VIENNA, Monday 26 June 2006
Winners of the 4th annual South East Europe (SEE) Investor of the Year Awards have been announced at an award ceremony on 26 June 2006, in Vienna as part of the SEE Ministerial Conference “A Regional Framework for Investment in SEE”, 26-27 June 2006.
Three regional awards and eight national awards for Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, FYR Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Serbia and Romania were given in the International Investors of the Year category. Four companies were awarded in the Innovative Domestic Investors of the Year category, which was introduced for first time this year.
The winners of the 2006 Investor of the Year Awards are:
Category 1.
International Investors of the Year:
The Largest Greenfield Investment in SEE:
Airport City D.o.o, Serbia/Africa Israel Corporation, Israel
The Largest Privatisation in SEE:
Erste Bank der Oesterreichischen Sparkassen AG, Austria/Banca Comerciala Romana, Romania
The Largest Employment Generating Investment in SEE:
EPIQ Electronic Assembly, Bulgaria/EPIQ Group, Belgium
Country Investors of the Year:
Bosnia and Herzegovina: ASA Prevent Group/Prevent dd Global, Ilirika dd, Slovenia, Prevent DEV GmbH, Germany, Prevent Halog Lenart, Slovenia
Bulgaria: Tokushukai Ltd./Tokuda, Japan
Croatia: Tele2 d.o.o./Tele 2 Sverige AB, Sweden
Republic of Macedonia: Ramstore Macedonia Ltd./Ramstore, Bulgaria
Moldova: Natur Bravo S.A./Western NIS Enterprise Fund, USA
Republic of Montenegro: Hypo Alpe-Adria-Group Podgorica/Hypo Alpe-Adria-Group A.G., Austria
Romania: Saint-Gobain Glass Romania S.R.L./Saint-Gobain Glass, France
Republic of Serbia: Banca Intesa A.D. Beograd/Intesa Holdings International S.A., Luxemburg
Category 2.
Innovative Domestic Investors of the Year:
Bosnia and Herzegovina: Farmavita d.o.o.
Republic of Macedonia: DIS On net d.o.o.
Romania: S.C. SIVECO Romania S.A.
Republic of Serbia: ComTrade Group
Jean-Pierre Vigroux, Senior Partner, PricewaterhouseCoopers South East Europe, said:
“The foreign direct investments to the Region have steadily increased, reaching close to EUR 10 billion in 2005. The winners' contribution to the Region is a total investment of EUR 4.4 billion and 2,252 new jobs created in 2005. In fact seven of the winning investments were greenfield projects."
The Investors of the Year event is held for a fourth consecutive year to promote the awareness and appreciation of major investment projects in the SEE region. The Investors of the Year process is a unique opportunity to present successful examples of international and domestic investments in the SEE Region and to highlight the region as an attractive destination for investment.
The event is jointly organised by the investment promotion organisations of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Republic of Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Romania and Serbia, in co-operation with the OECD (Investment Compact for South East Europe), Austria, Bulgaria and PricewaterhouseCoopers, and in association with the Regional Network of Foreign Investors Councils from SEE.
Anthony O’Sullivan, Head of Investment Compact for South East Europe, commented:
“In appreciation of the domestic investors’ active contribution to the development of the Region, this year we decided to introduce the new category - Innovative Domestic Investor of the Year, the nominations for which were made in cooperation with the Chambers of Commerce from the SEE countries.”
The 2006 Investor of the Year Awards profile a diverse palette of international and domestic companies operating in the manufacturing sector, banking, telecommunication sector, IT&C, real estate, pharmaceutical sector and health services. Twenty one companies were nominated to compete in the “International Investors of the Year” category. The investment of the nominated companies amounted to EUR 6.1 billion (including 7 greenfield investments) and generated 7,983 jobs in 2005. In addition, 14 dynamic companies were nominated in the “Innovative Domestic Investor of the Year”. These companies hold 43 registered patents and certified products and services (3-year average – 2003 - 2005).
-ENDS-
Notes to Editors
More details about the event, the awards, the selection criteria, the jury members and the organisers are available upon request.
List of Organisers
