
Semyon Arkadyevich, who had barely come to his senses, thought with difficulty. It was clear that the game ended unsuccessfully. For him. We need to compensate somehow. What can he offer her now?
He looked back at Allochka and was surprised to find that she was not in the room.
“Yes, you are right,” Ksenia’s voice was heard again, “Your assistant could not look at your shame and decided to somehow help you rehabilitate yourself in my eyes. She is now busy with some preparations, and if you do not receive a worthy offer, "Alla will place the burden of defending the honor of your bank on herself. I'm afraid your role in this case will be exclusively passive."
Semyon Arkadyevich thought feverishly. Ksenia waited, only one eyebrow raised questioningly, as if she expected to receive an offer from him right now that she could not refuse. If so, her expectations did not come true. When Allochka entered the room a few minutes later, Semyon Arkadyevich, who had not been able to give birth to a single interesting thought, threw himself at her feet and began humiliatingly asking her to help him, interspersing his words with feverish kisses of Allochka’s bare feet.
“Yes, Senechka, I see you can’t cope. Well, I’ll help. But what kind of leader are you then? Perhaps you’re not even cut out to be an assistant. You’re too careless. But I’ll give you a chance to try. In the meantime, you, as "A careless assistant should be given a good beating. I'll teach you how to communicate with clients in a way that makes them truly happy."
Semyon Arkadyevich froze. Never before had he heard such an iron tone from Allochka. He felt scared.
Allochka suddenly grabbed him by the ear, jerked him to his feet and pulled him towards her workplace. Sweeping the papers to the floor, she made Semyon Arkadyevich face the table and kicked him hard on the ass. Semyon Arkadyevich, who did not expect this, fell flat on the tabletop. In one motion, she pulled off his trousers, Allochka pulled out the belt from them and whipped the unfortunate man along the ridge. Semyon Arkadyevich howled and wanted to straighten up, but several more stinging blows fell on his back. Allochka, in the same cold tone, told him not to twitch, but to put his hands behind his back. A familiar sound was the clicking of the handcuffs he had recently given to Allochka on his wrists. Now he was completely naked and defenseless, alone with two girls going crazy with lust. Perhaps, he was not in such a desperate situation even in his youth - that time, a curious teenager, he was lured into an apartment by an elderly woman (she was probably about 30 years old) and, having clouded his head with all sorts of stories, almost raped him. Then, until the last moment, he was wondering what kind of secrets were hidden in women's panties. But having had the opportunity to look at them too closely, he suddenly became frightened, began to struggle, and finally escaped. No, you can't run away now. The door is locked, my legs are tangled in my dropped trousers, my hands are shackled, and, to be honest, my belly is worse than in my youth.
Allochka either read his thoughts, or she was simply uncomfortable punishing him in such a position. She completely freed Semyon Arkadyevich from his trousers, in return chaining his legs to the legs of the table with two more pairs of handcuffs - where did they come from? Now escape has become absolutely impossible.
Semyon Arkadyevich's bare buttocks trembled treacherously, perspiration appeared on his bald spot again, and Allochka carefully wiped it off with a handkerchief. The perspiration immediately appeared again. He understood that he would now be beaten, and even waited for the first blow with some impatience. I wish I could get over it soon! After the punishment, they should finally release him and leave him alone!
But he was completely unprepared for what came next.

