Background RBS

RBS began to take shape in the late 1990’s, as a group of like-minded professional analysts and consultants identified a need in the Russian marketplace. The invaluable experience they had gained facilitating Russian and international businesses to work with Russian governmental agencies would prove to be the foundation for a meaningful business opportunity. This vision launched RBS as we know it today, an innovative leader in the Russian audit and consulting services market.

Key milestones in the development and expansion of RBS include:

2001

• RBS is established as an independent legal entity;
• Projects with Sidanko, YUKOS EP, Renova, ITERA, Severnaya Neft, Orsk-Khalilovsk Metallurgical Plant, GB Wine Holding, Macleod Dixon LLP are launched;
• A unique 20-year plan is developed for Rosneft;
• An advisory project for Russian Ministry of Railways, to reform the Russian railway transport system (under Russian Government Resolution 384 of 18 May 2001) starts;
• RBS counts 80 members on their staff.

• RBS expands into new sectors - retail, government and international finance – while ever increasing its client portfolio. New clients include FGC UES of Russia, Industrial and Financial Corporation BIN, Agricultural and Chemical Corporation Azot, Uralkaliy, Orenburggazprom, TITRAN factory, KMB-Bank, RINKO, Red October Chocolate Factory, Segezha Pulp and Paper Mill, Uralsky Metall, Federal State Unitary Enterprise Refservice, Department Store Moskva, among others.
• The Legal Consulting Department is created;
• Our in-house IT-Consulting and System Integration Department is created;
• Our staff grows to include 170 specialists.

• RBS leads the process to reform the national electric power industry. Under the assignment of the Centre for Reforming FGC UES of Russia, we develop and update the procedure of AO-Energo reorganization within the "5+5" scheme;
• We win the World Bank tender (under the Assistance in Power Sector Reforms program) for the design and realization of a comprehensive training program, for employees of the Federal Energy Commission and regional energy commissions;
• We complete a computer-based information system for budgeting process management – a project commissioned by the RF Ministry of the Interior;We start consulting for the largest corporate asset holders of Russia;
• We successfully fulfill the first stage of the railway transport reform for the Ministry of Railways;
• We expand our regional presence and open our first representative office in the North-Western Federal District (St. Petersburg);
• The total number of employees increases to 250.

• We continue working with the business leaders of the key national industries: Russian Post, Mostransgas, ABB Russia, TNK-BP, Arkhangelsk Sea Commercial Port, and PRODO Group of Companies;
• In a survey of expert rating agencies, RBS is selected as one of the Top-10 audit and consulting groups in Russia;
• RBS develops the business plan for the reconstruction of the Small Ring of Moscow Railways;
• Our experts supervise the implementation of the computer-based budgeting system for the Russian Railways, and the computer-based information system for budgeting process management for the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs;
• We develop our client portfolio – Our client list expands to include GIBDD (State Traffic Safety Inspectorate) of the RF Ministry of Internal Affairs, GUIN (General Department for Sentences Execution) of the RF Ministry of Justice, Accounts Chamber of the Russian Federation, housing and utilities enterprises in various regions of Russia, Samaratransgas, Tyumenenergo, Mobile TeleSystems, Rusagro Group, and URSA International;
• We make key strategic changes in our own corporate structure, and create the Management Technologies and Accounting Systems Departments;
• The International Management and Personnel Retraining Center (IMC), is created, in cooperation with European Finance & Banking Academy.
• Our second representative office in the Siberian Federal District (Novosibirsk) is founded;
• We implement the globally accredited quality management system ISO 9001:2000;
• As a result of the successful partnership between RBS and HATCH Associates Ltd, the HATCH-RBS joint venture is established to provide professional services to metallurgical and mining companies operating in Russia and the CIS;
• We join the international audit and consulting network IGAF.
• The number of employees at RBS increases to 280.

2005

• RBS champions the development of the Russian National Program Traffic Safety Enhancement in 2006-2012;
• We participate in the Task Force for WTO Membership and Customs Policy, under the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs;
• We expand our presence in key strategic sectors of the economy, adding to our client base Leningrad Nuclear Power Plant and Sibirskiy Cement Holding Company, State Unitary Enterprise Mosgortrans and United Machine Building Plants, Aeroflot, Russkaya Troika, Comstar - United Telesystems, Soyuzagromash, Federal Grid Company and Transmashholding;
• We implement the computer-based information system of budgetary process management for the Russian Federal Penitentiary Service;
• An exclusive IT product,SFO’RBS – a computer-aided system for the transformation of financial statements according to IFRS, is launched;
• The International Management and Personnel Retraining Center - Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, founded in the previous year (above), demonstrates high performance. (DipIFR-Rus certificates for Russian professionals);
• Our third official representative office is founded in the Volga Federal District (Nizhny Novgorod);
• BVQI Russia audits our quality management system efficiency, and validates its conformity to ISO 9001:2000;
• The members on our staff reaches 350.

2006

• We celebrate our fifth anniversary;
• We are involved in the Administrative Reform of the RF.
• We are ranked as the most dynamically growing company in the audit and consulting market, according to Expert RA project Russian Audit and Consulting – 10 years from 1996 to 2006;
• We deliver a project for GIBDD (State Traffic Safety Inspectorate);
• We continue our work with leading enterprises of various industries, financial and industrial groups, governmental bodies, foreign companies, international financial institutions: Glavmosstroy and Gaztelecom, ZAO Svenska Handelsbanken and PRODO Group, Sheremetyevo International Airport, Siberian Service Company, Comstar - United Telesystems, and Ectrolux;
• We conduct training courses on a broad range of topics for the following companies: Siberian Service Company, ТNК-ВР, Sukhoi Company, Regionenergoprom, PRODO Management, and Gazfond (Non-State Pension Fund);
• Our staff numbers 400 specialists.

2007

• Our client portfolio continues to grow. We add OAO NK Posneft, OAO AK Transnetf, and ZAO Renova-Story-Group, holding M-Video to our client list;
• We become an associate of one of the leading international audit-consulting networks, Horwath International.
• The Credit and Financial Institutions Relations Department is created;
• We open two new representative offices in Izhevsk (Udmurt Republic) and in Volgograd;
• The number of employees at RBS reaches 500.

2008

• Rating agency Expert RA names RBS the leader of Financial Consulting and Strategic Consulting nominations;
• We continue long-tem cooperation with such leading companies as Gazpromneft, Russian Railways, Sibirtelecom, and proceeds with projects within the Russian Administrative Reform and Russian National Program Enhancement of Road Traffic Safety;
• Government Consulting, Tax Consulting, Transport and Infrastructure Projects Departments are created, thus the number of Department in RBS reaches 9;
• RBS also starts to create Directorates that manage industry sectors of strategic importance to the company;
• We open two new representative offices in Tyumen and Rostov-on-Don;
• Our staff continues to grow and reaches 600 people and we move to a new big office.

RBS has a track record of success. Our dynamic growth and accomplishments noted above speak to our commitment to the auditing and consulting business. Through adopting best practices, finding business innovations and using competitive intelligence, we have achieved remarkable results. In today’s tough business climate, our clients have learned to trust and count on the RBS winning formula: real world experience in the Russian market, advisors with some of the highest credentials in the industry, and a customized approach designed to meet each client’s unique business needs and goals.