Press Releases
Enery Secures €214.45 Million Bank Loan for Romanian Renewable Portfolio and Expansion
16th December 2024
Enery proudly announces the successful signing of a €214.45 million bank loan facility with UniCredit Bank, Banca Comercială Română and Erste Group Bank AG as Original Lenders and Mandated Lead Arrangers. BCR and UniCredit acted as Joint Coordinators and Bookrunners, while UniCredit was nominated as Documentation Agent and BCR was nominated as ESG Coordinator, Security and Facility Agent.
This landmark financing deal will support the development and consolidation of Enery's renewable energy projects in Romania, marking a significant step in the company's commitment to driving sustainable energy solutions in the region.
The loan facility is strategically allocated to refinancing the entire Romanian renewable energy portfolio, providing financial stability and operational efficiency, constructing a new 64.5 MW PV project and co-locating battery energy storage systems (BESS) in all operational and greenfield power plants to enhance grid stability and storage capabilities.
From a legal point of view, the deal was facilitated with the support of the Romanian team of Schönherr on the Borrower side. Clifford Chance Badea advised on the lender side.
"This type of portfolio financing tailor made to Enery’s portfolio and plans for Romania, supports the company in becoming a full green IPP in Romania, while offering lenders a diversified asset base with an adequate mix of PPAs and batteries to hedge balancing, power and capture price risks. We are especially thankful to the lenders for structuring this financing, as traditional financing does not offer an intermediate solution between Project Financing and Corporate Financing for growing RES IPPs. The company can thus focus on delivering innovative renewable energy projects that drive long-term sustainability and economic value." said Sebastian Staicu, VP Financing from Enery.
Raluca Popescu, Executive Vicepresident Corporates UniCredit Bank: “We are proud to be in the first row in Romania to unlock the potential of renewable energy towards a sustainable tomorrow through our financing solutions. At UniCredit, through our financing and advisory services and our strong coverage expertise, we are committed to supporting our clients with our international knowledge and talent. We are honored to build on our partnership with Enery and deliver this landmark renewable portfolio financing for our client and for the entire green energy sector in Romania. We will continue to deliver additional financing to support sustainable energy solutions and the transition to clean energy of our clients”.
Daniel Sava, Advisory & Specialized Lending Director UniCredit Bank: “This landmark renewable portfolio financing delivers on our strong commitment for providing solutions to finance the transformation of the Romanian energy system, by putting our banks local and international knowledge and talents in the service of our clients, such as Enery. All across Romania and the markets where UniCredit Group has presence, our decisions and actions have strong ESG fundamentals that became part of our business model.”
Anca Ilin, Head of Project Finance Banca Comerciala Romana: At BCR, we have been a pioneer of renewable energy financing, and we invest constantly in supporting the transition to a Net Zero economy, making the financing of clean energy projects a priority in our corporate lending strategy. As one of the first collaborators of Enery’s investments in Romania, we are proud to continue to support their local development plans by this innovative portfolio financing, creating a platform for future growth and diversification.
About Enery:
Enery is an independent renewable energy provider dedicated to supplying its customers with reliable, affordable, long-term green energy. With a diversified green fleet currently generating almost 700 GWh of clean electricity from 490 MW and powering 277,706 households, Enery is at the forefront of driving the Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) region’s transition to sustainable energy. The company’s ambitious plans include ongoing development projects with more than 8 GW in 11 countries. With its diverse and multidisciplinary team of 30 nationalities, Enery focuses on developing, constructing, and operating renewable energy projects while integrating environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors into every aspect of its business operations.
About UniCredit Romania
UniCredit Bank is part of the UniCredit Group, a Pan-European Commercial Bank with a unique service offering in Italy, Germany, Central and Eastern Europe. In Romania, UniCredit Bank is one of the main financial institutions, offering high quality services and products for all categories of customers. UniCredit Bank aims to permanently keep the customer at the center of its activities, to be a partner that is easy to work with and to be an active part of the communities in which it operates. The group responds to a wide range of needs of its clients through a network of specialized partners: UniCredit Leasing Corporation, UniCredit Consumer Financing, UniCredit Services, UniCredit Insurance Broker.
About Banca Comercială Română
BCR offers a full range of financial products and services through a network of 20 business centres and 18 mobile offices dedicated to companies and 317 retail units located in most of the country's cities with more than 10,000 inhabitants, where 71% of units are cashless. BCR customers have the largest national network of ATMs and multifunctional machines - almost 2,000 machines, and full banking services through Internet banking, Mobile banking, Phone-banking and E-commerce.
For more information on BCR products and services, please check: www.bcr.ro
About Erste Group Bank AG
Erste Group is the leading financial services provider in the eastern part of the EU. Its ca. 45,000 employees serve over 16 million customers in 1,899 branches in 7 countries (Austria, Czechia, Slovakia, Romania, Hungary, Croatia, and Serbia). For the first three quarters of 2024, Erste Group had 347 billion euros in total assets, posted a net profit of 2.52 billion euros, and had a common equity tier 1 ratio (pro forma) of 15.6%.
For more information, please contact:
UniCredit Shines Bright: Crowned Global Bank of the Year 2024 by FT's The Banker for the Second Straight Year
December 4th, 2024
UniCredit Shines Bright: Crowned Global Bank of the Year 2024 by FT's The Banker for the Second Straight Year
- For the second consecutive year, FT's The Banker named UniCredit Global Bank of the Year 2024, Bank of the Year in Europe, Bank of the Year in Italy.
- Bank also named Bank of the Year in Croatia, and Bosnia Herzegovina 2024.
Milan, December 5, 2024 – The Banker’s Bank of the Year Awards has recognized UniCredit global leadership for the second year, naming it the overall Bank of the Year and Best Bank in Europe during its annual ceremony in London. Additionally, UniCredit was honored with the titles of Bank of the Year in Italy, Croatia, and Bosnia Herzegovina.
Regarded as the industry standard for banking excellence, The Banker’s Bank of the Year Awards evaluates the world's leading financial institutions based on their ability to deliver returns, gain strategic advantage, and serve their markets. The Banker magazine, part of the Financial Times Group, provides economic and financial intelligence for the world's financial sector and has built a reputation for objective and insightful reporting since its inception in 1926.
Commenting on the Awards won by UniCredit, Silvia Pavoni, editor in chief of The Banker, said: "The Banker rarely awards the same lender two years in a row, but UniCredit’s sustained performance and growing ambition were just too compelling to overlook. Its financial results – for 2023 as well as the first part of 2024 – are clearly impressive, as are its astute partnerships and investments across Europe. Efforts to simplify the bank processes and improve its digital offering were additional reasons to recognized UniCredit as the global winner of our Bank of the Year award”.
Over the last years, UniCredit has relentlessly worked on its cultural and industrial transformation, committing to fundamental change to redefine its future, with the ambition of becoming the bank for Europe’s future.
Commenting on the Awards, Andrea Orcel, UniCredit CEO, said: “We are proud of these achievements, acknowledging, for the second year, the success of UniCredit Unlocked which moved the bank from laggard to winner within a three-year period, setting a new benchmark for banking in Europe. We take this opportunity to thank all the people at UniCredit who through hard work and dedication to delivering for our clients and their communities have and will continue to make it all possible."
Serving 15 million clients in 13 markets across Europe, UniCredit remains focused on supporting its clients, employees, and communities to progress and facilitate clients in a just and fair green transition, delivering lasting growth and prosperity for the long term.
For further information, please contact: mediarelations@unicredit.eu
NOTICE regarding the payment of interest coupon no. 2 for UCB27 bonds issued by UniCredit Bank S.A.
December 4th, 2024
UniCredit Bank S.A. hereby gives notice on the payment of interest coupon no. 2 related to issued UCB27 bonds in accordance with the Issue Prospectus approved by the Financial Supervisory Authority Decision No. 1654/12.12.2022.
The payment will be made by UniCredit Bank S.A. – the payment agent – on 23th December 2024 to the bond holders of UCB27 bonds recorded in the Register of Bond Holders kept by the Central Depository on the registration date 2nd of December 2024.
The interest coupon is calculated in accordance with the provisions of paragraph 6 (Interest) of the Issue Prospectus (Bonds terms and conditions).
The amount to be paid to investors will be calculated by applying the interest rate of the coupon to the invested amount (invested nominal value).
For the bond holders that at the registration date hold their instruments in accounts opened with the Participants of Central Depository’s clearing-settlement and registry system, the payment will be performed in RON through the Central Depository and through Participants.
For the bond holders not represented by the Participants of the Central Depository clearing-settlement and registry system, registered in Section I of the Central Depository, the payment will be performed by bank transfer in the RON accounts opened by the bond holders for whom the relevant payment details are specified in the Bond Holders Registry provided to UniCredit Bank S.A. by the Central Depository. If the relevant payment details are not provided by the Central Depository, the accounts specified in the subscription form or after the acquisition of the bonds will be used.
In order to apply the provisions of the double taxation treaties, the non-resident bond holders in Romania are required to submit, in original or in legalized copy, the tax residency certificate issued by the tax authorities of the country of residence, not later than 13th December, 2024.
The tax residency certificates shall be submitted at the following address:
UniCredit Bank S.A. – Tax Unit, 1F Expozitiei blvd, Bucharest, 012101, Romania.
Example for interest calculation:
Bond Nominal Value: 500,000 RON
Interest accordance with Issue Prospectus: 9.07%
Interest calculation period: 21-Dec-2023 – 21-Dec-2024 (366 days)
Interest Coupon as of 21.12.2024: 500,000 RON x 9.07% = 45.350 RON
Bond Issue Details:
https://www.bvb.ro/FinancialInstruments/Details/FinancialInstrumentsDetails.aspx?s=UCB27
Issuing Entity Name: UNICREDIT BANK S.A.
Head Office Address: Blvd. Expozitiei nr. 1F, Bucuresti, 012101
Sole Fiscal Code: RO361536
Trade Register Registration Number: J40/7706/1991
Subscribed and Paid Sharecapital: 455.219.478,30 RON
UniCredit Bank has successfully concluded its largest issue of unsecured corporate bonds on the local market, worth 750 million lei
22st of November 2024
UniCredit Bank announces the successful completion of a new issue of corporate bonds in lei (senior, unsecured) with a maturity of 5 years and a fixed annual coupon of 7.67%. Through the offer carried out on November 19, 2024 and addressed exclusively to qualified investors, the bank took 750 million lei, an amount significantly higher than the initial target amount of 550 million lei. For UniCredit Bank, it is the largest bond issue completed on the local market.
