By Andrei Skvarsky. The Astana International Exchange (AIX) recently listed the first exchange-traded fund (ETF) to be traded on the bourse. Units of ITI EFT, which is a Russia-focused USD Eurobond ETF and is an instrument of Guernsey-based investment manager ITI Funds, are due to start being traded this month, according to a statement from… Continue Reading
Category Archives: News
Permira Debt Managers funds acting as senior lender to French manufacturer
By Andrei Skvarsky. Funds advised by London-based debt investor Permira Debt Managers (PDM) are currently acting as the sole senior secured lender to Sotralu, a French manufacturer of accessories for sliding doors and windows, to enable the company to refinance its existing debt and finance future acquisitions. Sotralu, whose business geography covers France, Italy and… Continue Reading
Digital banking forum likely to help Africa-eyeing investors
Changes brought about by digitisation have ushered in a new era of competition in banking, and attending the Digital Banking Summit (DBS) in Accra on August 19-20 may help banks and fintechs to stay competitive in doing business in Africa, a continent that is an increasingly popular destination for investors. You would be told about… Continue Reading
Private Equity Summit in Texas to bring together key US financial firms
Senior executives from some of the United States’ largest financial services companies, insurance firms and banks are going to attend Private Equity Summit 2019, an investment conference in Irving, Texas, on September 9-11 organised by the marcus evans company. The conference will be an invitation-only, closed-door event. There will be a limit on the number… Continue Reading
Limited partners, managers to meet at NY’s Emerging Manager Connect 2019
There will be a range of business opportunities for limited partners (LPs), general partners (GPs) and new managers to sound out during Emerging Manager Connect 2019, a conference in New York on July 23. LPs would be able to meet managers looking for opportunities in emerging private funds and have a chance to learn how… Continue Reading
UPDATE – Vienna forum to address collateral management challenges resulting from new rules
Bankers, European Union officials and other financial services figures are going to meet at a conference in Vienna this September to look into challenges in collateral management that new regulations are giving rise to. The International Collateral Management Forum on September 26-27 will have an extensive agenda that includes automation in collateral management and EU… Continue Reading
Sberbank buys into firm digitising Islamic alms collection
By Andrei Skvarsky. Sberbank, Russia’s biggest lender, has acquired a 25 per cent stake in PayZakat, a Moscow-based company that has developed and operates a digital system for the collection and distribution of zakat, alms that are obligatory in Islam and are normally collected in cash worldwide. Continue Reading
Cyprus FX broker IMS Markets signs long-term deal with child support charity
By Andrei Skvarsky. IMS Markets, a Cypriot foreign exchange and contract-for-differences (CFD) broker, has made a long-term pledge to donate to a charity that supports children with mental health problems. Continue Reading
Sberbank-Luxembourg govt deal to help Russian hi-tech firms access EU markets
By Andrei Skvarsky. The Luxembourg government is going to help Russian high-tech firms to get established in European Union markets under an agreement of June 7 with Sberbank, Russia’s biggest lender. Continue Reading
Sberbank crypto trade plans on ice due to Russian govt’s ‘negative’ position
By Andrei Skvarsky. Sberbank has suspended plans to launch transactions in cryptocurrencies because of the Russian government’s “negative” position on digital money, a top manager at Russia’s biggest lender said last week. Continue Reading
UPDATE – Top African bankers to speak at Accra’s Digital Banking Summit
Some two dozen speakers, about half of them top figures in African banks, are going to take the floor at the Digital Banking Summit in Accra on August 19-20. Continue Reading
Guernsey’s ITI Funds says deal enables it to avoid crypto market risks
By Andrei Skvarsky. Guernsey-based investment company ITI Funds has said it has entered into a partnership that arms it with a technology to significantly reduce risks inherent in cryptocurrency transactions. Continue Reading
Sberbank’s Gref rules out ‘disastrous’ option of job in govt
By Andrei Skvarsky. Herman Gref, CEO of Russia’s biggest lender Sberbank, has flatly and forcefully ruled out any chance of his return into government, where he spent many years as a key economic reformer earlier on, and said a governmental job would be “the most disastrous ending to my career”. Continue Reading
London’s Sun Global co-manages bond issue for India’s no. 2 housing finance provider
By Andrei Skvarsky. London-based wealth and investment manager Sun Global Investments has co-arranged a $350m issue of three-year US dollar-denominated bonds with a yield of 6.4 per cent per year for Indiabulls Housing Finance (IBHF), India’s second-largest housing finance company. Continue Reading
