In 1987 commenced engagement in business activities, became director general of the Soviet-Swedish enterprise "Viking" and chairman of the cooperative "Vera".

2007 – Defense of thesis on "Monitoring of Clients as a System Element of Bank Crediting", assignment of the scientific degree of Doctor of Economics.

From this point on the era of formation of a banking system began in the New Russia[4] Alexey Ustaev hired statesmen as Anatoly Kurkov[5] (former head of a central board of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in Leningrad), Valery Zaborov (the former assistant prosecutor in the Leningrad region), Nikolay Sergeyenko (the former deputy chief of city tax inspection), Leonid Perekrestov (major general of the Municipal Department of Internal Affairs of St. Petersburg), Victor Halansky[6] (the founder of the modern banking system in St. Petersburg, from 1990 to 1996 the chief of the Main Department of the Central Bank of RSFSR in Leningrad and St. Petersburg) and other outstanding people.

[7] The main activity of Alexey Ustaev is the work within the sphere of investment financing of enterprises in the real sector of the economy.

Inside Viking Bank, Alexey Ustaev developed its own unique system of service for corporate clients – the industrial enterprises – for the purpose of protection of the business against external risks.

The two-tiered model includes a professional team of experts for financial profiles working in Viking Bank and also highly specialized companies, which were especially created and attracted on the terms of outsourcing the rendering of legal, economic, tax, consulting, IT, business maintenance services, both ensuring economic safety and insurance of the enterprises, and also a bank which conducts monitoring of the borrower, not only at the stage of issuing of loans, but also during the course of implementation of the business plan in changing market conditions, for which it was organized.

The bank refused to play a passive role as the provider of borrowed funds and became instead a full partner interested in the improvement of the financial position and expansion of the business of its clients.

Since 2011 Alexey Ustaev founded bank scholarships for gifted students of leading economic HIGHER EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS of St.

Ustaev, was awarded the gratitude of the Governor of St. Petersburg, Valentina Matviyenko, for its active participation in charity and the promotion of programs benefiting children.

[22] A.M.Gorchakov silver medal of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs "For the contribution to strengthening the peace and the development of international cooperation".

Awarded as an acknowledgement of the merits of strengthening the peace and the development of international cooperation, the statement of universal ideals, and humanitarian values.