Mihaela Lupu, CEO of UniCredit Bank: "We are delighted with the success of this issue, which reflects the great confidence that investors have in the financial soundness and long-term development strategy of UniCredit Bank. It is the third consecutive year that we have successfully completed a bond issue on the Romanian capital market, thus proving once again our firm commitment to contribute to the development of the capital market in Romania and to become a constant presence as an issuer. The amount issued allows us to continue offering innovative financing solutions to our customers."
The issue is to be listed on the Bucharest Stock Exchange in the next period and, together with the other two issues completed in 2022 and 2023, contributes to the fulfillment of our plan to diversify our funding sources and, at the same time, facilitates access to financing for the bank's clients.
The intermediary of this bond issue was Alpha Bank Romania, and the Clifford Chance Badea law firm provided the legal consultancy.
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About UniCredit Bank
UniCredit Bank is part of the UniCredit Group, a Pan-European Commercial Bank with a unique service offering in Italy, Germany, Central and Eastern Europe. In Romania, UniCredit Bank is one of the main financial institutions, offering high quality services and products for all categories of customers. UniCredit Bank aims to permanently keep the customer at the center of its activities, to be a partner that is easy to work with and to be an active part of the communities in which it operates. The group responds to a wide range of needs of its clients through a network of specialized partners: UniCredit Leasing Corporation, UniCredit Consumer Financing, UniCredit Services, UniCredit Insurance Broker.
For more information please contact:
UniCredit Bank, Identity and Communication Department
Anca Hașegan, anca.hasegan@unicredit.ro, 0723.653.072
Change in the management of UniCredit Leasing, the #1 leasing company in Romania*”
21st of November 2024
Roxana Bujor, Director for Small Corporates UniCredit Bank, takes over the position of Chief Executive Officer and will lead UniCredit Leasing, starting December 1, 2024.
Roxana Bujor succeeds Daniela Bodîrcă, who ends her 2nd mandate as CEO and President of the Management Board at UniCredit Leasing on November 30, 2024.
Daniela Bodîrcă has over 26 years of experience in the financial-banking industry, completing a remarkable journey spanning 16 years in UniCredit Romania. During 10 years, she held the position of Executive Vice President of the Risk Division and Member of the Board of UniCredit Bank Romania, having responsibilities also as a member of the Supervisory Board and the Audit Committee of UniCredit Leasing and UniCredit Consumer Financing. Since 2019, Daniela took over the role of CEO and President of the UniCredit Leasing Corporation Board, with managerial responsibilities extended also for UniCredit Leasing Fleet Management and UniCredit Insurance Broker. She is currently serving her 3rd mandate as president of the Romanian Association of Financial Companies (ALB).
"I am extremely honored and grateful for the trust manifested towards me through the assigned roles by UniCredit Group and ALB Romania. My experience within UniCredit Romania has been an extraordinary journey that offered me many opportunities and challenges, a journey where I have had by my side valuable people with whom I performed, overcame obstacles and evolved. An essential element along this path has been defined by our customers and partners, to whom I express my gratitude, their trust and respect motivating us to exceed our limits, year after year. Our vision and commitment towards excellence continue to be a solid pillar of the company, UniCredit team remaining dedicated to customers and partners. Thank you and Best of luck!” said Daniela Bodîrcă.
With an experience of 20 years in the banking field, Roxana Bujor joined the UniCredit team in 2008 and acquired an exhaustive and diverse experience in the Corporate Banking. Roxana, together with her team, created valuable opportunities for the bank and its clients through quality services and solutions, contributing to maintaining the leading position of UniCredit Bank in theCorporate Banking. With her vast experience in UniCredit, Roxana will drive innovation and synergies in the Leasing and Corporate teams to further develop the leasing.
"A new challenge is now starting for me at UniCredit Leasing, where I will join a team of professionals, who, during the years, set new performance standards on the leasing market. We will continue to stay close to our clients, with fast, concrete and complete solutions, while facilitating increased synergies within UniCredit group, to take advantage of our expertise and extensive offer. I am confident in our team and capacity to grow even further!" said Roxana Bujor.
About UniCredit Leasing Corporation IFN S.A.
UniCredit Leasing Corporation IFN S.A., a non-banking financial institution whose main activity is financial leasing, is part of the UniCredit Romania financial group, together with UniCredit Bank S.A. and UniCredit Consumer Financing IFN S.A., together offering their beneficiaries a full range of financial products and services and other ancillary services. In addition to the previously mentioned entities, the UniCredit group is also present in Romania through the following non-financial entities: UniCredit Leasing Fleet Management S.R.L., which provides operational leasing services, and UniCredit Insurance Broker S.R.L., which serves the area of insurance brokerage services.
For more information, please contact:
UniCredit Leasing, Identity and Communication
*Note: from the point of view of assets
NOTICE Regarding the payment of Interest Coupon no. 1 for bonds UCB28 issued by UniCredit Bank S.A.
5th of November 2024
UniCredit Bank SA inform about the payment of interest coupon no 1 related to issued bonds UCB28 in accordance of Issue Prospectus approved by Financial Supervisory Authority Decision No. 1167/08.11.2023.
The payment will be made by UniCredit Bank S.A. – the payment agent – on 25th November 2024 to the bond holders of UCB28 bonds recorded in the Register of Bond Holders kept by Depozitarul Central S.A. at the registration date 4th November 2024.
The interest coupon is calculated in accordance with the provisions of paragraph 6 Interest of the Issue Prospectus (Terms and conditions).
The amount to be paid to investors will be calculated by applying the interest rate of the coupon to the invested amount (invested nominal value).
For the bond holders that at the Reference Date hold their instruments in accounts opened with the Participants of Central Depository’s clearing-settlement and registry system, the payment will be performed in RON through the Central Depository and through Participants.
For the bond holders not represented by the Participants of the Central Depository clearing-settlement and registry system, registered in Section I of the Central Depository, the payment will be performed by bank transfer in the RON accounts opened by the bond holders for whom the relevant payment details are specified in the Bond Holders Registry provided to UniCredit Bank S.A. by Central Depository S.A. If the relevant payment details are not provided by Central Depository S.A., the accounts specified in the subscription form or after the acquisition of the bonds will be utilized.
In order to apply the provisions of the double taxation treaties, the non-resident bond holders in Romania are required to submit, in original or in legalized copy, the tax residency certificate issued by the tax authorities of the country of residence, not later than 8th November, 2024.
The tax residency certificates shall be submitted at the following address:
UniCredit Bank SA – Tax Unit, 1F Expozitiei blvd, Bucharest, 012101, Romania.
Example for interest calculation:
Bond Nominal Value: 500,000 RON
Interest accordance with Issue Prospectus: 7.82%
Interest calculation period: 24-Nov-2023 – 24-Nov-2024 (366 days)
Interest Coupon as of 24.11.2024: 500,000 RON x 7.82% = 39.100 RON
Bond Issue Details:
https://bvb.ro/FinancialInstruments/Details/FinancialInstrumentsDetails.aspx?s=UCB28
Issuing Entity Name: UNICREDIT BANK S.A.
Head Office Address: Blvd. Expozitiei nr. 1F, Bucuresti, 012101
Sole Fiscal Code: RO361536
Trade Register Registration Number: J40/7706/1991
Sharecapital Subscribed and Paid: 455.219.478,30 RON
UniCredit and Alpha Services and Holdings announce completion of the acquisition of majority stake by UniCredit in Alpha Bank Romania
4th november 2024
· Alpha Bank Romania will be merged into UniCredit Bank Romania, creating the third banking group by assets in the country
· The transaction is part of the strategic partnership between UniCredit and Alpha
UniCredit S.p.A. (“UniCredit”) and Alpha Services and Holdings S.A. ("Alpha”) announce that, having received approvals from all relevant authorities and following completion of the due diligence process, UniCredit has acquired from Alpha International Holdings S.M.S.A., 100% subsidiary of Alpha, a 90.1% stake in Alpha Bank Romania S.A. (“Alpha Bank Romania”) in consideration of (i) 9.9% of the share capital of UniCredit Bank S.A. (“UniCredit Romania”) and (ii) circa Euro 255 million in cash.
The transaction is part of the strategic partnership between UniCredit and Alpha Services and Holdings, announced on 23 October 2023.
The acquisition starts the process for a gradual integration of Alpha Bank Romania into UniCredit Group. Subject to legal and authorization stages, integration will be completed with the merger through absorption of Alpha Bank Romania S.A. within UniCredit Bank S.A. estimated to take place in the second part of 2025.
The merger will bring together two complementary banks, both with long-standing relationships and expertise in the Romanian market. The experience of UniCredit Romania and Alpha Bank Romania, both in the corporate and retail segments, will strengthen the position of the resulting bank, that will bring UniCredit Group on the third place in the Romanian market - subsidiaries included - with a combined market share of around 12% in terms of total assets.
Alpha will retain its longstanding presence in the Country by having, post-merger completion, a 9.9% of UniCredit Bank S.A.
Alpha Bank Romania change of ownership will not bring immediate changes for its customers, who will continue to be served as before, both through electronic channels and in physical offices. As the natural stages of the integration process will be completed. all the necessary or useful information will be made available, the main objective being to ensure a transparent and easy transition for all the bank`s customers, also on websites (https://www.unicredit.ro/en/institutional/the-bank/alphabank-unicredit-en.html; https://www.alphabank.ro/despre-noi/noutati-alpha-bank-romania ).
UniCredit mandated Antoaneta Curteanu as new Executive President of Alpha Bank Romania to coordinate the integration process into UniCredit Romania. Andrei Bratu will also join Alpha Bank Romania, on behalf of UniCredit, to act as Executive Vice President, coordinating the Wholesale Division responsible for managing corporate clients.
Sergiu Oprescu, the Executive President of Alpha Bank Romania prior to the change in the shareholding, will in the following period join the management of UniCredit Romania, at the level of the Supervisory Board, after the approval by the National Bank of Romania for the new role. At the same time, Alpha Services and Holdings designated two members within the Supervisory Board of UniCredit Romania.
Andrea Orcel, CEO of UniCredit said: “This is a decisive step in our strategic partnership with Alpha, allowing us to further enhance our presence in the country for the benefit of clients and our wider stakeholders. Romania holds strategic importance within our growing Eastern European region. With a stronger, efficient bank powered by innovative products made available to a larger customer base we will be able to increase support to individuals, SMEs and local communities. The resulting bank will be well positioned for growth opportunities in the market, as well as for the development of the potential of all employees in Romania and across the wider Group”.
Vassilios Psaltis, CEO of Alpha Services and Holdings said: “The timely completion of our transaction in Romania underscores the value both parties place on the strategic agreement announced last year. Together with UniCredit, we are building a leading bank in the Romanian market -reflecting Alpha Bank’s longstanding presence in the country -while actively collaborating across multiple areas to deliver top-tier services to Greek companies expanding into Europe and to European groups looking to invest in Greece”.