Russia’s RenCap makes key hire for MENA team
By Andrei Skvarsky. Russian investment bank Renaissance Capital has hired Omar Gaafar, a former senior manager at Egyptian investment company Beltone Financial, as vice-president of the Moscow-based firm’s investment banking service for the Middle East and North Africa. Continue Reading
Tolar HashNET test-launches UN-backed scalable, fast blockchain
By Andrei Skvarsky. Tolar HashNET, a technology firm based in ex-Yugoslav states, has developed and last month test-launched a blockchain platform that the United Nations has listed among projects supporting the Sustainable Development Goals set to the international community by the organisation. Continue Reading
Sberbank: cybercrime to cost companies globally $2.5tn in 2019
By Andrei Skvarsky. According to Sberbank, Russia’s largest bank, cybercrime inflicted total damages of $1.5 trillion on companies worldwide last year and will rob them of another $2.5 trillion in 2019. Continue Reading
RenCap-hosted forum involves 150 meetings between Egypt companies and potential investors
By Andrei Skvarsky. Egyptian companies had about 150 meetings with foreign institutional investors owning assets totalling about $20bn during a recent conference organised by Russian investment bank Renaissance Capital. Continue Reading
Lebanon’s Bank Audi says Nexmo’s WhatsApp solution enables it to improve customer service
By Andrei Skvarsky. Lebanon-based Bank Audi has adopted a device developed by US technology company Nexmo to maintain direct contact with customers through WhatsApp, an increasingly popular means of communication worldwide. Continue Reading
Russian startup develops anti-fraud app for insurers
By Andrei Skvarsky. A Russian startup has developed a mobile application that it says enables insurers to protect themselves from fraudulent claims via a pre-insurance inspection of a property item involving multiple photographs that are dated and timed and record the item’s location. Continue Reading
RenCap to host forum to drum up money inflow into Egypt
By Andrei Skvarsky. Russian investment bank Renaissance Capital is going to host a conference in Cape Town on April 9-10 to attract international, primarily South African, investment to Egypt, a country RenCap credits with highly successful economic reforms. Continue Reading
Sberbank calls on UAE businesses to invest in Russia, offers help
By Andrei Skvarsky. A senior delegation from Sberbank, Russia’s biggest lender, hosted a round table in Abu Dhabi last month during which they called on United Arab Emirates businesses to invest in Russia and offered them “direct assistance” with potential Russian projects. Continue Reading
London’s Sun Global arranges bond issue for India’s HDFC housing finance firm
By Andrei Skvarsky. London-based investment manager Sun Global Investments has organised a 10bn rupee ($145m) issue of bonds for a leading Indian housing finance provider, Housing Development Finance Corp (HDFC). Continue Reading
Sova brokerage chooses Iress as provider of order management, post-trade processing software
By Andrei Skvarsky. London-headquartered investment broker Sova Capital Limited has chosen Australian technology designer Iress to provide software for order management and post-trade processing in its prime services division. Continue Reading
UPDATE (quoting ticket price discount) – Florida’s Opal Exchange networking event to bring together investors, brokers, consultants
Investors, brokers, consultants and any other financial services professionals will have plenty of opportunity for one-to-one meetings during Opal Exchange, a networking event in Florida on March 31-April 2. Continue Reading
Natixis arranges €82m syndicated loan for building Mediterranean’s first offshore wind farm
By Andrei Skvarsky. A banking syndicate led by French bank Natixis has lent an Italian company about €82m ($92m) for building what would be the first-ever offshore wind farm in the Mediterranean Sea. Continue Reading
Credit Bank of Moscow offers interest on overnight deposits to corporate clients
By Andrei Skvarsky. Money deposited by a company or another corporate client at Credit Bank of Moscow (CBM) at the end of any business day returns to the depositor with interest by 11am on the next business day via a new online service. Continue Reading
Payger, Net Element clinch deal said to offer shoppers new crypto payment facilities
By Andrei Skvarsky. Electronic payments companies Payger and Net Element, the former based in Munich and the latter in Miami, announced a partnership deal last week that, according to the two firms, offers retail shoppers wider opportunities to pay in cryptocurrencies. Continue Reading
Five businessmen selected for Senegal seed accelerator course
By Andrei Skvarsky. Five young entrepreneurs have been selected for a six-month seed accelerator programme in Senegal due to pioneering farming practices proposed by them. Continue Reading