Ksenia reappeared in his field of vision. But in what form? Is it proper for a young girl to completely undress in front of a man she has only known for a couple of hours?
Ksenia, it seems, was not very interested in this question. She walked somewhere behind Semyon Arkadyevich and started whispering with Allochka. And then she went back to his head. On her bare hips, attached to leather straps, an impressive rubber penis swayed.
Semyon Arkadyevich was seized with horror. He had heard about such things, even seen a few pictures, but he was not seriously interested and did not at all hope to see them in person.
Ksenia silently walked up and stood next to her, threateningly pointing her penis at Semyon Arkadyevich’s face.
And Allochka’s elastic, heavy breasts suddenly touched his back, and her voice, slightly hoarse with excitement, rang out.
“Remember, you admitted that you want to enter me? So I, too, my dear, have been wanting to enter you for a long time. And finally you deserve it, only today it will not be an act of love, but punishment. But who knows? Maybe you will even you'll enjoy it."
She slapped his buttock with her palm. Then again and again. And then she told me to relax.
Something huge, cool, slippery entered his ass. He almost peed himself from fear and pressure. The object filling his insides touched the infinite, and he entered deeper and deeper. Semyon Arkadyevich vividly remembered the torment of those impaled. That's how you start to feel the end.
His painful thoughts were suddenly interrupted in the most unceremonious manner. Ksenia took a small step forward and pressed her rubber member against his lips. He looked at her in bewilderment - to do this he had to lift his head very much, and his mouth opened slightly by itself. At this moment, Ksenia swung forward, and dense elastic latex penetrated her mouth, reaching her very throat. Semyon Arkadyevich choked and tried to pull back, but his ass was pushed onto Allochka’s dick to the limit, and Ksenin’s strapon - he finally remembered this word - was still filling his mouth with its impressive head. Allochka sent Semyon Arkadyevich to Ksenia with a movement of her hips. My butt felt a little better, but my throat was clogged again. And he couldn’t even tell where it hurt more and worse, in front or behind.
Allochka and Ksenia again “threw” it to each other, then they caught the rhythm and began to move more energetically. Front-back-front-back... Sweat drips onto the tabletop, the bulging belly glides over it so well... And my throat seems to become a little easier, and the fire in the intestines gradually subsides... But this is pressure and the inability to breathe properly. .. And the neck cramps, and the jaws... And the sphincter.
He had difficulty focusing his eyes on Ksenia's face. Her not very large breasts with clear dark nipples swayed above him, her face was flushed, her mouth was slightly open. She seemed to enjoy it all.
Allochka's low groan was heard from behind. Then again and again. Semyon Arkadyevich had already studied her “signals” enough - Allochka was approximately halfway to the top, and if everything went on like this, in about five minutes she would reach it. And this will mean at least a temporary respite.
Ksenia, seemingly turned on by her friend’s moans, also began to show more clear signs of pleasure. She grabbed Semyon Arkadyevich by the long-suffering ears and began to push him onto her strap-on even more actively. As if Allochka’s tremors weren’t strong enough.
Semyon Arkadyevich felt like a tennis ball, which two crazy players were throwing to each other at a wild pace. And not with a racket, but with the point of a nail. Poor ball!
Probably no more than those same five minutes passed, but they seemed incredibly long to him. He did not feel any of the pleasure Allochka was hinting at. The whole body was throbbing, especially the butt - that's true. But what pleasure is there when you are treated like this?
Finally, Alla’s moans turned into a continuous low howl, to which Ksenia added her voice, and they simultaneously reached their peak. Allochka entered him all the way, he felt the trembling of her hips. Ksenia also pushed her piston into his very throat, but continued to move, shaking it up and down. Semyon Arkadyevich smelled her, and he suddenly wanted to lick these sweet juices from her lips.
Allochka relaxedly sank onto his wet back, Ksenia leaned towards her, pressing Semyon Arkadyevich’s head to the table with her elastic tummy. From the sounds of it, they were kissing. And Semyon Arkadyevich could barely breathe.