Mihaela Lupu, CEO of UniCredit Bank Romania said: "We are happy to collaborate with the Alpha Bank Romania team, each of us continues to be concerned with the organic growth strategy, and, in parallel, to prepare and implement the merger. During this transition period, we are ensuring business development, quality service to our customers, the best possible work environment for employees, focusing on growth and transparency as the merger process progresses."
Sergiu Oprescu, Executive President of Alpha Bank Romania, said: “I am confident that today’s step towards merger lays the groundwork for one of the most important, dynamic and customer-focused banking institutions in Romania. This institution resulted will stand as a modern, leading force in the industry—one that not only meets but anticipates the evolving needs of our customers and all stakeholders in an increasingly competitive and fast-changing business landscape”.
Milan, Bucharest 4 November 2024
Contacts:
Media Relations e-mail: MediaRelations@unicredit.eu
Investor Relations e-mail: InvestorRelations@unicredit.eu
UniCredit Bank coordinated a syndicated loan granted to SNTGN TRANSGAZ S.A. in the amount of approximately RON 1.93 billion
August 2nd, 2024
SNTGN TRANSGAZ S.A., the technical operator of the National Natural Gas Transportation System, signed a syndicated credit facility in the total amount of RON 1.93 billion to support the Development Plan of the National Natural Gas Transportation System.
UniCredit Bank has successfully completed the coordination of a syndicated loan for TRANSGAZ as Mandated Principal Arranger, Coordinator, Bookrunner, Lender, Documentation and Payment Agent and Facility Agent. Banks participating in the transaction, alongside UniCredit Bank, were: Banca Comercială Româna, Banca Transilvania, Raiffeisen Bank and CEC Bank as Principal Arrangers.
The projects financed through this syndicated loan have a strategic impact both for the gas industry and for the energy market in Romania and consist in the construction of gas pipelines to take over the gases that will be extracted from the Black Sea, but not only, supply pipes and transport that will lead to an increase in gas supply capacity in our country, etc.
Ion Sterian, General Manager of SNTGN Transgaz SA, said: "We have always been concerned with ensuring a competitive financing mix for financing the investment program so that we can achieve the best results, the best performances. The purpose of the syndicated loan is to ensure the financing/refinancing of the expenses related to the strategic investment projects contained in the Natural Gas National Transport System Development Plan (SNT) approved by ANRE, strategic investments supported by the Government of Romania and intended to contribute in a real way to the achievement of the objectives sustainable and competitive development of the gas transport infrastructure, to ensure and strengthen national, regional and European energy security and solidarity.
The source of financing contracted together with other sources of financing available Transgaz will be used both for strategic investment projects included in the Development Plan of SNT and projects that allow the connection to the natural gas transmission system of the localities on the territory of Romania, with direct impact on the increase of the quality of life and the development of the local and national economic and social infrastructure. It is of strategic importance that the natural gas extracted from the Black Sea be transported through the NTS to the Romanian and European market, in order to increase the security of natural gas supply in Romania and the EU and to guarantee the natural gas supply of domestic and regional consumers.
Among these projects I mention: Tuzla-Podișor gas pipeline, BRUA phase II, natural gas transport pipelines Ghercești – Jitaru; Prunișor - Orșova - Baile Herculane - Jupa; Natural gas transport pipeline DN 600 Mihai Bravu-Siliștea and the transformation into a pipeline; Natural gas supply of the Mintia cogeneration plant; Increasing the transmission capacity of SNT and the security of natural gas supply of the Isalnița Electrocentral Branch and the Turceni Electrocentral Branch. Transgaz also has scheduled investments for the development of SNT on new consumption directions in order to ensure the transport of gases intended for newly established natural gas distribution systems and the supply of new connected consumers, for the modernization and re-technology of SNT, investments that it supports from its own funds.
The syndicated loan agreement, concluded with the consortium of Romanian banks, Banca Transilvania, Banca Comercială Română, Raiffeisen Bank, UniCredit Bank and CEC Bank, participating in the syndication procedure, proves the full confidence that the banking institutions in Romania have in the ability of the Transgaz management to to turn projects into definite investments. I trust that, together with our financial partners, we will achieve the assumed investment objectives, the loan contributing substantially to the implementation of investments intended for the development, modernization and expansion of the national natural gas transport infrastructure."
"Transgaz S.A. is today one of the most important companies in the national energy sector, is the only operator of the National Natural Gas Transport System in Romania and occupies the fourth position in the top of the natural gas transport and system operators in the European Union, according to the length of the managed transport infrastructure. Transgaz is a listed company on the stock exchange, which increases our confidence in the ability of the company's management to effectively implement the national strategy in the field of domestic and international natural gas transportation. Due to its strategic importance, UniCredit Bank, together with other Romanian banks, supports its development and progress, so that our country occupies the place it deserves in the European economy. We are all very happy when we manage to conclude a transaction that has a major impact on our economy, but also on the countries in the region." said Raluca Popescu, Corporate Executive Vice President of UniCredit Bank.
Mihaela Petraru, Large Corporate Director, Financial Institutions and Public Sector at UniCredit Bank added: "We congratulate TRANSGAZ for the successful completion of its first syndicated transaction, an example of good practice for the development of important projects for Romania. By arranging this syndicated financing, UniCredit Bank continues to develop and make available its technical expertise for the investments of our country's strategic companies."
UniCredit launches 'Skills for Transition' programme
August 1st, 2024
Initiative reaffirms bank's strong support for the green transition and commitment to tertiary education as a means to drive social progress
UniCredit has today announced the launch of Skills for Transition, a social programme that delivers strategic training to young people and companies expected to be impacted by the green transition, helping them to develop the skills they need to meet the demands of a changing environment whilst generating a measurable social impact.
The initiative, entirely funded by the bank, sits firmly in line with UniCredit's strong commitment to promoting a just and fair transition, as well as its consistent support for education - a key driver for Europe's future. Together, these form part of the bank's stated purpose of empowering its communities to progress and underpin many of its ESG commitments.
The Skills for Transition programme, which spans six UniCredit Group countries (Italy, Germany, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Romania), is split into two streams, aimed at two different audiences: one for students and one for workers at UniCredit's corporate clients, helping both parties to play an active role in a just and fair transition.
The student stream, developed by POLIMI Graduate School of Management, offers selected students the chance to take part in two educational paths, a Master's programme for recent graduates and a four-month bootcamp for both current students and graduates. Both are aimed at increasing knowledge and awareness around the green transition and the Net Zero framework, helping them to acquire skills that will boost their future employment prospects.
The course will also involve working with some of the companies most exposed to the green transition, with students addressing specific business-related challenges and gaining hands-on experience, thereby putting their newfound skills into practice.
The worker stream, developed in partnership with Accenture, provides training for the workforce of UniCredit's corporate clients, offering specific learning paths to address key skill gaps. The training courses will be delivered starting from the last quarter of the year, via a digital platform in workers' local languages.
"We see tertiary education as one of the key levers in helping our clients and communities to progress towards a more sustainable, inclusive, and equitable society," said Fiona Melrose, Head of Group Strategy & ESG at UniCredit. "With this in mind, we are proud to be sponsoring the Skills for Transition programme, which aims not only to boost employment and improve social mobility, but also to do so in a way that equips companies to address some of the biggest challenges they face today."
"We are proud to collaborate with UniCredit on the 'Skills for Transition' programme, which perfectly aligns with the purpose of POLIMI Graduate School of Management: to nurture innovators to shape a better future for all. This initiative embodies our strategy of educating and inspiring a broad audience in the area of Purpose and Innovation for Sustainability, equipping young talents and professionals with the necessary skills to drive impactful change in the green transition", said Federico Frattini, Dean of POLIMI Graduate School of Management and Scientific Director of the programme.
More information on the Skills for Transition programme, including details on how to apply, as well as the different course structures, can be found here.
For further information, please contact: mediarelations@unicredit.eu
Euromoney Awards 2024: Andrea Orcel was named "Banker of the Year" and UniCredit Bank The Best Bank for companies and for ESG in Romania
July 22nd, 2024
Euromoney has honored Andrea Orcel, CEO of UniCredit, as the “Banker of the Year” in recognition of his exceptional leadership and the outstanding results achieved by UniCredit in 2023 through the “UniCredit Unlocked” industrial transformation plan.
The prestigious award was presented at the Euromoney Awards for Excellence ceremony in London on 18 July.
Andrea Orcel, CEO of UniCredit, commented on the awards, saying: “I am extremely honored and grateful to all colleagues who have worked together with passion and commitment and as one team to constantly deliver for all our stakeholders. These awards truly recognize their achievements and are testament to the dedication and hard work of our entire team and a further step forward towards our ambition of becoming the bank for Europe’s future”.
Raluca Popescu, Executive Vice President Corporate UniCredit Bank said: "Our main objective is to contribute to the development of companies in Romania and to perform together in this challenging economic environment, marked by uncertainties. We are proud of the recognition and appreciation of our partners as the best bank for companies and for ESG in Romania, and these awards confirm the great efforts we make every day and the exceptional results we achieve. My gratitude goes to our clients who trust us and to my colleagues, consummate professionals, for these valuable international awards.”
In addition to recognizing his remarkable leadership and transformation of the Bank, Euromoney has bestowed UniCredit with the prestigious award for the Best Bank for Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) in Western Europe, acknowledging its extensive reach of 2 million SME clients and 15 million retail clients across 13 countries in Europe and its longstanding relationship.
Furthermore, Euromoney has recognized UniCredit as the Best Bank in Italy, where it was also named Best Bank for ESG and for SMEs. UniCredit was also acknowledged as the Best Bank in Bosnia & Herzegovina, where it received the additional recognition of being the Best Bank for Diversity & Inclusion.
In total, UniCredit received 18 awards in acknowledgment of its outstanding work across Europe.
UniCredit's exceptional results in 2023, marked as the best year ever, and the outstanding 1Q 2024, reflect the success of its strategic plan, "UniCredit Unlocked," transforming the institution into one harmonious group with access to 15 million clients and 13 markets across Europe. These results establish UniCredit as a new industry benchmark, leveraging its unique pan-European model.
European youth elevate their communities through entrepreneurship
Team Devecol from Slovakia wins Re-Power Your Future Award by UniCredit
Foundation at Gen-E 2024 in Catania, Sicily
Catania, 5 July 2024
Twelve students from a secondary technical school in Bratislava, Slovakia, have been honored with the UniCredit Foundation Re-Power Your Future Award for their impactful business project. Their junior company, Devecol, has successfully developed a smart and interactive application that mobilizes communities to collect waste from nature. This innovative solution fosters collaboration among young people, civil society, and institutions, showcasing the students' exceptional ability to engage multi-stakeholders around a shared mission.
