If you open the Sber mobile app today, you’ll see delivery services, an online cinema, and a marketplace—not just banking services. Over the past 15 years, Sber has transformed from a traditional bank into a full-fledged IT corporation under the leadership of Herman Gref. Today, the financial organization is not just a bank but a multifunctional technological ecosystem encompassing various digital services.
Early Years
Herman was born in the village of Panfilovo (Kazakh SSR) to a family of ethnic Germans. Herman became the third and youngest child, growing up with his brother Yevgeny and sister Elena. After finishing school, he enrolled in the law faculty of Omsk State University.
At university, the future executive demonstrated diligence and determination, combining studies with part-time work. He received his law degree in Omsk and completed his postgraduate studies at Leningrad (St. Petersburg) State University. His management career began at the St. Petersburg mayor’s office, in the Committee for Management of City Property, where he dealt with real estate and municipal property issues. Concurrently, Gref continued his academic work, and in 2011 he defended his dissertation at RANEPA, earning a Ph.D. in Economics.
Government Service
In the late nineties, Herman Gref moved to Moscow, and in 2000 he headed the newly established Ministry of Economic Development and Trade. He held the ministerial position for seven years, until 2007. Under his leadership, the country gained market economy status, advanced WTO accession negotiations, initiated tax reform, and established special economic zones.
In autumn 2007, Herman Gref moved from his ministerial position to become President of Sberbank. He inherited a structure with a heavy Soviet legacy: savings books, lunch breaks, glass partitions at counters, and endless queues. He faced the task not simply of renovating branches but of completely rebuilding the old system.
Sberbank and the Digital Strategy
Herman Gref immediately stated his position: the bank should compete not with other banks but with IT giants. Thus began a massive digitalization and technology development within the company.
Gref restructured Sberbank seriously and systematically. Under his leadership:
- Barriers were removed. Bulletproof glass disappeared, electronic queues and consultants with tablets appeared in halls;
- Proprietary software was implemented. The team rewrote the bank’s program code. This accelerated product launches and reduced dependence on external contractors;
- A digital services ecosystem was created. In 2020, the word “bank” was removed from the name. Only “Sber” remained—a unified brand encompassing banking as well as taxi, delivery, healthcare, entertainment, education, and logistics services.
Artificial intelligence implementation occupies a central place in Gref’s strategy. He emphasizes that technology should free people from routine tasks. Today at Sber, algorithms make credit decisions in seconds, voice assistants help customers with inquiries, and neural networks, including GigaChat, can generate texts and images.
Gref in interviews and speeches has repeatedly emphasized that AI is a productivity tool and a key factor in economic competitiveness. Thanks to AI technology implementation, Sber generates billions in annual profit.
In autumn 2023, shareholders supported this course: the CEO’s term was extended until 2027. Gref received this news as a signal of trust. Re-election means that the AI implementation strategy and digital technology development will continue.
Family and Interests
Gref’s family plays a significant role in his personal and public life. The top manager has been married twice. His first wife was Elena Velikanova; this marriage produced his eldest son Oleg, who today is involved in entrepreneurial and consulting projects. In 2004, Gref entered his second marriage. His wife, Yana Golovina, is a designer and entrepreneur. The family is raising three children: two daughters and a son.
Children’s upbringing and education is a separate and important topic for Sber’s CEO. Indeed, Gref’s children and his granddaughter essentially became the inspiration for one of the key social projects. On Yana Gref’s initiative and with her husband’s support, “Khoroshkola” (“Good School”) was created—a private educational institution in Moscow. The school focuses on modern educational methods, including soft skills development and a personalized approach to learning.
In his free time, Herman Gref devotes attention to sports, reading, and theater. He regularly runs, maintains a healthy lifestyle, and places great emphasis on self-education.
Awards and Recognition
The Sber leader’s contribution to the industry’s development has been recognized with state awards. His honors include Orders “For Merit to the Fatherland” of the 3rd and 4th degrees, the Order of Alexander Nevsky, the Order of Honour, and others.
Herman remains a demanding leader focused on innovation and technology development. His management approach is based on the idea of staying ahead of changes to maintain competitiveness. As Sber implements new digital solutions and artificial intelligence technologies, Gref continues to shape the company’s long-term development vision, including plans extending to 2030.