“Well, Senya, did you like it?”
Alla's voice after orgasm always sounds even sexier than usual, although it seems much more?
There's not much you can do with a latex cock in your throat, so he just shook his head.
“Well, that’s right. In the end, it was punishment, not encouragement. And now, so be it, there will be encouragement. As usual, carrot and stick. Everything as you taught.”
Ksenia straightened up and pulled the strap-on out of her mouth. Semyon Arkadyevich immediately began to breathe frequently, replenishing the lack of oxygen. And who knows what kind of encouragement this is?
And the fool take his intuition, it did not disappoint.
Allochka freed one of Semyon Arkadyevich's legs from the handcuffs, turned him over on his back and snapped the shackles again - this time not at the bottom, but near the tabletop itself. In the same way, bending the knee, she crossed the other leg.
The butt turned out to be lying on the edge of the table, and the head was near the opposite edge.
And again Allochka’s strap-on entered his ass. He raised his head and looked at her. How beautiful she is! A strict office dress suits her, and her favorite sporty style, and this kind of “clothing” in the form of narrow leather straps on the hips. And this smile of a satisfied woman, starting a new delicacy and knowing that even greater pleasure is ahead!
She moved slowly inside him, not trying to get turned on, just so as not to cool down. She moved and looked into his eyes, obviously trying to find joy in them from the encouragement she was receiving. Ksenia went somewhere, so at least Semyon Arkadyevich could breathe calmly. This made me happy, but the joy was apparently not of the right kind, and Allochka was not happy with it.
“Why are you sad? Why is your dick hanging?”
Semyon Arkadyevich found it difficult to answer. In fact, the question of his pleasure in such an environment seemed somewhat inappropriate to him. Alone with Allochka, kissing her delicious feet or touching the treasured flower with his tongue, he became excited until his groin ached. But even then he tried to please Allochka, and not she him.
“Why are you silent? Have you swallowed your tongue? Well, shut up. I don’t need your dick right now anyway, and neither do you. But you need your tongue, so let’s take it back and stick it out harder!”
From behind, behind his head, Ksenia silently approached the table. Now she was completely naked, her bare feet walked silently on the polished parquet floor, and the strap-on did not burden her slender hips. She was like Aphrodite, who decided to lose weight and regularly visited the fitness center. Despite the uncomfortable position and the need to look with his head thrown back, Semyon Arkadyevich could not help but admire her.
Ksenia easily jumped onto the table and, without much conversation, sank back onto his face. She hit her ears with her heels, and he obediently began to lick her wet crotch. A delightful floral aroma again filled his greedily widened nostrils, and against his will, his penis began to fill with hot blood. Ksenia spread her buttocks with her hands and made herself more comfortable, tightly covering his face with her elastic, warm flesh. His nose pressed into her anus, his lips merged with hers in a hot kiss. The world around disappeared, and only her taste, and smell, and the bliss of close contact remained.
Ksenia moved, he tried to caress her with his tongue and felt the approaching orgasm cramping his balls. Not this! To cum under another woman right in front of Allochka - what a shame! He tried to distract himself, think about work, but no way! Rare breaths of air filled with the smell of pleasure, the taste of her juices and the slightly spicy aroma of a hot anus, her sharp nails running around his nipples... Smooth feet touch his thinning hair, and her own hair with a heavy soft brush walks up and down his stomach ...
And suddenly, like lightning, the touch of sharp teeth to his penis. The head disappears in Ksenia’s mouth, and the wet, slightly rough tongue begins to run back and forth, licking the unexpected delicacy. And the teeth dig in more and more, not wanting to let go of the prey. And Allochka begins to move faster and faster, and the head of her strap-on, sliding along the prostate gland, sends waves of heat throughout the body.
Semyon Arkadyevich clenched his fists, tensed his whole body in a last convulsive effort to cope with the pleasure that threatened to drown him. But the forces were unequal. Another moment - and a discharge of incredible pleasure penetrated him, and the penis began to discharge into Ksenia’s mouth, pumping through itself a huge portion of viscous liquid.