UniCredit Foundation Re-Power Your Future Award recognises the best JA business that either developed solutions aspiring to support social mobility of the next generation of youth or to elevate the communities they target through social engagement.
The Award is part of a three-year "Re-power your future" initiative by JA Europe and UniCredit Foundation, where participating youth are involved in a real entrepreneurial experience and gain the necessary skills, competences and knowledge to be successfully employed in the future and to give a pass for further opportunities. The initiative involves a strong commitment to the community with UniCredit bank representatives: skills-based volunteering, mentoring, role modeling, support for organizing local events, and connections with other similar initiatives.
Silvia Cappellini, UniCredit Foundation General Manager said: “We are happy and honored to participate in the Gen-E festival as european partner. In July 2023, the UniCredit Foundation joined forces with Junior Achievement Europe to launch "Re-power Your Future," a concrete initiative aimed at combating early school leaving, involving 10 countries within the UniCredit perimeter in a three-year program. These days we celebrate the results of European students and their innovative entrepreneurial ideas. UniCredit Foundation is proud to announce the winners of the Re-power Your Future Award, for their ability to engage the entire community around a cause for the common good. Seeing these projects become reality represents for us a great injection of confidence in the future.”
Salvatore Nigro, CEO JA Europe added: “There is a clear connection between providing more entrepreneurial learning experiences and combating school drop-out. JA programmes have the ability to stimulate self-esteem of young people, instill the desire to actively take control of their lives, learning how to develop the skills to do so in practice. How? By inspiring all youth with the entrepreneurial example of others, and by teaching them a broad range of relevant soft and hard skills to succeed in the global economy.”
The first year of Re-Power Your Future initiative saw a number of inspirational activities helping to reduce school drop-out by measurable results to increase motivation, engagement and opportunities at schools where the risk of drop-out is highest. In our experience, re-engaging students is key and the collaboration between UniCredit Foundation and JA Europe has been instrumental in improving outcomes, preventing drop-outs from school, and inspiring youth to pursue careers they are passionate about.
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About UniCredit Foundation
This Third Sector Body (TSB) is the corporate foundation of UniCredit Group whose purpose is to unlock the potential of Europe’s next generation. Its mission is to empower young people across Europe by creating equal opportunities in education and to support them in making their way in life and the professional world. The Foundation's initiatives aim at combating school drop-out, enhancing employability, encouraging university attainment and promoting study and research. The Foundation is committed to supporting communities in all countries where UniCredit Group operates.
About JA Europe
JA Europe is the largest and leading organisation in Europe dedicated to inspiring and preparing young people to succeed. For over 100 years, JA Worldwide has delivered hands-on, experiential learning in entrepreneurship, work readiness and financial health. In the last school year, the JA Europe network in over 40 countries provided 6 million learning experiences for youth in online, in person and blended formats with the support of nearly 110,000 teachers and almost 90,000 business volunteers. In 2024, JA Worldwide was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, the third nomination in three years.
About Gen-E
Gen-E is Europe’s largest Entrepreneurship event, a celebration of entrepreneurship and the achievements of European youth. Thousands of European students, from 15 years old onwards, showcase their cutting–edge business ideas online and on-site. The Gen-E Festival also combines two annual European entrepreneurship contests for the winners of JA Company and the JA Start-Up Programme from over 40 countries. Nearly 400,000 young Europeans created their JA Company or Start Up in the 2023/24 school year, and the best teams from each country competed in the Gen-E European final competition.
Press and media contact at JA Europe:
Minna Melleri, Chief of Advocacy and Growth
minna@jaeurope.org
Tel. +47 48244861
UniCredit Group Media Relations:
Roberto Vitellaro
roberto.vitellaro2@unicredit.eu
Tel. +39 091 6085460
NOTICE Regarding the payment of Interest Coupon no. 14 and principal for bonds UCB24 issued by UniCredit Bank S.A.
July 2nd, 2024
UniCredit Bank SA inform about the payment of interest coupon no 14 and principal related to issued bonds UCB24 in accordance of Issue Prospectus approved by Financial Supervisory Authority Decision No. 910/13.07.2017.
The payment will be made by UniCredit Bank S.A. – the payment agent – on 15th July 2024 to the bond holders of UCB24 bonds recorded in the Register of Bond Holders kept by Depozitarul Central S.A. at the registration date 21th June 2024.
The interest coupon is calculated in accordance with the provisions of paragraph 7 Interest of the Issue Prospectus.
The amount to be paid to investors will be calculated by applying the interest rate of the coupon to the invested amount (invested nominal value).
For the bond holders that at the Reference Date hold their instruments in accounts opened with the Participants of Central Depository’s clearing-settlement and registry system, the payment will be performed in RON through the Central Depository and through Participants.
For the bond holders not represented by the Participants of the Central Depository clearing-settlement and registry system, registered in Section I of the Central Depository, the payment will be performed by bank transfer in the RON accounts opened by the bond holders for whom the relevant payment details are specified in the Bond Holders Registry provided to UniCredit Bank S.A. by Central Depository S.A. If the relevant payment details are not provided by Central Depository S.A., the accounts specified in the subscription form or after the acquisition of the bonds will be utilized.
In order to apply the provisions of the double taxation treaties, the non-resident bond holders in Romania are required to submit, in original or in legalized copy, the tax residency certificate issued by the tax authorities of the country of residence, not later than July 2nd, 2024.
The tax residency certificates shall be submitted at the following address:
UniCredit Bank SA – Tax Unit, 1F Expozitiei blvd, Bucharest, 012101, Romania.
Example for interest calculation:
Bond Nominal Value: 10,000 RON
Interest accordance with Issue Prospectus: 7.27% (ROBOR6 M + 1.05.%)
Interest calculation period: 15-Jan-2024- 15-Jul-2024 (182 days)
Interest Coupon as of 15.07.2024: 10,000 RON x 7.27% x 182 days / 366 days = 361.51RON
Principal payment on 15th of July 2024: 10,000 RON x number of bonds owned
Bond Issue Details:
http://www.bvb.ro/FinancialInstruments/Details/FinancialInstrumentsDetails.aspx?s=UCB24
Issuing Entity Name: UNICREDIT BANK S.A.
Head Office Address: Blvd. Expozitiei nr. 1F, Bucuresti, 012101
Sole Fiscal Code: RO361536
Trade Register Registration Number: J40/7706/1991
Sharecapital Subscribed and Paid: 455.219.478,30 RON
UniCredit Bank and the European Investment Bank - Guarantee agreement financed by PNRR for loans up to 300 million euros for Large Companies and Small Municipalities
January 27th, 2024
UniCredit Bank and the EIB signed a guarantee agreement within the National Recovery and Resilience Program that allows the bank to finance large enterprises in Romania (with more than 500 employees at group level) as well as small municipalities (with a population of up to 100,000 inhabitants), to support investments in climate action and digital transformation.
Through the guarantee facility, UniCredit Bank will generate a loans portfolio of up to EUR 300 million, with the possibility of increasing up to EUR 450 million, with individual loans of maximum EUR 25 million and extended maturity of up to 15 years.
The agreement signed with the European Investment Bank is supported by the Ministry of Investments and European Projects, through the State aid and de minimis Scheme for facilitating access of enterprises to financing through guarantee instruments from the Fund of funds for digitization, climate action and other areas of interest, under Investment 2, measure 4 (Fund of Funds for digitization, climate action and other areas of interest) of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, hereinafter referred to as PNRR, Component 9 "Support for the Private Sector, Research, Development and Innovation" .
The objective of the aid measure is to facilitate the access of companies and municipalities to financing through the use of the capped portfolio guarantee instrument, which generates a difference between the reference interest at the market level and the interest charged to the company as a result of the reduction of the cost of risk and the cost of capital for the loans granted, the difference being an economic advantage offered to clients, in the form of state aid or de minimis aid.
"The mission assumed by UniCredit is to support communities to progress, which is what we are doing through this agreement signed with the European Investment Bank through which Romanian companies and small municipalities receive increased access to loans that benefit from the support of financial guarantee instruments. Thus, projects that consider the transition to green energy, increasing energy efficiency, production processes that respect the environment, digitization or sustainable transport, have the chance to be realized and improve the quality of life in our communities. Specifically, large companies and small municipalities that access the new facility with a guarantee percentage of up to 80%, benefit from a significant interest reduction depending on the characteristics of the loan, under the conditions of a guarantee commission of 0%", commented Raluca Popescu, Executive Vicepresident Corporates and Investment Banking at UniCredit Bank.
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About The European Investment Bank (ElB)
The European Investment Bank (ElB) is the long-term lending institution of the European Union, owned by its Member States. It finances sound investments that contribute to EU policy objectives. EIB projects bolster competitiveness, drive innovation, promote sustainable development, enhance social and territorial cohesion, and support a just and swift transition to climate neutrality.
The EIB Group, which also includes the European Investment Fund (EIF), signed a total of €88 billion in new financing for over 900 projects in 2023. These commitments are expected to mobilise around €320 billion in investment, supporting 400 000 companies and 5.4 million jobs.
The EIB’s lending activity in Romania, including project examples and impact stories, can be found on the dedicated page of the Bank’s website.
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Despre UniCredit Bank
UniCredit Bank este parte a UniCredit, bancă comercială paneuropeană de succes, cu un sistem integrat de servicii de banking Corporate şi de Investiţii, care oferă o rețea unică vest, central şi est europeană bazei sale de clienți. Grupul este prezent în România prin: UniCredit Bank, UniCredit Consumer Financing, UniCredit Leasing Corporation, UniCredit Insurance Broker, UniCredit Leasing Fleet Management şi UniCredit Services.
Pentru mai multe informaţii vă rugăm să contactaţi:
UniCredit Bank, Departamentul Identitate şi Comunicare
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Friends of FITS are friends of UniCredit Bank
Sibiu, June 21, 2024
Today begins the 31st edition of the Sibiu International Theater Festival (FITS), one of the largest and most important theater festivals in the world, which takes place over ten days, 21 -June 30, this year's theme is Friendship. UniCredit Bank joins efforts to communicate the theme of the festival through a unique outdoor campaign entitled: "Friends of FITS".
"The theme of the festival inspired us to create a beautiful campaign in which we kindly address the other FITS partner banks. An important cultural project for Romania, FITS has been supported for many years by six banks, a unique achievement if we think about the cultural events organized here. The festival brings us together and is the right context in which we can be friends." said Anca Ungureanu, Identity and Communication Director at UniCredit Bank.
Also in harmony with the theme of the festival, UniCredit Bank invites all those present in Sibiu to come to "Friends Square", a space in Huet Square, specially created for conversations between old and new friends. The area is designed together with Romanian Design Week (RDW - supported by UniCredit) and invites visitors to rediscover the courage of childhood, the audacity and the desire to play, regardless of age.
