Kostanay region is a strategically important region of the republic. The region is rich in producers contributing significantly to the state's food security. Enterprises and production associations of the Kostanay region are also widely represented in the fields of heavy and light engineering.
Given the region's activity, Kostanay region provides a favorable environment for building business relationships. Nurbank excels in this, offering a full range of financial services to the region's business community. At the same time, individuals are also not overlooked.
Nurbank's branch in Kostanay has been operating for over 20 years. To learn more about its successes and deep integration into the business community, we spoke with Aigul Tajenova, director of Nurbank's branch in Kostanay. As practice shows, the personal involvement of the branch manager is a determining factor in the team's success. Demonstrating results with numbers from 2022–2023, the Kostanay branch directed over 2.1 billion tenge to business lending. More about the branch's operations in the region is discussed with our speaker, Aigul Tajenova.
— Please highlight the main areas financed by the Kostanay branch in terms of SME.
— The largest shares in the Kostanay branch's portfolio are taken by four main industries. We actively finance projects in food production, trade, transport and warehousing, and agriculture. There are also many interesting projects in industries such as food and processing, crop production.
For example, in the processing industry, our branch works on financing areas such as flour production, dairy production, and meat production. Projects in these areas contribute significantly to the region's economic development and, consequently, the state's economy, making these funding areas a priority for the Bank. During the period 2022–2023, they make up the main share of the SME loan portfolio — 1.7 billion tenge.
Long-term business relationships with clients are a priority for us. Most of our clients started their business with Nurbank, continue to be served by us, and regularly turn to us for services and products. For example, I would like to mention a project to create a chain of stores. One of the clients first approached us in 2019 when he needed a loan to purchase a store — it was a starting project. To date, he has already opened four stores in Kostanay. All these projects were financed by the funds of JSC "Nurbank".
I would like to note that finance programs for the agro-industrial complex through financial institutions are in great demand among agricultural producers. Our bank's clients were funded for spring field work and harvesting for more than 1 billion tenge.
— Highlight the most successful business projects financed by the Kostanay branch in 2022–2023.
— If the basis for assessing success is taken to be indicators of financial performance and social significance, I would characterize the following projects as successful.
One of our clients opened a student dormitory for young people with modern renovations, a gym, and a bathhouse. Thus, the client helped solve the well-known problem of student accommodation in the city at an affordable price.
We have regular clients who actively work in the catering industry. Apparently, things are going well, so the client turned to us for a loan to expand the business. The first establishment was opened in the city of Tobol, and the second one in Kostanay.
Another interesting project is being implemented in the hospitality sector. The client had been developing a camping site for quite some time and decided to open a deluxe hotel in a new prestigious residential complex on the banks of the Tobol River in 2022. The branch saw potential in this project and decided to finance it.
— What projects have been financed by the Kostanay branch of JSC "Nurbank" as part of the "Damu" Fund subsidization?
— Our bank actively participates in government programs, providing clients the opportunity to receive financing at a subsidized rate. Areas such as industry, transport and logistics, and healthcare are eligible for subsidization. It should also be noted that our clients have the opportunity to use the "Damu" Fund guarantee as additional collateral.
A strong point of Nurbank's corporate policy is that we pay enough attention to clients of completely different categories. We try to understand the specifics of the business, understand the project structure, and become more than just a business partner for the client.
We always strive to offer the client the most comfortable cooperation conditions and jointly find the best ways to service the loan.
Thanks to Nurbank's participation in government entrepreneurship support and development programs, many successful projects in various economic sectors have been implemented by our clients.
— What banking products are most popular in the region among retail and corporate clients?
Nurbank provides a full range of banking services. The most demanded products among corporate, medium, and small business clients are loans for investment purposes and working capital replenishment. In addition, legal entities actively engage in operational services and deposit placement at our Bank. There are three service centers and one branch in the region.
In terms of settlement and cash services for legal entities, individual entrepreneurs, and individuals, we are always happy to offer our clients favorable tariffs, a wide choice of money transfers, individual exchange rates, and the speed and security of transactions.
Moreover, in the retail business sector, Nurbank offers banking services such as secured and unsecured loans, including its own mortgage programs and deposits. The most popular retail block products are refinancing, mortgage, and secured lending, with the advantages being reasonable rates and the possibility of involving a co-borrower in case of insufficient income. We can also consider taking into account additional income from rental or other activities individually. For the client's convenience, the bank's specialists are ready to consider accepting houses, apartments, and commercial real estate as down payment or additional collateral. Loan terms reach up to 20 years. The bank also offers mortgage loan refinancing.
— What is the branch's performance outlook for the near future?
— The branch has been set specific tasks and plans for the current and upcoming year, which we undoubtedly plan to fulfill. Currently, the retail business department in Kostanay is among the top five in the entire JSC "Nurbank" branch network, which in turn is making every effort to promptly provide quality services to its clients, grow the loan portfolio, and expand the client base.
For SME projects, by the end of the current year, it is planned to finance several very interesting projects related to production, logistics, trade, and so on, which will allow the branch's client base to expand. In addition, I would like to note our branch's participation in the SME block pilot project, which allows decisions on financing a number of SME clients to be made at the branch level. Thanks to this decision, we can win in review times — significantly increasing operational efficiency.
— Your socially significant role in the business community of the region and beyond is noticeable. Please share details: which non-profit organizations do you join as an expert?
— I am an active member of the public organization "Association of Business Women of Kostanay Region", which helps advance and promote women in business, politics, and public service. This activity also allows following the events happening in the region's business environment.
An important area of work is financing women entrepreneurship — the branch strives to fund women involved in small and medium-sized businesses.
Nurbank loans make it possible to purchase equipment, buy goods, or rent premises. We help not only start a business but also expand it by increasing production or launching new products. Statistics show that starting businesswomen take out loans to open kindergartens, beauty salons, organize the production of semi-finished products, sewing clothes, printing production, catering, and so on. Overall, Nurbank emphasizes financing educational projects: private schools, kindergartens, educational and development centers.
— What client engagement methods do you use? What do you think clients value most in working with the bank?
— In my opinion, the most effective client engagement method is an individual approach, considering each case separately in detail, and providing specific solutions for a specific client.