After a while it was all over. Ksenia stood up, turned around and sat down again - this time on his chest. She bent down, tickling the ends of her long hair. Squeezing her cheeks tightly with her fingers, she forced her mouth open. And slowly she spat all his sperm into it. She closed his mouth and forced him to swallow everything. And then, still silent, she jumped off the table and disappeared from sight.
Allochkin's rubber friend left Semyon Arkadyevich's butt, leaving behind a huge, slowly shrinking hole. And Allochka herself looked at him, and he could not guess the expression on her face. Then she suddenly laughed, shook her head and walked off somewhere after Ksenia.
They had been gone for quite some time, and he could only guess what they were doing. And when the girls approached him, they were dressed again. Elegant, young, cheerful, confident.
Allochka gently patted him on the cheek, Ksenia smiled at him warmly, and they went to the door. His voice disappeared from excitement, and he could only squeeze out a couple of words. "Where are you going?!"
Allochka shook her head in surprise: “Semyon Arkadyevich! A strange question from you, a zealous guardian of the daily routine. A lot of visitors have already accumulated in your reception room, a lot of work issues need to be resolved with them. It’s time to open the doors to them! You’re a little out of shape now, and I need to go again.” I'll have to help you. And you lie down and rest!"
Ksenia grinned and said: “I was very interested in talking with you, and in the end I got everything I wanted. Perhaps we will meet again, but now it’s time for me to go. I have appointments today...” - here she grinned again - "...a couple more equally responsible and promising interviews."

2009 - 2011 (c) Dart_Romeo

02.09 | Yuriy Avdeev: “We try to select the right people at the start”

The branch manager of OJSC VTB Bank in Rostov-on-Don appears in the office exactly at the appointed time for the interview. With long strides he heads to his office, managing to not only talk on the phone and discuss something with the secretary, but also hospitably greet the site’s correspondent. The conversation begins in ten minutes in a beautiful, tastefully furnished office, full of various cups and awards.

23.08 | Vitaly Popov: “We don’t have such an exclusively Russian tradition: earn money and that’s it...”

For most Russian citizens, Sweden is, first of all, the Volvo car brand, Ikea stores and the legendary Abba group. People who love this country for its highest standard of living and care about their finances will add Nordea to this list of associations. Vitaly Popov, manager of the Rostov branch of Nordea Bank, put in a word about the banking business in Sweden

08.08 | Oleg Tkachev: “Sometimes it’s very interesting to communicate with a client directly; you can learn a lot of useful things”

The last month of summer is the time of traditional decline in business activity. As a rule, banks do not plan major transactions or the launch of new projects during this period, and bank clients go on long-awaited vacations. The manager of the Rostov branch of ROSGOSSTRAKH BANK, Oleg Tkachev, told the site’s readers about the difficulties of banks’ work in the summer, and also spoke about the results of modernizing the product line, work to improve which did not stop even in the summer

23.07 | Svyatoslav Koshurnikov: “Clients are primarily interested in the interest rate”

The manager of the Svyaz-Bank branch in Rostov-on-Don answers current questions for readers of the site. From the material you will learn what banks take into account when determining the loan rate and whether it is possible to reapply for a loan.

08.07 | Marina Abashina: “Ten percent of transactions in the region are carried out using mortgage loans”

Marina Abashina, manager of the Absolut Bank branch in Rostov-on-Don, shared some interesting facts and figures with the readers of the site and even made a small banking forecast

25.06 | Sergei Artamonov: “I don’t follow signs, but rely on experience and knowledge”

The manager of the Rostov branch of Citibank, Sergei Artamonov, meets us in his office, the windows of which look directly onto the central street of the city with the most intense traffic. This landscape is a good illustration and probably sets the tone for the work of the entire office as a whole. Just as cars passing by in a continuous stream replace each other, so Sergei, having just finished a conversation on the phone, already turns on the voice recorder of his mobile phone with the words: “I myself am interested in what will happen.” We start a conversation

29.05 | Evdokia Maglolovets: “Wherever you are, experience, skills and your competencies remain with you”

08.05 | Yana Valerievna Gamaley: “Cooked borscht in the family is not the basis of communication”

The manager of the Rostov branch of Bank Vozrozhdenie, a professor and simply charming woman, shared the latest banking news with fininfo.ru, spoke about the strengths and weaknesses of Bank Vozrozhdenie, and also told the secret of successfully combining career and family.

