Leading Russian local retail and SME bank to strengthen participation portfolio

Private equity investment in Bank Center-Invest

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Zurich, 4 September 2017 — Two responsAbility-managed investment vehicles have jointly taken a 9% stake in Center-Invest, a leading local bank headquartered in Rostov-on-Don, in the southern Russian Federation. The bank provides universal banking services to small to medium-sized companies as well as retail clients.

Through an extensive branch network Center-Invest serves both businesses and private clients and puts strong emphasis on sustainable banking. Rather than focusing on short term gains, Center-Invest has invested in relationships and long-term returns. Especially in the still underserved agricultural sector it actively contributes to financial inclusion. Consistent profitability has been driven by stable net interest margin, strong asset quality and low operating cost structure.

Michael Fiebig, Head of Equity Investments Financial Institutions at responsAbility Investments AG, explained: “We are very happy to include Center-Invest in our portfolio of equity investments. Development investments in this field target mature financial players that drive financial inclusion by serving broad sections of the population in developing and emerging economies. As a result, the growth of this type of financial institution leads to financial returns for investors as well as to the development of the local economy.”

Speaking on behalf of Center-Invest, Dr. Vasily Vysokov, President and Chairman of the Board of Directors, said: “responsAbility has a strong focus on sustainable development of small businesses and financial inclusion on the basis of innovations and principles of environmental and socially responsible management. The new shareholder will expand access to financing sources for the growing global market for environmental and socially responsible investments, including energy efficiency projects, agribusiness development, loans for apartment building repairs, women and youth entrepreneurship.”

Contact
responsAbility Investments AG 
Ulli Janett, Media Relations
Telephone: +41 44 403 06 33
e-mail: ulli.janett [at] responsAbility.com

Center-Invest Bank
Natalya Alyabyeva, PR-director
Telephone: +7 863 267-99-88
e-mail: n.alyabieva [at] centrinvest.ru

About Center-Invest (centrinvest.ru)
Center-invest Bank was founded in 1992. Its shareholders include the EBRD, KfW-DEG, ERSTE bank and others. The bank has 134 branches located in the Rostov and Volgograd regions, Krasnodar Krai, Stavropol Krai, and Nizhny Novgorod, and also a representative office in Moscow. At the end of 2016 the bank had assets of RUB 95.9 bn. Retail customer accounts comprised 63.3% of the bank's liabilities. The bank is rated Ba3 by Moody's.

About responsAbility Investments AG (responsAbility.com)
responsAbility Investments AG is a leading asset manager in the field of development investments that offers professionally managed investment solutions to private, institutional and public investors. The company supplies debt and equity financing to firms in emerging economies and developing countries. 
responsAbility currently has USD 3.2 billion of assets under management invested in over 550 companies in 97 countries. Founded in 2003, the company is headquartered in Zurich and has local offices in Bangkok, Hong Kong, Lima, Luxembourg, Mumbai, Nairobi, Oslo and Paris. Its shareholders include a number of reputable institutions in the Swiss financial market and its own employees. responsAbility is regulated by the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority FINMA.

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