Interview with Artak Ananyan, Chairman of the Management Board of Ardshinbank

Ardshinbank is joining the Newmag Winter Fest for the second time. What is the important mission of the bank's participation in this festival of books and art?

Being one of the largest financial institutions in the country, the bank also attaches great importance to social responsibility programs. In this direction, we have set ourselves several goals, the most important of which is to support programs aimed at preserving cultural and national values and creating Armenian content. In this regard, the format and results of the Newmag Winter Fest book festival best coincide with our ideas and goals.

Thus, within the framework of the festival, the best samples of contemporary Armenian professional and artistic literature are published and presented to the public. In addition, every year, high-quality Armenian-language content is created in the form of translations of the world's most popular books, which, when published in the native language, become accessible to the widest possible audience. Therefore, we are happy to once again be a partner of the festival.

Does the bank have a clear strategy or criteria for what cultural events it sponsors?

Yes, of course, the bank has a strategy in place for social responsibility, with clear criteria. Moreover, every year we reaffirm them, summarizing the results of the previous year and outlining the tasks for the next year. Considering that events aimed at the development and preservation of national traditions are a key direction for the bank, we will continue to support initiatives that contribute to the preservation and popularization of our country’s rich cultural heritage.

Ardshinbank always stands by important cultural and educational initiatives. How do you encourage the education and development of your employees?

The bank offers its employees a wide range of training and development programs, providing opportunities to acquire new skills and knowledge, increase work efficiency, and improve the quality of service and customer satisfaction. Our employees receive training at the bank’s training center and also have the opportunity to participate in professional programs both in Armenia and abroad.

What social impact does the bank expect to create with its cultural initiatives, and how does it measure this impact?

Our efforts in social responsibility focus on implementing long-term and sustainable programs at the bank, economic, and national levels. As mentioned earlier, one of our main priorities is the preservation of cultural and national values, as well as supporting the creation of Armenian content.

We strive to implement these priorities with clearly outlined and precisely calculated steps for the benefit of our employees, partners, clients, and compatriots. I would also like to highlight another extremely important project initiated by Ardshinbank in 2024.

While not directly related to culture, it holds invaluable significance for future generations. In 2024, the bank launched a project to plant a nominal forest. Though the results of this program will be visible only after decades, its long-term impact speaks for itself.

Can Ardshinbank’s experience in cultural investments serve as a model for other financial institutions?

As already mentioned, one of our key priorities within the framework of our corporate social responsibility strategy is the preservation of our country’s cultural heritage. Realizing the importance of this mission, we would be delighted if our efforts serve as a model for other financial institutions. 

What new opportunities does the bank see for the development of culture in the digital age, and how does it plan to adapt to these changes?

A successful modern business cannot be imagined without digital transformation across all areas. In this regard, the bank is making significant progress, both in digitizing its business processes and customer service, and in supporting digital innovations within corporate social responsibility.

2024 was particularly productive for us in this respect, as we successfully achieved all our digitization goals. Over the past year, we updated our main digital platforms, including our official website and the mobile application for individual customers.

We also introduced biometric identification for becoming a bank client, enabling customers to open an account without visiting a branch. Additionally, we developed and launched a new mobile application for legal entities.

As an example of supporting digital innovations in the field of social responsibility, I can mention our collaboration with the Komitas Museum-Institute in 2024. Under Ardshinbank’s sponsorship, the Komitas Studio VR project became a reality. Created through 3D modeling, this virtual reality experience allows visitors to walk through Komitas’ studio in Constantinople. The exhibition is a small yet significant contribution to popularizing Komitas’ legacy.