* CEO Gref to visit United States this week
* Russia to sell 7.6 pct stake later this year or in 2012
MOSCOW, April 25 (Reuters) - Sberbank, Russia's largest lender, is sending its chief executive to the United States to court investors ahead of a privatisation expected to start later this year, the bank said on Monday.
Russia plans to cut its stakes in major state-owned companies, including banks, in a 1 trillion rouble ($33 billion) privatisaition drive over three years, aiming to improve corporate governance and plug the budget deficit.
Sberbank, with a current market capitalisation of around $83 billion, said chief executive German Gref and other top managers were visiting the United States this week to meet the largest equity funds, banks and companies.
"First of all we are interested in potential investors for our shares. We can make a profit, we are exceeding analysts' expectations," Gref said in statement.
Sberbank, which made a 2010 net profit of 182 billion roubles, aims to earn 230-250 billion this year.
"Investors, connected to the Russian capital market, have already bought us. Now we are targeting international markets for those who did not buy us earlier," Gref said.
By the end of April, Sberbank has promised to pick a bank for its depositary receipts programme, seen as part of Russia's move to sell 7.6 percent of the lender later this year or in 2012.
VTB, Russia's second biggest lender, raised $3.3 billion earlier this year, selling a government stake of 10 percent on the open market. (Reporting by Katya Golubkova; Editing by Dan Lalor) ($1 = 29.91 roubles)