UniCredit Bank's presence at the Sibiu International Theater Festival means constant support for the Culture Factory, one of the most important destinations within the festival, with four performance spaces, host of some of the most admired shows, such as Faust or The Princess's Tale. blindly.
In addition, starting this year, UniCredit Bank is a partner of the FITS Volunteer Program, so volunteers will be with the spectators everywhere in the city where they are needed. UniCredit Bank also offers the public two very useful tools for communication and navigation through the extremely generous festival program: the FITS mobile application and the festival magazine, with the full program and recommendations, printed in thousands of copies.
UniCredit Bank has been a partner of the Sibiu International Theater Festival for over 20 years. This year's edition of FITS has 830 events included in the program and awaits more than 5000 artists from 82 countries. The FITS application includes all events scheduled for this year's edition and allows customization of the program and many other facilities. The FITS application can be downloaded for free both from Google Play, for Android, and from the AppStore, for iOS.
UniCredit Bank acted as Joint Global Coordinator and Bookrunner and signed a EUR 291 million syndicated loan facility to build 1st phase of 192 MW wind energy project
June 14th, 2024
UniCredit Bank has successfully entered into a syndicated loan as Joint Global Coordinator and Bookrunner, putting into place a financing package of up to EUR 291 million to First Look Solutions SRL with the aim to finance the development the 1st phase of 192 MW of a wind energy project. The project is located in Buzau County, Romania and in its 1st phase, 30 Vestas wind turbines will be installed until 2025.
Besides UniCredit Bank, the syndicated facility was closed alongside 7 other banks and financial institutions. The financing package includes a tailored mix of cash and non-cash products.
First Look Solutions srl is a joint venture between Rezolv Energy (formed by Actis) and Low Carbon to build and operate a total 461 MW wind farm, in two phases.
Rezolv Energy is a highly experienced, independent renewable energy producer backed by Actis, providing subsidy-free clean power at a long term, stable price for industrial and commercial users. Rezolv is part of Actis Fund 5, dedicated to renewables and energy storage representing USD 6bn of investable capital.
Actis is a leading global investor in sustainable infrastructure with the mission to become a true accelerator in the EU net-zero transition. The fund currently possessing USD 13bn AUM.
Low Carbon is a global producer of renewable energy with extensive expertise across several geographies including CEE, expert in building, developing and managing renewables energy projects. Low Carbon has more than 13-year experience in the RES sector and has extensive track-record in the sector, currently managing more than 100 operating energy sites including solar, wind and battery storage). By the end of 2030, Low Carbon targets to reach 20GW of new renewable energy capacity.
Raluca Popescu, Executive Vicepresident Corporates UniCredit Bank: “We are proud to be in the first row in Romania to unlock the potential of renewable energy, thus paving the way of a sustainable tomorrow via our financing solutions. At UniCredit, through our financing and advisory services and our strong coverage expertise, we are committed to supporting our clients with our international knowledge and talent. We are honored to having the chance to join forces with Rezolv Energy and being part of this unique project and are ready to deploy additional financing in Romania to support the transition to clean energy of our clients”.
"Mastercard Bank of the Year" competition - UniCredit Bank is the " Best Corporate Bank" of 2023
June 13th, 2024
UniCredit Bank is more than a simple provider of banking products and services for companies in Romania, if we look at the NPS score ( Net Promoter Score )* awarded by clients in the corporate area, where UniCredit Bank is in first place.**
The recognition came, once again, from one of the most prestigious and objective competitions for the financial-banking sector in Romania - " Mastercard Bank of the Year". The awarding decision for this competition was made by a jury made up of leading representatives of business, government and academia. So, the jury determined that we are the " Best Corporate Bank" of 2023, based on the applications submitted by the banks in the market.
Raluca Popescu, Executive Vice President Corporate Division within UniCredit Bank : "Supporting the Romanian economy and companies is a priority for UniCredit Bank. Our objective is to contribute to the development of Romanian companies in this challenging, ever-changing economic environment. And we manage to do it. We are undeniably the Best Corporate Bank of 2023, and this new recognition only confirms the great efforts we make every day and the exceptional results we have. I thank our customers and my colleagues for this new recognition of our merits. "
UniCredit Bank clients have at their disposal a team of professionals with solid skills, who also rely on the support and experience of our global banking network. Customer relations managers, with the input of our experts at the level of products and industries, understand the expectations, vision and development plans of corporations, so as to offer the best integrated financial solutions. Also, at the level of the UniCredit group, there is a commitment to support our clients in the process of gradual transition to the green economy and the achievement of economic changes with a positive impact on the environment.
*NPS (Net Promoter Score) = score given by those who are promoters (grades 9 and 10) and those who are detractors (grades from 0 to 6) and can vary between -100 and +100 ;
**According to the Benchmarking 2023 study
UniCredit Bank is part of the UniCredit Group. In Romania, UniCredit Bank is one of the main financial institutions, offering high quality services and products for all categories of customers. UniCredit Bank aims to permanently keep the customer at the center of its activities, to be a partner that is easy to work with and to be an active part of the communities in which it operates. UniCredit responds to a wide range of needs of its clients through a network of specialized partners: UniCredit Leasing Corporation, UniCredit Consumer Financing, UniCredit Services , UniCredit Insurance Broker.
For more information please contact :
UniCredit Bank, Identity and Communication Department
Anca Hașegan, anca.hasegan@unicredit.ro, 0723.653.072
UniCredit Bank and Endeavor Join Forces to Boost Support for High-Impact Romanian Startups
Bucharest, Romania – June 5, 2024
Endeavor Romania and UniCredit Bank have launched a strategic partnership to support high-impact startups. This collaboration will facilitate the access to financing and resources for companies founded by Romanian entrepreneurs.
Endeavor Romania, the local chapter of the global Endeavor network, is a key player dedicated to fostering Romania’s vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem, leveraging worldwide resources to identify and empower highly scalable startups, while UniCredit Bank is one of the main financial institutions in Romania, offering high quality products and services to all client categories.
UniCredit Bank brings its financial expertise and vast network of clients and partners, to create opportunities of growth and development for Romanian startups. The Bank is known for its commitment to supporting innovation and sustainable solutions, which makes this partnership a natural step in amplifying such capabilities. As part of the partnership, UniCredit will offer financial services adapted to the needs of the startups, including specialized banking solutions, access to finance and advisory services for financial management planning. UniCredit Bank will cooperate with Endeavor Romania to offer educational programs, as well as mentoring opportunities for startup founders.
UniCredit Bank's CEO in Romania, Mihaela Lupu, said, "Our collaboration with Endeavor Romania reaffirms our commitment to support innovative entrepreneurs, and by combining our banking experience with Endeavor's extensive support network, resources and capabilities, we aim to contribute to Romania's sustainable economic development. We want to foster the creation an environment in which startups can thrive, making sure they possess the resources for further growth."
Endeavor Romania is part of a global network supporting entrepreneurs and scalable companies, generating high economic impact. Endeavor’s expertise in mentoring, financing and accelerating business development is decisive for the Romanian startups to expand regionally and globally.
“Endeavor Romania is delighted to partner with UniCredit Bank in fulfilling our mission to empower high-impact entrepreneurs and catalyze economic impact by nurturing a culture of innovation, entrepreneurship and collaboration in Romania's startup community,” highlighted Mihnea Crăciun, Managing Director of Endeavor Romania. "This strategic collaboration will enable us to offer enhanced support and resources to the most promising startups in Romania, helping them to be one step closer to realizing their full potential and create a lasting impact on the global stage, at scale.”
The partnership will mobilize common resources, access to funding and relevant networks. Through the synergy of expertise and resources, this collaboration underscores a shared commitment to enhancing entrepreneurship and boosting innovation by providing comprehensive and extensive support to high-potential startups. This kind of tailor-made support will facilitate technological innovation, and the expansion of startups operations and reach, both domestically and internationally.
The collaboration sets the ground for bolstering economic impact, aiming to enrich the entrepreneurial experience and journeys, through personalized events and continuous support for new technologies and business models that are not only relevant for today but also positioned to shape the future.
For additional information about UniCredit Bank in Romania and Endeavor Romania, please visit their respective websites at https://www.unicredit.ro/ro/ and https://endeavor.ro/endeavor-romania/.
Contact for further inquiries:
Mihnea Craciun
Managing Director, Endeavor Romania
Phone: +40 746 205 816
Email: mihnea.craciun@endeavor.org
UniCredit acts as Global Coordinator and ESG Advisor in IPO of Premier Energy on the Bucharest Stock Exchange
May 30th, 2024
UniCredit acted as Joint Global Coordinator and exclusive ESG Advisor in the context of Premier Energy’s IPO, the largest privately owned company listed in Romania since June 2017 and a landmark transaction in the region.
Premier Energy group is one of the fastest growing vertically integrated energy infrastructure companies in SEE and one of the largest renewable energy players in the region.
The Company has over 1,000 MW of renewable electricity generation under ownership, management or in development in Romania and Moldova, along with having one of the fastest growing renewable electricity supply businesses. It is also the third largest natural gas distributor and supplier in Romania and the largest electricity distributor and supplier in Moldova serving more than 70% of the Moldovan population. Following the recent acquisition of the CEZ Vanzare supply business in Romania, the Company serves a combined total of approximately 2.4 million electricity and natural gas supply clients in Romania and Moldova, the vast majority of which are households and small businesses.
Following a comprehensive marketing exercise, UniCredit was able to broaden the overall investor outreach with notable international demand – leveraging on strategic dialogue and impactful sectorial content, coupled with key ESG advisory.
Specifically, UniCredit in its role of ESG advisor to Premier Energy – first mandate ever within the CEE region - among other things, advised the Company in relation with the ESG Governance supporting the decarbonization strategy. This proved to be instrumental to lock-in the commitment of the anchor investors.
This deal represents our 3rd transaction executed in Romania over the last 2 years, reinforcing UniCredit’s reputation as a reliable partner with proven Equity Research and Distribution capabilities and a key contributor to the overall success of the deal.
UniCredit Lab: Third Edition of Mentorship for Young Entrepreneurs at Romanian Creative Week
May 28th, 2024
Eight experts from various expertise fields offered one-day personalized consultancy
May 28, 2024 – Supported by UniCredit Bank, UniCredit Lab is once again part of the mentorship program dedicated to young entrepreneurs at Romanian Creative Week (RCW). This highly anticipated event, now on its third edition, brought together eight experts in banking, business development, finance, law, accounting & financial auditing, marketing & digital marketing, and branding in Iași, Romania.
Approximately thirty up-and-coming entrepreneurs received personalized consulting for the development of their business, through the UniCredit Lab/Speed Mentoring for Wannabe Entrepreneurs program. Investors who have built successful businesses from scratch and specialists in key business areas with vast professional experience worked individually and in teams with the young entrepreneurs enrolled in the Iași workshop.