10:34 19.10.14

“They scare us like the Papuans.” Interview with a banker

Sanctions against Russian banks by Western countries and the United States are expanding and multiplying. Rumors about an increase in lending and mortgage rates are associated with limited access to borrowed capital on international markets. Any sudden movement, whether on the part of the Russian government or countries that are now unfriendly to us, leads to an increase in foreign currency against the ruble.

However, some signs suggest that not everything is so simple in the camp of our opponents. Recently, several Russian banks have been excluded from the list of sanctions, and only seven foreign financial institutions have introduced restrictions on transactions with international plastic cards.

However, a war of sanctions, when prohibitive measures are taken from one side or the other, is unlikely to contribute to economic development. Who will experience more negative phenomena - us or the West and the USA? What consequences does Russia face if we assume that sanctions become tougher? How will politics affect the lives of ordinary people? We addressed these questions to a financial expert in Rybinsk, who agreed to answer them, but wished to remain an anonymous source of information.

— How strong is the influence of the foreign financial system on Russian banks?

— Of course, our banks are dependent. But, I think, not enough to talk about global problems. For example, it is difficult to influence the ruble portion of assets. And if we talk about the dollar and the euro, then most banks and many of their clients have mutual obligations. Sanctions entail problems related to the liquidity of currencies. They are resolved one way or another. Or by market methods - a moderate increase in rates on foreign currency deposits, hedging currency risks. These are, of course, losses, but within reasonable limits. There are other methods of protection that are difficult to classify as market ones. For example, the state can cover the losses of state banks. This is not the best method, but it is possible. It is likely that the decisions made will be a combination of different options. The main thing is that these options exist and can be used.

— But Russia’s gradual exclusion from access to the European currency market is still a problem?

- Of course it’s a problem. But every problem brings opportunity. If I were allowed to make a decision, I myself, in anticipation of sanctions, would begin a gradual withdrawal from the Western market, or at least indicate my intentions. For the London Currency Exchange, our presence is turnover, transactions, commissions, profit. And the departure of Russian assets is not beneficial to anyone. But, in the end, there are Asian exchanges - Hong Kong, Singapore, they are developing, this is also an option. Of course, there is no point in making sudden movements in the financial sector. But we must understand that all government resources have different levels of significance. What do North American securities, which are printed by 12 US banks under an agreement with the government, mean for the economy, compared to resources such as oil, gas, metal, and mineral fertilizers? Why are we afraid?

— By and large, the monetary equivalent of oil and other resources.

- No, they scare us like the Papuans: we won’t give you any more beads. Well, it is not necessary.

- How are we going to scare you: we won’t give you oil?

- Why, we’ll give it. You just have to buy it on our terms. This is all, of course, simplified philistine reasoning, but that’s the essence. It is difficult to quickly change the mechanisms for changing relations in the global system. But if they “opened their mouths” on us and began to threaten us, this means that they themselves launched a mechanism that was disadvantageous, first of all, to the West and the United States. Why? They will gradually get rid of the dollar. It is not beneficial for anyone to abruptly bring it down, because many have grabbed it and it plays a significant role in the economy of most states. But we are being pushed to exclude the American currency from circulation. And we must abandon it in a planned and systematic manner. To begin with, at least limit its circulation within the country.

— But what about international payments, which are not carried out in rubles?

— There are many calculation technologies. They don't need to be invented. For example, the SWIFT transfer system, which has everything: communication channels, encryption system, infrastructure, regulations, instructions. It's comfortable.

- What if they say - we’ll turn you off here too?

“I’ve already said that this is not beneficial to anyone.” The issue of banking risks lies in the effectiveness of our state system. To the extent that government officials can competently and at what cost find alternatives, build logical chains and implement projects, the Russian financial sector will suffer or not suffer.

