|
| Project sponsor and major shareholders of project company |
| Vilniaus Bankas AB (VB), established in 1990, is the most profitable bank in Lithuania and currently controls 43% of the total assets of the banking sector. Sweden’s Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken (SEB), owns 41% of the Vilniaus Bankas and the balance is widely held by local and international investors. The SEB Group is one of the largest financial services groups in the Nordic Region. |
|
| Total project cost and proposed IFC investment |
| The total project cost is US$20 million. The proposed IFC investment is a US$20 million subordinated loan for IFC's own account. |
|
| Location of project and description of site |
| VB is headquartered in Vilnius and has 18 branches and 32 sub-branches across Lithuania. |
|
| Description of company and purpose of project |
| VB’s recently completed merger with Bankas Hermis has dramatically changed the structure of its balance sheet. In order to strengthen the capital base of VB, the client has asked IFC to consider providing the proposed subordinated loan. By improving the VB's capital position, the proposed project would permit VB to prudently expand its operations to better serve Lithuania’s developing corporate sector including small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs). This project would be a key component of IFC's strategy to target SMEs in the Baltics, together with the Baltic SME Fund which would provide equity and quasi-equity financing to a wide range of SMEs in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. Moreover, IFC would contribute to the development of Lithuania’s banking sector by strengthening the leading private sector bank. This would be IFC's first financial sector investment in Lithuania. |
|
| Environmental and social issues - Category FI |
This is a category FI Type I project according to IFC's environmental review procedure. VB will be required to establish an environmental management system that will ensure that investments are consistent with applicable host country environmental laws and regulations; designating appropriate individuals who will have responsibility for environment; submitting an environmental management plan; and submitting an annual environmental performance report. IFC will assess whether VB needs to attend environmental training.
|
|
| Not applicable. |
| To contact the project company, please write to: |
Vilniaus Bankas AB
Financial Institutions Department
12 Gedimino Avenue
LT-2600 Vilnius, Lithuania
telefax: 3702-612-629 |