"UniCredit Lab is an opportunity for us to interact directly with young entrepreneurs and provide the support they need to transform their ideas into successful businesses. We strongly believe in the potential of young people and are dedicated to supporting them through educational programs like UniCredit Lab – an event that has become a tradition within Romanian Creative Week. We thus continue to support communities of creative entrepreneurs and look forward to seeing many innovative initiatives turn into successful businesses", stated Anca Ungureanu, Identity & Communication Director at UniCredit Bank.
This year's mentors for UniCredit Lab/Speed Mentoring for Wannabe Entrepreneurs are:
· Antoaneta Curteanu: With over 25 years of experience in the banking system, she has been a Member of the Board and Executive Vice President of UniCredit Bank's Retail Division since November 2019.
· Anca Ungureanu: Identity & Communication Director at UniCredit Bank, with over 20 years of experience in marketing and communication. Currently oversees the bank's internal and external communication, retail and corporate marketing, brand management, and involvement in community and corporate social responsibility projects.
· Carmen Iablonschi: Sales Trainer at UniCredit Bank since 2010. Conducted the first financial and entrepreneurial education workshop at Romanian Creative Week in 2022, entitled “Becoming an Entrepreneur”.
· Irina Neacșu: Expert accountant and financial auditor. Has led the accounting and financial audit company FIN EXPERT for 20 years.
· Alin Coman: Over 10 years of experience in fostering growth and managing companies in various industries. Currently leads Sound Masters, the exclusive distributor in Romania for renowned consumer electronics brands.
· Cosmin Năstasă: Founder and CEO of Data Revolt agency, with 20 years of expertise in digital marketing, online media, performance marketing, web analytics, and advertising.
· Tudor Colțan: Business lawyer, entrepreneur, and speaker on legal and financial education. Leads a law firm specializing in Business Law and believes in legal practice that supports entrepreneurship through an integrated client approach.
· Marinela Mihalcea: Head of Financing Products Retail at UniCredit Bank. With over 20 years of experience in leasing, consumer financing, and banking, she has led national and regional teams in sales and product development. Holds an EMBA from the Vienna University of Economics and Business, is passionate about sustainability, and is an EFFAS Certified ESG Analyst.
Additionally, this year's RCW edition featured the UniCredit FinTech Hack, a 48-hour hackathon where mixed teams of students specializing in Coding/Design/Marketing collaborated to develop innovative mobile banking solutions. The projects were presented to a jury of specialists and fintech experts. The event was supported by Centric IT Solutions, and UniCredit Bank awarded significant prizes of up to 2500 EUR to the top teams.
1st Place – Team Buddy – 2500 EUR
Camelia Gheorghiță
Laura Cojocaru
Andra Ciucalău-Marianciuc
Andrei Pasaniuc
2nd Place – Team Star Bank – 1500 EUR
Mateea Manolică
Robert Manu
Iulian Pristavu
Tudor Apetroaie
Andrei Țigăieriu
3rd Place – Team Easy UniCredit – 1000 EUR
Adelina Budeanu
Cătălina Grigore
Vlad Apostol
Sebastian Popovici
ABOUT UNICREDIT BANK
UniCredit Bank is a member of UniCredit Group, a pan-European commercial bank distinguished by its unique service offerings across Italy, Germany, and Central and Eastern Europe. In Romania, UniCredit Bank is one of the leading financial institutions, providing high-quality services and products to all customer categories. UniCredit Bank is committed to always placing the customer at the center of its activities, striving to be an easy partner to work with and an active participant in the communities where it operates. The group addresses a wide range of customer needs through a network of specialized partners: UniCredit Leasing Corporation, UniCredit Consumer Financing, UniCredit Services, UniCredit Insurance Broker.
ABOUT ROMANIAN CREATIVE WEEK
Romanian Creative Week (RCW) is organized by the Federation of Employers in Creative Industries (FEPIC), the only nationally representative employer federation operating in the Creative Industries sector in Romania. In 2023, RCW was recognized as the event bringing together the largest number of creative industries within the European Union, according to the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO).
UniCredit Offers Exclusive 20% Discount to Clients for the Arena di Verona Opera Festival
May 15th, 2024
Milan, Italy - UniCredit is thrilled to announce an exclusive offer for its clients, a 20% discount on tickets for the 2024 season of the Arena di Verona Opera Festival, excluding June 7th and 8th. This special promotion underscores UniCredit's longstanding commitment to cultural and economic development and celebrates over 30 years of partnership with the world's most spectacular Opera Festival, to which UniCredit has been a Major Partner since 1994.
How Clients Can Enjoy the Discount
UniCredit clients can easily take advantage of this offer by following these simple steps:
· On the web site of Arena di Verona choose the desired performance, sector, and up to four tickets.
· At the shopping cart, enter the code UN1venti4_20 in the "Customer Card/Promotion Code" field.
· Complete the purchase with a UniCredit-enabled payment card.
The discounts are available to UniCredit clients for tickets purchased online from May 15th to August 15th, up to a maximum of 4 tickets per performance.
"Investing in the arts is investing in our future. By offering this exclusive discount to our clients, we not only celebrate our cherished partnership with the Arena di Verona Opera Festival but also reinforce our belief in the transformative power of culture. This initiative is a token of our appreciation for the communities we serve and our commitment to enriching lives through shared cultural experiences," said a UniCredit spokesperson.
A Season of Spectacular Performances
The 101st Arena di Verona Opera Festival, set to open on June 7th and run until September 7th, 2024, promises a lineup of spectacular events. The season will feature six evening events, including the heritage celebration “La Grande Opera Italiana Patrimonio dell'Umanità,” the enchanting dance of “Roberto Bolle and Friends,” and the powerful “Beethoven's Ninth Symphony.” Opera stars will grace the stage in performances of Turandot, Aida, Il Barbiere di Siviglia, and more, ensuring a season of unforgettable cultural experiences.
UniCredit switches to Mastercard Touch Card™ with accessibility features for blind and partially sighted people
April 25th, 2024
Pan-European bank is the first banking group to launch the card at scale in 12 markets and across all products
As part of its partnership with Mastercard, UniCredit is upgrading all its debit, credit and pre-paid cards to Mastercard Touch Card™, which includes features for blind and partially sighted people, making it more accessible.
Cards with this new feature are now available in Italy and will be gradually introduced over the course of 2024 to all clients in the twelve countries where the bank operates, covering some 20 million cards.
The Mastercard Touch Card™ design is based on a system of side notches to help consumers identify the right card by touch alone. The distinct notch helps visually impaired customers differentiate between their payment cards.
The card is designed to increase independence for people with visual impairments while making online or in-store payments with their cards. In Europe, it is estimated that there are over 30 million blind and partially sighted people. An average of 1 in 30 Europeans experience sight loss.[i] Inclusion is an integral part of UniCredit's culture and social strategy, and this initiative underscores the bank´s commitment to fostering a more inclusive, barrier-free society.
In line with the bank’s ESG principles, the card is also made from recycled PVC, with each product with each product imprinted with a Mastercard Sustainable Card Badge, certifying its sustainability credentials.
Alberto Palombi, Head of Group Payment Solutions, UniCredit, said “UniCredit and Mastercard are both firmly focused on the future. Our partnership, combining UniCredit’s network of European banks and innovation, with Mastercard’s expertise in card payments, is enabling us to provide a simple, seamless experience for all our European customers that is also inclusive and achieved sustainably. Empowering our communities means ensuring that everyone has access to the financial tools they need. This is why we are pleased to announce the integration of notches into our cards for blind and partially sighted customers, which have also been made using certified sustainable materials. Banks have a key role to play in shaping a better world, and this is another way that we wish to show our customers that we are there to support them.”
“Inclusion lies at the core of Mastercard´s values, and Mastercard Touch Card™ exemplifies our commitment to standards in payment cards, promoting inclusivity. We are delighted to work with an esteemed partner like UniCredit to deliver consumer-centric solutions that enhance accessibility for all,” said Mark Barnett, President, Mastercard Europe.
Read more about Mastercard Touch Card™ here.
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About UniCredit
UniCredit is a pan-European Commercial Bank with a unique service offering in Italy, Germany, Central and Eastern Europe. Our purpose is to empower communities to progress, delivering the best-in-class for all stakeholders, unlocking the potential of our clients and our people across Europe.
We serve over 15 million customers worldwide. They are at the heart of what we do in all our markets. UniCredit is organized in four core regions and three product factories, Corporate, Individual and Group Payments Solutions. This allows us to be close to our clients and use the scale of the entire Group for developing and offering the best products across all our markets.
Digitalization and our commitment to ESG principles are key enablers for our service. They help us deliver excellence to our stakeholders and creating a sustainable future for our clients, our communities, and our people.
About Mastercard (NYSE: MA)
Mastercard is a global technology company in the payments industry. Our mission is to connect and power an inclusive, digital economy that benefits everyone, everywhere by making transactions safe, simple, smart, and accessible. Using secure data and networks, partnerships and passion, our innovations and solutions help individuals, financial institutions, governments and businesses realize their greatest potential. With connections across more than 210 countries and territories, we are building a sustainable world that unlocks priceless possibilities for all. www.mastercard.com
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Mastercard
Suman Hughes
UniCredit Bank launches the exclusive onemarkets Fund, offering new investment opportunities for the Romanian market
April 17th, 2024
Through onemarkets Fund, exclusive investment strategies offer Romanian investors unprecedented access to the expertise of UniCredit Group specialists, alongside global leaders in investment fund management, including: BlackRock, Fidelity, Pictet, J.P. Morgan, Pimco, Allianz Global Investors, Amundi.
UniCredit Bank introduces exclusive investment solutions to the Romanian market with the launch of onemarkets Fund. This platform presents a diverse array of investment solutions available to customers of UniCredit Bank Romania, along with the opportunity to leverage the extensive expertise of world leaders in mutual fund management, including BlackRock, Fidelity, Pictet, J.P. Morgan, Pimco, Allianz Global Investors, Amundi.
Thanks to partnerships with these top mutual fund management firms, UniCredit Bank provides high-quality and innovative investment tools. These new investment opportunities mark a significant advancement in the development of the local mutual fund market and provide Romanian investors with the possibility to access international financial markets.
Mihaela Lupu, CEO of UniCredit Bank Romania: “When we talk about onemarkets Fund, we are not talking about mere financial products, but a comprehensive suite of investment solutions, crafted and offered exclusively for the Romanian market to meet the diverse needs of our customers. Each fund is customized and tailored to meet the specific needs of investors, offering full transparency and access to international financial markets. By collaborating with prestigious global partners, we ensure that we provide Romanian customers with innovative and high-quality products for the long term."
