Promsvyazbank, one of the largest commercial and retail banks in Russia, plans to raise $1bn (€689m) in an initial public offering in the second or third quarter of next year.
UK bank HSBC has been selected as lead coordinator and bookrunner. A source close to the company said it also agreed to fund a pre-IPO capital increase to secure its lead role. Other banks vying for bookrunning positions include Deutsche Bank, Dresdner Kleinwort, ABN Amro and Troika.
Commerzbank owns a 15.3 percent stake in Promsvyazbank, which it acquired last August. HSBC's biggest deal in Russia should have been managing the $200m (€138m) initial public offering of ROSBANK last year with Credit Suisse, Deutsche Bank, and Merrill Lynch. However, ROSBANK's parent Interros pulled the issue 12 hours before its launch, instead selling 10 percent to Société Générale, without telling its advisers.
In May HSBC received a license for its Russian subsidiary, HSBC Bank, allowing it to take retail clients' deposits. HSBC is developing its corporate and investment banking business in Russia and has opened an office there, although it does not have as large a presence as rivals. But with an aggressive price war driving down investment banking fees in Russia, HSBC has the benefit of a lower cost base.