UniCredit Group Financial Advisor of the Year

Mergermarket, a prestigious online service specializing in providing information related to investment banking transactions in general, and specifically mergers and acquisitions (“M&A”), has declared UniCredit Group the best financial advisor in Central and Eastern Europe.

Despite strong international competition, which includes numerous renowned investment firms, UniCredit Group has positioned itself as the leading provider of advisory services in this region, it was announced today. UniCredit Group is one of the strongest financial groups in Europe, which today, alongside Italy, Austria, and Germany, operates in 19 key markets in CEE, providing corporate and investment banking services through UniCredit Corporate & Investment Banking. The investment banking division of Zagrebačka banka, as a member of UniCredit Group, is the leading provider of investment banking services in Southeast Europe.

In the past year, Zagrebačka banka has executed, as an advisor, a series of the most significant M&A transactions in the region, thereby contributing an exceptionally significant share to the completed M&A transactions in which UniCredit Group was engaged as an advisor. Notably, the engagement in advising Atlantic Group on the acquisition of Droga Kolinska stands out, with the transaction value exceeding EUR 380 million, making it the second-largest transaction in the CEE region (excluding Russia and Ukraine) in 2010.

The strength of ZABA during this latest transaction was evident through the multiple roles of ZABA’s Investment Banking, including advising Atlantic Group on the purchase of Droga Kolinska, structuring and syndicating the financing of the entire transaction, advising on recapitalization in the domestic capital market, etc. The bank was also engaged as an advisor to the Government of Montenegro in the privatization of Elektroprivreda Crne Gore (transaction amounting to EUR 192 million), advisor to CVC on the buyout of minority shareholders of Zagrebačka pivovara (transaction amounting to EUR 27 million), and advisor to the owners of Getro d.o.o. in the sale of the company.