UniCredit emphasizes the continuous training of its representatives and financial education activities, which underlines the bank's commitment to the savings and diversification needs of its customers. Through onemarkets Fund, UniCredit Bank not only offers investment opportunities but also delivers sustainable value by bringing knowledge and information to the Romanian market, which in turn can contribute to societal prosperity.
Antoaneta Curteanu, Executive Vice President of the Retail Division at UniCredit Bank Romania: “We are pleased to offer effective opportunities for diversifying investment solutions to UniCredit customers. Understanding and meeting our customers' needs also entails creating new opportunities for them, as we are currently doing with the launch of onemarkets Fund. UniCredit Bank representatives will be able to provide relevant information about these investment products, to support the informed decisions of each client.”
The development of the investment fund market in Romania highlights the critical role of financial education. An informed population is capable of making educated investment decisions, thereby contributing to overall economic welfare. In response, whether discussing onemarkets Fund or the broader investment fund market in Romania, the guiding principle remains the same: to offer innovative and high quality products.
In 2022, the onemarkets Fund platform was successfully launched by UniCredit Group in Italy, Germany, and Austria. Throughout 2023, it was expanded to serve the bank's clients in Central and Eastern Europe, including the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Bulgaria. The platform is set to be launched in Romania in April 2024.
The selection and structuring of the funds are based on UniCredit's in-depth understanding of its customers' needs, with products developed internally within the Group and through strategic partnerships with leading global financial institutions, including BlackRock, Amundi, Allianz Global Investors, Fidelity, J.P. Morgan, Pictet and PIMCO. The exclusive selection of new investment solutions is managed by a team of experts within the UniCredit Group. This team operates within a framework designed to ensure the quality and specific risk-return profile of the selected strategy throughout the investment cycle.
Teodora Petkova, UniCredit Group Head for Central and Eastern Europe : “Together with our world-class partners, onemarkets Fund significantly enhances our offerings to customers in Central and Eastern Europe, expanding their options and opportunities for investment diversification."
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About UniCredit Bank
UniCredit Bank is a member of UniCredit Group, a pan-European commercial bank distinguished by its unique service offerings across Italy, Germany, and Central and Eastern Europe. In Romania, UniCredit Bank is one of the leading financial institutions, providing high-quality services and products to all customer categories. UniCredit Bank is committed to always placing the customer at the center of its activities, striving to be an easy partner to work with and an active participant in the communities where it operates. The group addresses a wide range of customer needs through a network of specialized partners: UniCredit Leasing Corporation, UniCredit Consumer Financing, UniCredit Services, UniCredit Insurance Broker.
For more information please contact:
UniCredit Bank, Identity and Communication Department
Anca Hasegan, anca.hasegan@unicredit.ro,
UniCredit is standout performer in Euromoney Trade Finance Survey
27 february 2024
Pan-European bank recognised by market participants as number one choice for trade finance in Italy, CEE and a further nine countries
UniCredit has been recognised as the Market Leader and Best Service Provider in Italy, Central & Eastern Europe and a further nine individual countries - including Austria - in Euromoney's latest Trade Finance Survey.
The survey, now in its thirteenth year, collects feedback from over 11,000 corporates and financial institutions, providing compelling evidence of UniCredit's product expertise, market-leading customer service and deep understanding of its core European markets.
The results benchmark banks under two headings - 'Best Service', which assesses levels of customer service, and 'Market Leader', which combines penetration, percentage of business and turnover data to create an overall ranking of the best trade finance banks.
The survey is largely regarded as the benchmark for the global trade finance industry.
Commenting on the recognition, Francesca Nenci, UniCredit's Global Head of Trade & Correspondent Banking, said: "Despite geopolitical tensions complicating trade, we have kept our clients at the centre and remained steadfast in providing best-in-class products and services. Our concerted push towards digitalisation and the simplification of paper-based processes has been fundamental to our success in this year's survey and the defence of our position as the trade finance bank of choice across Europe."
A full breakdown of results are as follows:
UniCredit voted Best Service Provider in:
- Italy
- Central & Eastern Europe
- Austria
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Croatia
- Czech Republic
- Romania
- Serbia
- Slovakia
UniCredit voted Market Leader in:
- Italy
- Central & Eastern Europe
- Austria
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Bulgaria
- Czech Republic
- Hungary
- Romania
- Serbia
- Slovakia
In recent years, UniCredit has championed innovations and deployed market-leading solutions such as Trade Finance Gate (TFG), a modern digital platform that allows corporates to digitally manage their trade finance transactions. With such products, the bank has not only been able to offer clients an increasingly digital trade experience, but it has also effectively streamlined and digitalised its internal operational processes. This, in turn, has given the bank more time to focus on more strategic conversations with clients.
This win follows UniCredit's recent success at the 2024 TMI Awards, where the bank was highly commended for its Trade and Supply Chain Finance Solution, Trade Finance OCR (TFO).
Milan, 27 February 2024
For further information, please contact: mediarelations@unicredit.eu
UniCredit empowers the next generation in the Youth America's Cup
UniCredit is making its sailing debut with its support for the third edition of the Youth America's Cup and the naming partner announcement of the UniCredit Youth America's Cup Regatta.
The UniCredit Youth America's Cup will take place from 17th - 26th September in Barcelona and is open to young people aged between 18 and 25. Racing can be watched from the beach and the entire 37th America's Cup is free for spectators to attend. The Event is also globally live on free to air broadcast channels and online.
The UniCredit Youth America's Cup will showcase the world's best young sailors from 12 countries and be a test of team spirit, intuition, leadership, and aptitude as teams fight for the ultimate in yacht racing glory. UniCredit is committed to unlocking young people's potential and this race will seek to promote the next generation of talent on a global stage.
UniCredit is also proud to sponsor the America's Cup itself - one of the most prestigious sporting events in the world - as a Global Partner and Global Banking Partner.
Sustainability and promotion of sustainable economic and social development are at the core of the Louis Vuitton 37th America's Cup, in line with UniCredit's own commitments.
Alongside the established six America's Cup teams (New Zealand, Great Britain, USA, Italy, Switzerland and France), a further six entries have been received from Spain, the Netherlands, Canada, Germany, Sweden, and Australia with all the teams undertaking extensive selection trials to uncover future talent. The UniCredit Youth America's Cup will be one of the highlights of the Louis Vuitton 37th America's Cup in Barcelona, attracting and giving a platform to the next generation of élite professional sailors.
The official racing will be preceded by five and a half-scheduled days of practice for the six invited 'non-America's Cup' teams and one-half day of practice for the America's Cup teams that runs from the 10th-15th September. The fleets are then split between the invited teams and the America's Cup teams.
Racing in each event will take place in the world's most exciting new foiling class, the AC40, all equalized with standard components in strict one-design monohulls to highlight the raw sailing talent of the youth sailors.
"I am proud to see that younger generations are approaching a sport which is founded on team spirit, intuition and determined pursuit of a common goal" said Andrea Orcel, UniCredit Group CEO. "We are proud to be partnering with an event that showcases talent and prioritizes environmental and sustainable practices. This is fully aligned with UniCredit's own strategy."
The opening qualification rounds will see a total of eight races completed for both groups and the top three teams from each group will progress into the Final Series of four races. For the Grand Finale on 26th September, the UniCredit Youth America's Cup Final will take place with the top two teams going head-to-head in a winner-takes-all match race for the title and UniCredit Youth America's Cup trophy. UniCredit will design and create this trophy that will be revealed in Spring 2024.
America's Cup Event CEO Grant Dalton is looking forward to what will be a major highlight of the packed AC37 calendar. "The UniCredit Youth America's Cup is a glimpse to the future talent of the America's Cup, an opportunity for the sailors from all 12 countries to build the foundations of potential new America's Cup teams and stake their claim to future America's Cup glory.
A fleet of AC40s racing off Barcelona's beachfront with the world's best youth sailors will be a spectacle in itself and having UniCredit's commitment to inspiring and nurturing youth talent makes them a perfect partner for this special event."
Milan, 15 February 2024
Contacts
Media Relations
E mail: mediarelations@unicredit.eu
For the first time in the Romanian market, UniCredit Bank has launched the Smart Data functionality from Mastercard
29 january 2024
UniCredit Bank announces a new feature, a premiere on the Romanian market - Smart Data, an expense management and reporting solution for managing Mastercard business cards issued by UniCredit Bank. The solution delivers expense management and reporting for transactions made with the cards.
Smart Data is a web based application linked to the Mastercard business card product and can be accessed by companies in different ways. It can be accessed through the web interface with user rights to view, organize expenses related to transactions, and export their history as customized reports. Or via outbond data delivery, automatic and secure transmission of financial information and enhanced data that can be delivered to various expense management and accounting systems
"The UniCredit Group is always committed to meeting the needs of its customers, and with the launch of Smart Data, operations with Mastercard business cards will be managed by companies much more efficiently. The development of companies in Romania involves increasingly complex needs that require advanced technical solutions. Using Smart Data modules allows easy control of expenses made with Mastercard business cards by company employees, reducing the company's operational costs and facilitating business development," said Raluca Popescu, Executive Vice President of Corporate & Investment Banking Division, UniCredit Bank.
"Mastercard Smart Data is our web-based expense management system, providing business customers with a suite of tools to easily organize, consolidate, analyze, and manage large volumes of financial data. Customers can track all transactions, access solid data about suppliers, fees, and other types of expenses, choose customizable work templates, apply advanced filters, and generate standardized reports. By providing better visibility and greater control over company expenses, Smart Data supports the transformation of digital payments and working capital management." stated Elena Dincă, Head of Sales for Financial Institutions, Merchants, and Government Segments, Mastercard.
About UniCredit Bank
UniCredit Bank is part of the UniCredit Group, a Pan-European Commercial Bank with a unique range of services in Italy, Germany, Central and Eastern Europe. In Romania, UniCredit Bank is one of the main financial institutions, providing high-quality services and products for all categories of clients. UniCredit Bank aims to consistently keep the customer at the center of its activities, to be a partner that is easy to work with, and to be an active part of the communities in which it operates. The Group addresses a diverse range of customer needs through a network of specialized partners: UniCredit Leasing Corporation, UniCredit Consumer Financing, UniCredit Services, UniCredit Insurance Broker.
About Mastercard
Mastercard is a global technology company in the payments industry. Our mission is to connect and power an inclusive, digital economy that benefits everyone, everywhere by making transactions safe, simple, smart and accessible. Using secure data and networks, partnerships and passion, our innovations and solutions help individuals, financial institutions, governments and businesses realize their greatest potential. With connections across more than 210 countries and territories, we are building a sustainable world that unlocks priceless possibilities for all.