— Do you believe in the professionalism of those who make decisions?

— There are different people everywhere. If we were led only by illiterate fools or only by highly educated geniuses, we would either have collapsed by now or flourished long ago. How not to believe? Of course I hope so.

— Do you think the Central Bank has high-level specialists?

— Yes, I am impressed by the politics of Elvira Nabiullina. The country's banking sector has long been in need of rehabilitation. And in order to avoid painful consequences, the Central Bank warns of problems. Therefore, licenses are revoked for various reasons: for some banks - due to a risky credit policy, for others - due to low assets, for others - for purely criminal reasons. This is normal work that just hasn’t been done for a long time.

— Will the Central Bank’s announcement that it will stop supporting the national currency affect the ruble exchange rate?

“I don’t see any obvious connections.” But we must take into account that exchange rates are influenced not even by economics, but by psychology. Rumors, statements, sanctions - all this can provoke a fall in the ruble. However, in the long term, the course is adjusted and takes on a more or less realistic option.

— How do you assess the possibility of excluding Russia from the plastic card payment system?

— As far as I understand, several banks have already introduced restrictions. But this problem also brings opportunities. At one time in Russia there were already attempts to create a national payment system. I think they will resume now. Moreover, the technologies exist and, to some extent, have already been developed. The national payment system does not cancel access to world markets, but it should be there at least for the sake of the country’s security.

“But creating an internal payment system takes time and money.

- Long, expensive, difficult - these are not the concepts that should be used in this case. This is a process that needs to begin. And don’t set a goal to complete it in a month. We need to approach this wisely.

“However, any restrictions lead to the fact that in the end the world economy will stop noticing Russia.

— At the risk of offending journalists, I have a feeling that some speech patterns are deliberately thrown into people’s minds. What does global economy mean? So we say - all people are brothers. But at the same time, we realize that each person has his own, separate wallet. Every global company has a beneficiary. How does it relate to the whole world? He simply owns the company's assets and earns a profit. No illusions. But there is a set of characteristics that allow a subject to consider himself independent. This is something worth striving for. Otherwise, one day you may find yourself in a situation where they tell you - sanctions!

— Is the US economy independent?

- Undoubtedly. But at the same time, we must not forget universal human values, which are often not seen in the American system of relations.

— Is the Russian economy really more moral?

- I want to believe. At least this is something worth striving for. To have sovereignty, you need to build turbines, have a national payment system, and create payment mechanisms using the national currency, but at the same time do not forget that a person is not only money. If you want to be independent, work hard. Or they will teach you how to live.

- All this is somehow far from reality.

“I don’t like a lot in our life.” But I don’t want to equate the Motherland with, for example, corruption. You cannot have hatred as your main motive for development.

“But patriotism, in the end, is not an idealization of the Motherland, but an adequate assessment of what is happening and the desire to improve the situation. No?

- Yes. Therefore, every sane patriot has his own proposals.

- And yours?

- And me. I believe that there should be more money supply in Russia. Why are they afraid to print rubles?

— Obviously, they expect inflation.

— An increase in the money supply will lead to a revival of the economy. But today there is not enough money, demand is falling, production is shrinking, production costs are rising and we are heading into cost-push inflation, which is spreading throughout the entire economy. And this is worse than inflation in the form of an increase in the level of prices for goods and services.

— Let's return to sanctions. We know the opinion of politicians well. What do bankers think about the restrictions?

— The same as in any business: how to maintain the market? The goals of politicians do not always coincide with the goals of business. There are many examples of foreign companies from the USA and Europe that continue to develop production facilities in Russia. It benefits them. And politics is forced to come to terms. Yes, there are statements about sanctions and obviously they are not the last. But business will find ways and circumvent the prohibitions. After all, as I said before, every problem brings new opportunities.