Ex-Deputy PM Grigorenko Nominated as Sberbank Deputy Board Chairman

Oct. 22, 2026 Dmitry Grigorenko. Marina Sol (CC BY-SA 4.0) Russian state lender Sberbank confirmed Thursday that former Deputy Prime Minister and Chief of Government Staff Dmitry Grigorenko has been nominated to serve as deputy chairman of its board of directors. The announcement immediately followed President Vladimir Putin’s decree officially relieving Grigorenko of his duties in the government cabinet. First Deputy Finance Minister Irina Okladnikova is set to succeed him, becoming the first woman to take on the role of chief of government staff. At Sberbank, Grigorenko is expected to oversee strategic initiatives, including government relations and the deployment of artificial intelligence and digital services across the public sector, the lender said. “His arrival will strengthen Sber and give impetus to the development of our systemic dialogue with the state and regions,” Sberbank CEO Herman Gref said in a statement. Sberbank’s supervisory board is scheduled to formally vote on Grigorenko’s appointment at its next meeting on Nov. 10. Sources close to the Kremlin and in Russia’s tech industry told the newspaper Vedomosti that Grigorenko could take charge of Sberbank’s entire digital agenda. Russian political analysts have speculated that Grigorenko’s departure from the government will reduce Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin’s power in the cabinet given the close working relationship between the two men over the years. Meanwhile, Finance Minister Anton Siluanov, whom Putin promoted to deputy prime minister alongside his ministerial position, and other economic officials have seen their influence in government grow as balancing state finances has taken on greater importance amid surging war spending, rising inflation and high interest rates. Grigorenko previously served as deputy head of Russia’s Federal Tax Service, which Mishustin headed for several years, before joining the prime minister’s cabinet in January 2020 as chief of government staff, where he led the digitalization of government affairs. Reuters contributed reporting. Read more about: Sberbank , Elites , Banks , Business Sign up for our free weekly newsletter Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy We sent a confirmation to your email. Please confirm your subscription. A Message from The Moscow Times: Dear readers, We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent." These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia. We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help. Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact. By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us. Once Monthly Annual Continue Not ready to support today? Remind me later. × Remind me next month Remind me Thank you! Your reminder is set. We will send you one reminder email a month from now. For details on the personal data we collect and how it is used, please see our Privacy Policy. Read more Sberbank Warns of Rising Overdue Loans as Russian Companies Struggle The difficulties are affecting several sectors, including individual residential development projects, retail, commercial property and online marketplaces... 3 Min read Russia's Sberbank Warns of Rising Corporate Credit Risks as Bad Loans Increase Meanwhile, Sberbank cut its 2026 GDP growth forecast to 0%-0.5% from a previous estimate of 0.5%-1%. 3 Min read Sberbank Reports Record $22Bln Profit in 2025 It marked a third consecutive year of growth for the majority state-owned lender despite Western sanctions. 1 Min read Sberbank Using AI to Cut 20% of Staff by End of 2025, Gref Says German Gref said the bank’s heavy spending on AI left little room for other investments. 1 Min read