For more information, please contact:
UniCredit Bank, Identity and Communication Department
Anca Hașegan, anca.hasegan@unicredit.ro,
Central and Eastern Europe is a region of growth for Europe and UniCredit
16 January 2024
According to the latest CEE Quarterly “A year of crucial choices” of UniCredit Research, presented at the CEE Forum, private consumption is likely to lead the growth rebound in CEE, helped by faster real wage growth, rising borrowing amid lower interest rates and a positive wealth effect from house prices. Capex and exports are expected to contribute to growth from 2H24 at the earliest.
The economists of UniCredit see budget deficits below 3% of GDP in 2024-25 in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia and Serbia, with negative fiscal impulses in most CEE countries. They believe the fiscal adjustment will be slowed by a busy election schedule.
“We expect pro-EU parties to win most of the EU-CEE seats in the European Parliament, with Poland leading a revived EU-CEE group that will argue for deeper economic and political integration in Europe”, say the economists in the CEE Quarterly. They add that the 2024-25 elections will be the last ones before CEE politicians will be forced to tackle demographic and economic challenges.
Among the main decisions to be made in CEE, are: 1. Bulgaria’s euro adoption in 2025 or 2026; 2. faster enlargement negotiations between the EU, the Western Balkans, Moldova and Ukraine; 3. Poland and Romania establishing their geopolitical importance; and 4. more support for Ukraine. The economists see the main potential risks in a further populist tilt from mainstream parties, rating downgrades, weak foreign demand leading to recession, among others.
In this macroeconomic and geopolitical scenario Central Europe and Eastern Europe continue to be engines of growth also for UniCredit. “The region maintains itsstrategic importance for UniCredit and our plan is to continue to grow at an accelerated pace, leveraging on strong local teams and knowledge and global expertise.” commented Teodora Petkova, Global Head for Central Europe and Eastern Europe of UniCredit, during the CEE Forum. Central Europe and Eastern Europe contribute 33% of the total loans of UniCredit, 31% of the total deposits, and 30% of the group net revenues, based on the financial results as of 9M2023.
“With clients at the heart of everything we do, we offer them an unparalleled geographical footprint through 10 leading banks, of which in Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia we are number one on the market, and number three in Bulgaria”, Petkova said. This makes UniCredit the second biggest group in CEE in terms of assets as of 9M2023, amounting to 236bn euro, including Alpha Bank Romania.
Petkova sees a strong upward trend in the digital adoption, which UniCredit facilitates through continuous ICT investments. She presented data, according to which about 60% of the clients in the region are already mobile active users (as of 9M2023), up from 53% in 2022. Digital sales in Central Europe almost doubled on a yearly basis and increased to 50% of all sales in Eastern Europe.
Also in International Payments UniCredit processes more than 20% of the transactions originated in the CE&EE area with a constant growing trend. More than 95% of overall payments are ordered via digital channels.
UniCredit is the undisputable bank of choice for international companies. “Two out of three top international customers are our clients”, said Teodora Petkova, and emphasized that UniCredit’s competitive advantage in servicing corporate clients is linked to the group’s pan-European reach. “The best-in-class factories in Asset Management, Insurance, Payments, Trade Finance and Client Risk Management connect seamlessly through our integrated distribution channels and our first line allowing us to deliver for all of our clients to a level that no one else can”, commented Petkova. She reminded that the bespoke investment opportunities through onemarkets Fund is now available to clients of the bank in Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, and Bulgaria, with Romania to follow shortly.
“Along with digitalization, our commitment to ESG principles is another key enabler for our service”, said Petkova. With 2.3bn euro green lending and 1.1bn euro social lending for the first 9M2023 in Central and Eastern Europe, UniCredit is leading by example and supporting its clients’ green and social transition. The pan-European partnerships of UniCredit Foundation with Junior Achievement and Teach for all, which also extend in CEE countries, support the advancement of children and youth education cross-countries. In the first nine months of 2023 there are around 45.4 thousand beneficiaries of financial education in CEE, delivered through global and local partnerships and with the help of volunteers from the banks.
About UniCredit
UniCredit is a pan-European Commercial Bank with a unique service offering in Italy, Germany, Central and Eastern Europe. Our purpose is to empower communities to progress, delivering the best-in-class for all stakeholders, and unlocking the potential of our clients and our people across Europe.
We serve over 15 million customers worldwide. They are at the heart of what we do in all our markets. UniCredit is organized in four core regions and several product factories for Corporate and Individual Solutions, and Group Payment Solutions. This allows us to be close to our clients and use the scale of the entire Group for developing and offering the best products across all our markets.
Digitalization and our commitment to ESG principles are key enablers for our service. They help us deliver excellence to our stakeholders and creating a sustainable future for our clients, our communities, and our people.
About Eurmoney CEE Forum
The Central and Eastern European Forum is well established as the most important gathering for financial market participants interested in CEE. It provides a unique opportunity to hear from top representatives from leading corporates, Financial Ministers and Central Banks officials on the future of this region.
For further information, please contact: mediarelations@unicredit.eu
NOTICE regarding interest rate calculation for coupon no. 14 for UCB24 bonds issued by UniCredit Bank S.A.
11 January 2024
UniCredit Bank S.A. informs the investors that the interest rate for the 14th coupon for UCB24 bonds (ISIN:ROUCTBDBC048) related to the period 15.01.2024 (including) – 15.07.2024 (excluding) – 182 days, computed in accordance with Issue Prospectus approved by Financial Supervisory Authority Decision No.910/13.07.2017 and according with F.S.A. Decision no. 962/19.07.2017 regarding final interest rates calculation is 7.27%.
The interest rate is calculated using formula: ROBOR6M fixed on 11.01.2024 + margin 1.05%.
Bond Issue Details:
Identity & Communication Department:
Issuing Entity Name: UNICREDIT BANK S.A.
Head Office Address: Blvd.Expozitiei nr. 1F, Bucuresti, 012101
Sole Fiscal Code: RO361536
Trade Register Registration Number: J40/7706/1991
Sharecapital Subscribed and Paid: 455.219.478,30 RON
UniCredit Bank financed the photovoltaic plant from Sarmasag/Sălaj with 39.3 million euros, confirming, once again, its support for Romania's transition to green energy
January 8th, 2024
UniCredit Bank financed the photovoltaic plant from Sarmasag/Sălaj with 39.3 million euros, confirming, once again, its support for Romania's transition to green energy
UniCredit Bank Romania has successfully completed a project finance transaction, offering a total financing of 39.3 million euros to Comcris Energy SRL, a subsidiary of Enery, a Vienna-based renewable generation company. The financing package, has the aim to finance the development, construction and operations of the Sarmasag 51.4 MW DC photovoltaic plant, situated in Salaj County.
Once completed, Project Sarmasag will be a new addition to Enery’s existing 117 MW renewable operational
portfolio in Romania. The project will benefit from a long-term Corporate Theproject will benefit from a long-term Corporate Power Purchase Agreement* with Ursus Breweries (part of Asahi Europe & International), (a unique PPA of this kind in Romania). The project's construction works are ongoing, with the substation works already completed in November 2023.
UniCredit Bank was assisted by CMS Romania as Lender’s English and Romanian law Legal Counsel.The team, led by Ana Radnev, comprised Andreea Turcu (Senior Associate) and Bianca Radu (Lawyer). AFRY Italy S.r.l.has taken the role of Technical Advisor.
Enery was assisted in this transaction by Clifford Badea Chance Romania as Borrower’s Legal Counsel. The Clifford Chance Badea team lead by Nadia Badea (Partner) was coordinated on the project finance aspects by Andreea Sisman (Counsel) supported by Madalina Mailat (Senior Associate) and Martha Busuiocescu (Trainee Lawyer).
Raluca Popescu, Executive Vice President Corporates UniCredit Bank: “Through its strategy adopted in 2022, UniCredit has maintained a steady course towards playing a central role in facilitating the transition to a sustainable economy in the markets our bank operates in. We are therefore proud to participate as Sole Lender in this transaction that we have structured for our client, Enery. This is a benchmark financing for the green energy sector in Romania, while the Transaction is a significant achievement towards the ESG financing objectives of UniCredit.”
Daniel Sava, Advisory & Specialized Lending Director UniCredit Bank: “We are enthusiastic to deliver solutions for financing the transformation of the Romanian energy system, by putting our banks local and international knowledge and talents in the service of our clients, such as Enery. Similar to other markets where the UniCredit Group has presence, also in Romania, all our decisions and actions have strong ESG fundamentals that became part of our business model. We are committed to increase the share of green lending in ourtotal financing portfolio”.
Cong Ta, Vice President M&A and Business Development Enery:
“The financial close of 51.4 MW PV Project Sarmasag marks a new milestone in Enery’s growth story in Romania and once completed, would nearly double our existing PV capacity in the country. The project follows our strategy of selling reliable, affordable, and long-term green electricity to our customers. We are grateful to our financing partner Unicredit Bank Romania for their strong support and trust in the project. We congratulate our partners on this important milestone, and we look forward to continuing our cooperation and achieving more successes together!”
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About UniCredit
UniCredit is a pan-European Commercial Bank with a unique service offering in Italy, Germany, Central and
Eastern Europe. Our purpose is to empower communities to progress, delivering the best-in-class for all stakeholders, unlocking the potential of our clients and our people across Europe.
We serve over 15 million customers worldwide. They are at the heart of what we do in all our markets.
UniCredit is organized in four core regions and two product factories, Corporate and Individual Solutions. This allows us to be close to our clients and use the scale of the entire Group for developing and offering the best products across all our markets.
Digitalization and our commitment to ESG principles are key enablers for our service. They help us deliver excellence to our stakeholders and creating a sustainable future for our clients, our communities and our people.
In Romania, UniCredit Bank is one of the main financial institutions, offering high quality services and products for all
categories of customers. UniCredit Bank aims to permanently keep the customer at the center of its activities, to be a partner that is easy to work with and to be an active part of the communities in which it operates. The group responds to a wide range of needs of its clients through a network of specialized partners: UniCredit Leasing Corporation, UniCredit Consumer Financing, UniCredit Services, UniCredit Insurance Broker.
About Enery
Enery is an independent renewable energy provider dedicated to supplying its customers with reliable, affordable, longer-term green energy. With a diversified green fleet currently generating almost 450 GWh of clean electricity from 312 MW, Enery is at the forefront of driving the CEE region’s transition to sustainable energy.
The company’s ambitious plans include ongoing development projects with more than 8 GW in 11 countries. With its diverse and multidisciplinary team of more than 25 nationalities, Enery is focusing on developing, constructing and operating renewable energy projects by integrating environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors into every aspect of day-to-day business.
Corporate Power Purchase Agreement* represents a long-term contract (generally longer than 10 years) for the purchase of energy.
